Trincas today (top) and yesterday. (Below)

It’s Monday night, and much of the rain-drenched city is getting ready to call it a day. In one cosy spot in town, the comfortable smells of tobacco, liquor and food mingle as Jenny breaks into a husky rendition of Fever. It’s old times at Trincas once again.

The restaurant is celebrating 50 years under the Puris this year. And there is a lot to remember.

“Trincas used to be a tea room like Flurys before my father .P. Puri and his business partner E. Joshua took it over,” recalls present proprietor Deepak Puri, better known as Sunny. “For a year, it continued to be a confectionery. Then, after getting a bar licence in late 1960, or 1961, it was turned into a restaurant.”

It wasn’t long after that the name Trincas became synonymous with live music. Musician and t2 columnist Nondon Bagchi thinks back fondly on those times. “In the winter of 1968, I performed at Trincas twice a week for three months. I have beautiful memories of waiting in the side room, where all the confectioneries were kept and watching the other performers,” he says. “And what quality of performance. Usha Uthup, Biddu Appaya and so many others. There would be something or the other happening from late morning. Child shows, magic, stand-up comedy, music, cabaret — and everything was tastefully done. Nothing was sleazy. Even if it was a drag act, it was done in absolute good humour, and the audience was cultured and knew how to respond. Trincas was brimming with activity.”

“Trincas has always had a strong tradition of music,” stresses Shashi Puri, Sunny’s wife. “Some of the finest artistes of the country have performed here.” And though times haven’t been as good, as rich, of late, Calcutta should get a little taste of what Trincas once was. “As part of our 50 years celebration, we will try to have some event every couple of months and bring back as many of our old artistes as possible.”

Jenny is the first one. She used to sing at Trincas in the early 1970s and is a teacher in Delhi now. She threads her way between the tables, waves at a patron, stops to interact with another, and has requests pouring in, after just one song. “I had a lovely time at Trincas, but I can tell you of bad Naxal days, when the goons used to come in, even at a place like this. We would have peanuts thrown at us as we sang,” remembers Jenny, who will be performing through June.

Jenny performs at Trincas on Monday. Pictures by Rashbehari Das

Trincas weathered that time, as it did the five years when the government imposed a 30 per cent entertainment tax on live music, forcing most restaurants on Park Street to fall silent. “We never stopped, though. We had the tax clause written outside the restaurant. But many patrons missed it, and were very argumentative when the bill was presented. Most were reluctant to pay the extra. But music lovers still came and even if we did not have a 100 per cent occupancy in those times, we at least had a 70 per cent,” explained Puri. The tax was withdrawn after a few years, but none of the other restaurants revived their entertainment acts, making Trincas the sole custodian of a culture that had once defined Calcutta’s night life.

New Beginnings

Trincas has tried to keep interest afloat by mixing up the offering. “We have always tried to promote upcoming artistes. A few years back, we started something — the Luncheon Theatre, where we had young groups coming and performing at the restaurant. We have also had Bangla rock bands performing. Bands like Cassini’s Division have performed here. We have two bands Orchid and Sweet Agitation performing daily,” informs Shashi.

The restaurant has altered other aspects of its identity as well. The one room has been carved up, the inner area being transformed into The Ming Room. Big Bite offers quick meals to office goers. The Tavern, the bar, with its models of Knight’s arms, lives up to its name. On the first floor is The Other Room, with bright red panels and a Hindi band. “Trincas used to have a very heavy, opulent, Victorian look. Some years ago, we went for a revamp and made it more contemporary, with lighter furniture, wallpaper and drapes,” says Puri.

Much has been added to the platter, too. “Trincas started with Continental and Indian food. Our tetrazzinis and a la kievs were very popular and still are. In the Indian section, the kebabs are favourites. In the early 80s, we introduced Chinese. And the latest addition is Southern Spice, a south Indian cuisine restaurant that opened in the old banquet room a month ago.”

The patrons too have changed, but the loyalists, who have aged with Trincas, still keep coming back for their regular dose. Like Surendra K. Tapuriah, who, with his friends, would have a table reserved at Trincas every evening. A group formed what was called the “Dodo’s Club”. “As a bachelor in the early 1980s, I spent every evening at Trincas. The service was very good. There used to be a supervisor called Razak, who would take care of everybody. They also had very good live bands and crooners like Eve and Jenny,” remembers Birpal Chauhan, an old regular and member of the Dodo’s Club, which assured him a table.

“In the 60s and 70s, the crowd was mostly corporate. All the head offices were in Calcutta. As the offices moved out, the office crowd also changed. Now, we get a blend of family and friends,” explains Puri. But the motto for Trincas remains the same: “To offer good food and good music. It is a place to have fun,” sums up Shashi.