Even now when I visit my hometown, Kolkata, it is mandatory for me to visit Flurys' at least once. It is a tea room and a pastry shop located on Park Street and has been there since 1927. Today it has almost become a tourist spot for anyone visiting Kolkata. It is known for its creamy cake rolls, the mouth watering rum balls, the soft horse shoe pastries and the rich puddings. Only very recently they have re-done their interior decoration. Yet it still retains it sense of timelessness and the charm of an old world European cafe.
Menu
Flurys boasts of a round the clock menu with some eternal favorites being baked beans on toast, coffee sprungli, sinful cheese pastas, the softest lemon tarts and even delicious club sandwiches. This swanky restaurant is definitely a place for a scrumptious morning breakfast for all ages and cultures.
They also have a range of other savouries like chicken patties, cheese starws and other continental dishes.
Flurys was started by Mr. J Flurys, a Swiss gentleman, and hence boasted of some of the finest Swiss chocolates. This place still boasts of some of the best and exotic chocolates. Kookie Jar, Kathleens, Upper Crust etc. are a competition. But the former, with its years of experience, is still the best. And for those who have grown up in the city, the name Flurys is filled with a cake load of memories.
Value for money
Nowadays we are ready to shell out Rs. 700 for a simple eggless cake or even Rs.100 for a tiny piece of creamy pastry. And not let alone thousands of rupees for a delicious cheese omelette, juice, fresh bread and maple syrup pancake breakfast. But don’t worry. You will not be burning a hole in your pocket if you visit Flurys. They give you pure and healthy food and don’t even charge you a bomb. It is truly a good value for money. And you will have enough left to even buy yourself the latest CD from Music World next door!
Seating
There are many posh restaurants that have mushroomed in Kolkata. These boast of expensive decor and the cosiest of sofas. In comparison, when you enter Flurys for the first time, the seating might look to be a little spartan. The sofas are not exactly sink-in but neither are they uncomfortable. The waiters might look a little archaic in their uniforms (and you might miss the sight of pretty girls in skimpy skirts serving you your juice), but they are efficient.
The restaurant looks fresh and bright in the mornings but the evenings it can become a little less. However, with all the renovations, it is now definitely looking much better.
And in any case, once you bite into your juicy egg-bacon-cheese grilled sandwich and look at the fish swimming inside the aquarium (yes they have an aquarium and it has been there for at least the last 20 years), all else is forgotten.
End note
The restaurant now looks quite modern with its brighter lights and the glass doors. Quite like the usual cake shop with its black forest cakes, chocolate truffles and mousses. But don’t get carried away by that. They still have their original plain and pure buttercream and sponge square shaped strawberry and pineapple pastries too. This is the way cakes were when I was young and this is the way they should always remain.