Lovebirds in the city gave the traditional cafe-hopping a skip on Valentine’s Day, as journalist and ‘probashi’ Bengali Priyanko Sarkar organised a unique heritage walk around New Market titled, ‘Shades of Love’, in association with AMPM Kolkata. Commencing from Charlie Chaplin Square in Dharmatala, the walk was all about love in the city. ‘While people consider Bombay as the centre for cinema, it actually used to be Kolkata. This area housed Elphinstone Picture Palace, India’s first theatre, which was set up in 1907. Later, it was renamed to Chaplin Cinema, and eventually demolished in 2013,’ said Sarkar beginning the journey
All photos by Krishnungshu Gangopadhyay
After strolling through the streets, the troupe banded into UP & Bihar restaurant, which is known for its delectable meat dishes. ‘This is one of the oldest restaurants in the area, with both an open dining hall, and separate cubicles for privacy. I enjoy taking in the vibe whenever I come here,’ Sarkar added, as the group munched on chicken kebab and Mughlai paratha
Sarkar whisked everyone off to (left) New Market (originally known as Sir Stuart Hogg Market). ‘Originally, this market was an elite shopping space reserved for British customers. Gradually it expanded into the New Market we know today.’ The walk comprised a Bandel cheese tasting session at J. Johnson, one of the few places in the city that sell the indigenous cheese
No visit to New Market is complete without snacking on a lemon tart at Nahoum & Sons, the famous Jewish bakery. For (right) Diya Sen, a student at Manipal University, the experiences on the walk were a ‘valuable lesson on self love’. She called it a ‘beautiful experience, teaching me so much about a city I love. It was also a great way to celebrate V Day, as it allowed me to enjoy the little things by myself’
The walk culminated at AMPM on Park Street, with Priyanko taking over the bar and stirring up cocktails inspired by the city. On the menu were four tasty concoctions — (L-R) Corner Seat, Hogg Warts, Flower Power and Banditos. While Hogg Warts’ citrusy magic encapsulated the hundred different stories from New Market, Banditos was infused with the flavours of Bandel cheese
It was a special Valentine’s Day for Megha Dasgupta and Raunak Das Sharma, as they explored their city together. ‘This was such an insightful experience for us, with emphasis on the lesser-talked about history of New Market. The Kolkata-themed cocktail menu at AMPM was a bonus,” said Megha, a doctor and influencer
