Kolkata is the City of Joy, but calling it, the City of Food would not be off beam. Right from the early British times, Kolkata has been a hub for a variety of food culture. Be it Mughlai, Chinese or Continental cuisines, Kolkata has served all to its foodie consumers. The people whose ancestors have settled here long back mainly operated the eateries, which served these foods. People were very fond of exploring dishes from across the world and wealthy families would often bring in chefs to prepare the dishes for the parties. Then where did the culture of Cabin restaurants come from? How did Kolkata get these iconic places and what do they serve?
The story starts long back when Indian society was conservative & women from “respectable” & “wealthy” families were not meant to be seen in public. These cabins helped the families to dine-out together in a restaurant and still be hidden from the public eye. The concept was applied not only in Kolkata, but all major cities like Mumbai & Delhi had similar arrangements. These eateries were referred to as “Ka-been” by the Bengalis as it had artistic plywood partitions along with dark coloured velvety curtains. Inside the cabin, a table was nicely decorated with Candle-lights, flowers & designer table cloths. The seats were comfortable made with elegant teak & leather. Truly, it was a delight to dine with your loved ones! In the pre-Independence era, the cabins were a hotspot for the freedom fighters. They used to visit these eateries to have important meetings over some good food. They used to indulge in deep conversations with their party members and the waiters would come with White porcelain plates, knife & fork, and a bowl of “Kasundi” or mustard sauce on the side.
The old cabins of North Kolkata have become a heritage now. The ambiance, the good food, the colonial cultures and the historical photographs on the wall is a plate full of the influence that British brought. Breadcrumbs from Europe & deep fried “tele-bhaja” (Snacks that are deep fried) from bengal became the perfect combination for the Indian stomachs. Dishes like “Dim-er Devil”, “Fish Batter Fry”, “Bhetki Fry”, “Moghlai Porotha”, “Kobiraji Cutlet” (Kobiraji is a fried item with a covering of egg around it), “Veg Chops”, “Chicken Cutlet”, etc. became an instant hit. Apart from these, they also served classic recipes like Chicken stew, Toasts & sandwiches. Without some good Darjeeling Tea or Filter Coffee the meal would have been incomplete. Adding to that, Indian drinks like Lassi, Chaas & Falooda was also made available.
Things have changed aggressively. The children of Kolkata grew up and they needed space to date. The millennials (struck by cupid) wanted to secure a “prem korar jayga”(places to express love), hidden from parent’s sight, and so these cubicles came to rescue. The couple would order a plate of “Chowmein” and sit for hours talking about their love for each other and dreams of staying together. They were more interested in stealing a kiss from other. They wouldn’t care for the food but in much requirement of privacy that these cabins provided. The old Bengali films often showed lead pairs romancing over a cutlet in these cabins and a spying waiter would often pop out his head in between the curtains to inquire about supplementary orders, just to make sure that nothing goes beyond a cuddle or a kiss! It inspired many couple to visit these eateries.
With time, the lovers of Kolkata left the comforts of a cabin for a greener pasture-the parks. Families became more acceptable to open love & women eating out has become more common. People are doing great jobs and that meant more income. The cabins, which offered snacks at reasonable prices, became take-away restaurants. Also, Bengalis developed the taste of contemporary cuisines, which are not available in these eateries. In the age of food courts, buffets & cafes, where liberalism has taken an upper hand, cabin restaurants are an anachronism – uncomfortable, unwanted & old fashioned for those who can afford better. Few cabins survived the trouble of the changing times and still preserves the heritage & authentic recipes with themselves. The sheer quality of food alone make them a strong contender in the changing dining out face of modern Kolkata!
Some of the Cabin Restaurants that I personally recommend are:
- Anadi Cabin – Founded in 1925, the restaurant boasts its Moghali Paratha served with Potato curry.
- Sanguvalley – Favourite for Afghani Cutlet, a chicken cutlet served with a vegetable gravy and other Chinese dishes.
- Niranjan Agar – Extremely popular for “Dimer Devil” or Scotch Eggs made with Duck eggs and Fowl Cutlet. Established in 1922.
- Mitra Café – The most popular eatery in North Kolkata, Mitra café is popular for its Mutton kobiraji cutlet, Fish(bhetki) fry, fish roll & pudding. The café is over 100 years old.
- Allen Kitchen – With over 125 years in business, this eatery was gifted by Allen Sahab to his Indian friend. This cabin serves one of the best Prawn cutlets in Kolkata.
- Chung Wah – Very famous for Green Chilli Pork & Chicken Jhaal Farezi. Authentic Chinese taste and you get alcohol too!
My Foodilicious Journey around India! 