Cafe at Calcutta — Restaurant in Kolkata

We visited this cafe recently and tried three items from their menu – White Sauce Pasta, Cold Coffee, and Chicken Wings in BBQ Sauce.

To start with the positives: the Cold Coffee and the White Sauce Pasta were both quite good as per the price. However, our experience with the Chicken Wings was extremely disappointing.

The chicken wings had a strange smell right from the first bite. The chicken pieces were skin chicken wings, and initially we thought maybe they weren't fried properly, which might have caused the smell. So, we politely asked the staff to either replace or we will order something else, because the aftertaste was genuinely unpleasant. We've had chicken wings at many places, but this was something we had never experienced before.

The staff member initially offered to make it right and bring a better version. We appreciated that gesture and decided to give it another shot. But when the dish returned, it was clearly the same wings, just reheated and drowned in extra sauce. Unfortunately, the unpleasant smell was even more noticeable this time, so we had to return it again.

To our surprise, when the bill arrived, they had charged us for the chicken wings – a dish we could barely eat. We only tasted one piece out of the four served. When we requested to remove or at least reduce the charge, they refused at first and insisted to pay the full amount. This kind of experience was not expected from any food joint. After long arguments they did remove the price of the wings from our bill. The behaviour of the manager was arrogant and bad. WOULD NOT...

4 of us were very excited to visit the cafe today but unfortunately the experience turned out to be a bitter one. Firstly it's a tiny space with limited seating arrangements. So we had to wait at the veranda for our turn and there was only one small rotating fan that tried to keep us cool in this humid climate. 10mins there (and we didn't mind waiting to get the bong experience) and the staff asked us to go downstairs and wait. We were surprised as they don't have any sitting or waiting arrangement anywhere save a couple of broken moras that one could hardly sit on. I asked the staff if there was any place to wait and he suggested the staircases, which is very unethical as the stairs were narrow and had no space to sit or stand with people walking up and down...As customers we want minimum respect. If the cafe doesn't have ample sitting arrangement, we don't mind. They should at least have a good waiting area or a well trained staff. @Cafe at Calcutta, highly disappointed with your hospitality. It has ended before starting. I would never like to visit the place again and get insulted subtly. Not recommended for those who are planning to enjoy...

Cafes are somewhat a rarity in the northern part of Kolkata. Amongst the meagre amount of cafes dishing out food in the north, this is one that makes a place for itself due to the decor & setup rather than the food itself. Located near Deshbandhu park, this place is housed in one of the last generation houses that revel in being recognised as the true essence of the old Kolkata. Having lived in a similar house for so many years now, I could not but like what they have done to the place, keeping its essence intact. Now the interior aside, food and service were homely. They take a bit of time to serve the food. The food itself, as I mentioned, can be termed as homely. They don't really have panache for grandeur or a visual spectacle that is relatable with modern cafes. The taste also is modest. But the materials are fresh and the food is cooked freshly as well, making them hearty in a feel-good way. Overall, if one expects splendid food, then this is not the place to be. But combine some decent food with a charming set up and this can be a go to place for friends looking to spend a good...