On a Friday morning, in the run up to Children’s Day, My Kolkata took a walk down memory lane to the good ol’ nursery rhymes that made our childhoods lyrical and fun.
Now, Polly Put The Kettle On, Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater and Little Jack Horner brought back memories that left us smiling, but Polly’s tea, Peter’s pumpkin and Jack’s pie left our stomachs growling. So, we set out on a ‘foodventure’ around the city, hunting down hearty breakfasts, straight out of our childhood rhymes. And what did we find? Marvellous breakfast menus, from every nook and cranny of the city that make for the best Children’s Day breakfasts.
Coconut and Banana Porridge @ Mint Restaurant
Do you like your porridge hot, cold or nine-days old?
While we wouldn’t recommend slurping up a porridge that is nine-days old like Peas Porridge Hot does, we’d surely recommend the flavour-packed bowl of porridge Mint Restaurant in Hindustan Park rustles up. Made with bananas, grated coconut, roasted oats and milk, along with digestive biscuits smeared with honey, this coconut-ty porridge tastes heavenly hot, cold and who knows, maybe even nine-days old!
Mushroom Toast and Chamomile Tea @ POACH
The little brown mouse from Litle Poll Parrot would feast on every last morsel of Poach’s Mushroom Toast and every last drop of their Chamomile Tea, just as it did with the toast and tea it stole from the parrot in the garret. The Southern Avenue eatery serves the tried-and-tested combination — a duo of toasted bread topped with creamy mushrooms, and minty chamomile tea — that will have you poll-parroting your order.
Five Fat Sausages @ Calcutta Stories Cafe and Deli
If we had five fat sausages frying in a pan, they’d definitely disappear!
Five Fat Sausages, the nursery rhyme that has a singalong quality like no other, begins with five sausages frying in a pan and as it progresses, each goes ‘bang’, resulting in four, three, two, culminating in only one fat sausage searing.
But fear not, Calcutta Stories Cafe and Deli in Keyatala Road has succulent sausages that make for worthy replacements. Run by Prithvish Chakravarti, who was a Kalman loyalist growing up, the deli offers unique flavoured cocktail and Hungarian sausages that pay stiff competition to crispy fry-ups and bacon.
Betty Botter’s butter @ The Calcutta Stock Exchange
Tongue twisters have been a part of all our childhoods and Betty was perhaps the most twisty one. She bought bits of butter that were always too bitter and… well, most of us never really got any further, did we?
But Kolkata’s butter is never bitter, especially at Shankar Tea Stall and Kona Dukaan. The two tea stalls behind The Calcutta Stock Exchange serve utterly butterly delicious malai toast — lightly toasted bread topped with a creamy malai and dollops of butter.
Smoked Bandel Cheese and Mozzarella Omelette @ Trincas
Humpty Dumpty, an age-old satirical nursery rhyme, narrates a story with an egg as its hero. At the end of the quatrain when all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again, they put together a batch of fluffy omelettes, instead!
Kolkata’s heritage restaurant Trincas recently revived their breakfast buffets and they have a marvellous Smoked Bandel Cheese and Mozerella Omelette at their make-your-own-eggs station. Pair the omelette with a slice of Ancient Grain toast and some Grape Jelly and we’re sure that the fate of your breakfast will be better than that of good ol’ Humpty.
Lemon Curd Doughnuts @ Little Pleasures
We’ve all taken a spoonful of sugar out of the sugar jar on occasion (and been less than honest when caught) just like little Johnny from Johnny Johnny Yes Papa. Little Pleasures turns those sought-after spoonfuls into delightful desserts at a number of pretty outlets all over the city, giving us our daily dose of sugar and keeping us out of the confessional.
The Lemon Curd Doughnuts at the patisserie are a fan favourite — its light and airy, and every bite tastes like a bite straight out of heaven, making them a great way to start the day.
Moroccan Tea @ Tapaste — The Spanish Cafe
I’m A Little Teapot gives us all the deets on the anatomy of a teapot — short, stout, sporting a handle and a spout — but we’re more interested in its shout, right? If you’re longing to sip on a breathy Moroccan blend, Tapaste — The Spanish Cafe, the latest cafe in Hindustan Park, steams a charming cuppa. It’s a dynamic, deadly blend that might just be served in a very special teapot that turns its handle into a spout. All you need to do is, tip it over and pour it out.
So, what are you biting down on Children’s Day? A Humpty Dumpty omelette or Johnny’s spoonful of sugar?
