The flavour of Kolkata

The flavour of Kolkata
The city is known for its old alleys. One such is shot by Atanu Pal.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Chittababu's Shop

A small shop on Dacres Lane has been serving for decades the taste buds of office-going Kolkata Babus (White collar staff) in the Dalhousie area with its range of offerings and top class milk tea. The eatery has no formal name and hence is referred by the name of its founder Chitta as Chittababur Dokan (Chittababu's Shop in English).

Since the core of its customers is officegoers from Dalhousie area who come for their evening munch after work, the menu is a mix of healthy food and traditional tasty bites. Its staple menu is basically stew (Chicken, mutton and vegetable), ghughni (A preparation with peas, similar to chana masala), veg curry (Typical Indian curry with mixed vegetables and chicken liver), fish fry, chicken pakora, fish finger, fried rice and chilli chicken (Recent additions on popular demand) and its USP- butter toast. The menu is very reasonably priced vis a vis middle class affordability.

Chittababu is no more. His brother is in charge now. A tall, well built, dark gentleman with thin hair and a well-grown moustache. One will see him sitting on a high stool with a gamchha ( A piece of cotton cloth used by the Bengalis in place of a towel) tied around his waist and taking cash from customers after they are through with food/ tea.

My dad referred me to this place- a favourite with him when he would go to office. I am grateful to him for this. I wish to introduce this place to my one-and-a-half-year-old daughter when she grows up. Long live Chittababu's Shop.


1 comment:

  1. That's pure Bengali domestic hospitality
    Amen:)

    ReplyDelete

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