In the 1920s during the Prohibition era in the United States, secret bars started to open up to illegally sell alcoholic beverages. These were called speakeasy bars. In recent years the term has been used by licensed bars that are modelled or themed on historical speakeasies. Housed in the Fort Knox building on Camac Street is a new “speakeasy-themed” bar called Tall Tales. ‘Tall tales’ usually means exaggeration and false claims and that’s what people usually do when they are tipsy, so the brand uses the tag line “established in 1905” as a “tall tale” claim. The interiors of the bar have used three basic colours — red, green and golden — which were generally used in the decor of a classic speakeasy. Spread across 3,500sq ft, the bar offers a gorgeous view of the Calcutta skyline.
Tall Tales has an elaborate food and cocktail menu, which features some mouth-watering dishes like cheese fondues, sandwiches and wraps, a wide range of main course dishes, appetisers and cocktails. Here’s a walkthrough of the new hangout.
“Tall Tales is a speakeasy bar where we let our customers enter with passcodes, which is the first time in Calcutta. This is one of our USPs because we wanted to keep the vibe as real as possible of that of a vintage speakeasy. Whether it’s our food or our cocktails, everything in Tall Tales is house made with the freshest ingredients. As a wedding planner, I tried to keep the interiors as authentic as possible. As the demand for gin is growing in the city, we are focusing more on serving gin-based cocktails. Also, we are hosting “drunches” that are drinks and lunch sundowners,” said Swati Agarwalla, director and proprietor of Tall Tales.
To make it feel more authentic, customers have to get inside the bar through a red London phone booth and dial their passcode into the telephone for entry into the bar. Passcodes will be sent to the customers via Tall Tales’s Instagram DM.
Murgh Malai Dimsum is filled with tender boneless chicken chunks cooked in malai gravy and wrapped in dim sum, which is a traditional fusion of Indian and Asian cuisine. Rs 525
Paneer Latika is a traditional Indian dish with a rich cottage cheese filling and an exotic aroma. Rs 475
Enjoy a girl’s night out with the Bartender’s Special Cocktail Tree (pack of six) featuring some exotic and refreshing cocktails. Rs 3,510
Be-Aware is a bartender’s special rum-based cocktail, with vanilla essence and cheery brine. Rs 725
What: Tall Tales
Where: 8th floor, 6 Camac Street, Fort Knox
Timings: Noon-2am
Meal for two: Rs 1,200-plus (without alcohol) and Rs 2,000-plus (with alcohol)