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The Fifth Element
60/1 Chowringhee Road (first floor)
Open: 11.30am to 4pm; 7pm to 11.30pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 1,200-plus for two
Anything that walks the earth, swims the water, crawls or fires across and flies the air with its back to heaven, is edible.
That’s the line that opens the five-page Oriental menu at The Fifth Element. Located on the first floor of a building that overlooks both Chowringhee Road and Suburban Hospital Road, the restaurant gives a feel of the elements — the blue sky, rain or shine and some greenery — thanks to the huge glass windows. Bringing the outdoors inside, the seating is divided into four sections to reflect the four elements of air, water, earth and fire, where you, the fifth element, can dig into a hearty meal.
What to eat: Gado Gado Salad, Spicy Fried Calamari, Rangoon Noodle Meal (their version of Khow Suey) and Double Cooked Melting Pork (pork belly meat glazed with honey and soya sauce in the oven, cooked with a mix of Oriental spices).
Must try
Gado Gado Salad: Potatoes, carrots, beans, cabbage and bean sprouts are tossed with sliced boiled eggs and drizzled with peanut sauce.
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Chaskaa Cafe
1 Allenby Road, first floor
Open: Noon to 10pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 500-plus for two
A corridor of cosy seating leads to a dimly-lit bigger lounge — it almost feels like you’ve walked into the living room of your BFF, all set to party! With the console churning out dance music, all you need is to get your gang and chill.
Hookah and finger food keep the crowd going here. Between the puffs and a sip of mocktail, bite into a thin-crust pizza or a platter of Cheese Fondue and Chelo Kebab. Here, it’s an only-veg menu. What brings in the footfall? “The cool ambience, nice food and mind-blowing hookah flavours!” says Rupesh Agarwal, a regular.
What to eat: 7-Jewel Mongolian Noodles and Crispy Chilli Babycorn. Finish with Summer of 1 Degree. This dessert dish comes with an assortment of bread, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, shredded choco chips, strawberry crush and choco syrup. Large enough to be shared by three people!
Must try
Triple-chhilum hookah with seven herbal flavours: Rasna, orange, kiwi, gum, supari, mint and watermelon. Pair it with Cheese Fondue.
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Au Bon Pain
2A Elgin Road
Open: 8.30am to 10.30pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 800-plus for two
Grab a table facing the large glass windows, order a Dark Hot Chocolate and Tuna Melt, and watch the hustle and bustle on the street below. The newest and the city’s third Au Bon Pain outlet is primarily an all-day breakfast place that promises a lot, mostly for vegetarians.
What to eat: Tuna Melt, Greek Yoghurt with Blueberry and Granola, Egg White on Skinny Bagel. Vegetarian options include Veg Burritos, Classic Mac & Cheese, Veg Chilli Gravy with Baked Kulcha.
Must try
Tuna Melt: The tuna is mixed with herbs, lettuce, tomatoes and lemon aioli on ciabatta.
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The Biker’s cafe
First floor, Platinum Mall, 31 Elgin Road
Open: 7.30am to 11pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 1,400-plus for two
If you love your bike, you will love this place anyway. If you are one for whom a bike is just an engine-driven two-wheeler, this place is a must-visit. The look, the ambience and the food will pump you up and how!
What makes The Biker’s Cafe stand out in the city’s cafe crowd is its “vibe”, as loyalist and biker Subrata Pal puts it. And never for a moment do you feel like fish out of water. “Everyone here is so chilled out that for a single woman like me, it is a damn good place to meet friends. The best part is you get to see some hot hunks walking in at times, a perk for us ladies!” chirps Monideepa Basu, a Bhowanipore-based Tata Steel employee.
