A new pub from the house of Xrong Place off Southern Avenue, Cheap Charlie is a museum of nostalgia. Its interiors done up with upcycled materials ranges from old private bus seats to mechanical parts, pages from books, sound boxes and a host of other objects. Each corner of the pub has a different story to tell and is Insta-ready for the millennial generation. The multi-cuisine menu boasts of a huge variety from street food of Calcutta, Delhi and Bombay to flavours of Kerala, Amritsar, Singapore, Goa, China, Egypt, Burma , South Africa and many more, catering to a wide palate.
“The idea was to amalgamate popular food from various regions of India and other countries and bring it under one roof. We did not want the name of the place to cater to a particular cuisine but something that every person could connect with, so we named it Cheap Charlie. Later on, we added more elements to the decor of this place like the Charlie Chaplin hats and film frames to elevate the drama. The idea was also to change how people usually order their straight drinks. Here, one can order for their own bottle in their preferred quantity of a nip, pint or a quart. We wanted to keep a bigger inventory in terms of alcoholic drinks and see our customers happy with their bottles of straight drinks paired with popular food,” said Indranil Banerjee, general manager, Cheap Charlie and Xrong Place.
t2 took a walk-through.
More about it
What: Cheap Charlie
Where: 34, Dr Sarat Banerjee Road
Timings: 1pm to 11pm
Meal for two: Rs 1,000-plus
The inside section of the pub has extended seats for chilling with friends and family in groups. Interesting decor elements include vehicle number plates on one wall and colourful drawers on the other that were used as jewellery caskets in old Calcutta homes.
The bar counter is designed with nostalgic objects like attache cases, the box TV sets, transistors and gramophones. Mechanical parts have been used on a wall with robot figures. A large picture of Dev, who is a partner of the property, attracts attention. Wooden chunks are attached together to form colourful chairs and bicycle parts like pedals are used as foot rests on the bar seaters. The table tops are interestingly designed with road signs.
t2 loved these picture-perfect corners. The passage leading to the washrooms is decorated with old paperback books and a mirror with bright lights. And if you were ever fascinated by the Game of Thrones throne, here’s a chance to channel the vibe! The pub has metal helmets too, to add to the mood.
On the menu:
The chaat and snacks menu packs in a huge variety in two separate sections: Swadesi and Videsi. The Kabliwala chaat platter consists of aloo-chana chaat and fresh fruit salad wrapped in roasted masala papad, served with three types of shots — masala curd, tamarind and mint-coriander. Rs 199 The Burmese Bhel is prepared with a mixture of papdi, chickpeas and coriander and is a spicy treat inspired from recipes created by Indians who travelled to Burma as plantation workers. Rs 199
Thai Ba Blot has banana leaf wrapped over a steamed vegetable filling made with a mash of beans, carrots, bamboo shoot, asparagus and broccoli and is served with a Tzatziki dip. Rs 199
This Toblerone Chocolate Pancake Lasagne prepared in layers with chocolate sauce and Toblerone pieces on top, is pure sin! Rs 199
Kerala Fried prawns flavoured with curry leaves is a slightly spicy dish made with Indian spices and served with julienned coconut that prawn lovers will relish with their drink. Rs 299
The Eggspectation platter consists of hash-brown potatoes topped with egg bhurji and a sunny side up and is served with potato wedges and masala omelette. Rs 349
Get your tipple bottles in whichever size suits you — from a nip, pint to quarts. Orders can be placed for pegs and buckets too for a huge variety of alcohol-based drinks.
The Butterfly pea is a gin cocktail, a concoction of lime pit syrup, gin and butterfly pea flower. Rs 500
The orange mojito mocktail is prepared with orange juice, soda, mint syrup, crushed ice and lime chunks. Rs 200
Pictures: B. Halder