What to eat: The cafe opens at 7.30am, so make the most of the breakfast options. Hangover Killer really kills a hangover with its robust spread of brown bread and butter, ham and fried eggs with chillies and paprika. The All-American Breakfast, which has eggs, sausages, hash browns, bread, butter and marmalade, is as heavy-duty. Desi Breakfast options like My Paratha My Way or the Bun Samosa are also good to go. If you are dropping by in the evening, do try Thai Fish Cake or Calzone Pizza. The Mezze Platter works well with a large group.
Must try
Calzone Pizza: Stuffed with veggies, herbs and Mozzarella, it’s a treat from Naples.
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Cream Centre
1 Allenby Road, lane opposite Forum mall
Open: Noon to 11pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 900-plus for two
This warm, breezy place is proof that vegetarian food in Calcutta does not begin and end with Palak Paneer. Cream Centre has variety — think North Indian Paneer Tikka to Hyderabadi Biryani. They also serve vegetarian food cooked without onion and garlic, which makes it a hit among Jain and Marwari food lovers.
What to eat: Take your pick from the wide range of parathas (the Tawa Paratha is a hotseller) and team it with Teekhe Sabz Handi or Bambaiya Ragda Pattice. The menu also has nachos, thin-crust pizzas, pastas and mocktails. Loyalists come back for the two sizzlers — Spicy Sa Po and Paneer Ka Baap!
While waiting for your food, fiddle with the table mats — they have puzzles, riddles and Crossword to keep you busy.
Old-world charm
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Kewpie’s
2 Elgin Lane (behind Netaji Bhawan)
Open: 12.30pm-3pm, 7.30pm-10.30pm (Monday closed)
Pocket pinch: Rs 1,000 for two
This is the grand old lady among restaurants serving Bengali cuisine. The menu comprises recipes handed down the generations in the Dasgupta family. The 55-cover restaurant exudes an old-world charm with its red-stone floor. Whatever you order — Daab Chingri to Phulko Luchi — will come in earthenware.
Tip: Book your table in advance.
Hole in the wall
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Goli
31 Ram Mohun Dutta Road
Open: Noon to 10pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 150 for two
This takeaway in the lane adjacent to the Titan showroom (diagonally opposite Forum) has taken off with its fresh and filling vada pav. The place sells all kinds of vada pav from Mumbai. Classic Vada Pav — a vegetable patty between two buns — costs only Rs 40 and tastes great. We also loved Sabudana Vada and Makka Palak Vada Pav.
Quick eats
Dilligate
24 Lee Road; noon to 10pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 100 for two
Maggie, sandwich and lassi are the pop picks at this takeaway that has a few red plastic chairs in front of the kiosk.
Dadi’s
24 Lee Road; noon to 10pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 100 for two
Next to Dilligate, Dadi’s is also popular with budget foodies. Come here for idli, vada and dosa.
Orchid
2B Suburban Hospital Road; 1pm to 10pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 350 for two
A Tibetan-Chinese eatery known for its momos and Mongolian Chicken.
Brewberrys
29/B Allenby Road (near Forum mall); 11am to 11pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 400 for two
It’s a hit with the college crowd for free Wi-fi. Coffee, nachos and thin-crust pizza are the fast-movers.
Vanilla Creperie By Aqua Java
22 Elgin Road; 9am to 10pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 250 for two
Chai Latte, Hot Chocolate Italiano and Oreo Mint Shake are the things everyone digs.
Nick N Nack
4A Ray Street (off Elgin Road, lane beside Titan showroom); 9am to 11pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 200 for two
This is a retail store-cum-eatery that serves juices, ice creams, Wai Wai noodles, sandwiches, French fries, momos and nachos. There’s no place to sit; just stand and watch the staff plate up your order.
Juicy Fresh
Shop 1B (near Bhawanipur Education Society), Elgin Road; 9am to 10pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 150 for two
Fresh fruit juice always finds takers here. The Citrus Tango Juice is recommended by regulars.
Kwality Wall Swirl’s
24 Lee Road (beside Brand Factory); 10am to 10pm
Pocket pinch: Rs 150 for two
A favourite stop for ice cream, on the way out from Forum.
