Mohan Bhandar at SN Banerjee Road, Opposite Regal Cinema & Bar was established by Mohanlal Saha in the year 1925.

It is famous for Hinger (asafoetida) Kachuri – with green chill and aloo sabzi/chatni, Singhara, Cold Lassi & Sweets.

It is the same place where Indian Film Actor – Amitabh Bachchan visited on a bicycle to buy kachoris & Jalebis in the movie ‘Piku‘ – directed by Shoojit Sircar. Photo and newspaper articles about Amitabh Bachchan’s visit are pasted on the shop’s walls as their proud guest.

Timings: 6:00 am – 10:00 pm (Closed on Holi – festival of colors)

Nearest Metro Station: Esplanade

As we were coming from Dacres Lane after having Egg Devil and Chicken Stew with butter-toast at Chitto Babur Dokan, we at Mohan Bhandar only had Singhara which was awesome in taste.

You – The readers should also visit once if you are going to the Esplanade area.

Maharaj Tea & Snacks is situated opposite Monalisa Guest House (Vidya Balan – Indian Actress Kahaani movie was shot here) at Sarat Bose Road, Lake Market, Kalighat, Kolkata.

Vinod Prasad – the current owner’s grandfather established this tea & snacks outlet more than 50 years ago.

They are originally from Muzaffarpur, Bihar.

Timings: 7:00 am – 12 Noon / 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Holi, festival of colors – closed).

We had Hing (asafoetida) Kachori, Jalebi, and Kesar Chai (served in a clay pot).

The piping hot Hing kachori along with Aloo Tarkari was lip-smacking.

Impeccable taste, scrumptious with excellent quality.

The tea within the clay pot was refreshing and too good.

Polite staff. The service – fast. The cost – super cheap. Great to be here.

In short, Maharaj is a treat for kachori lovers. Good place for a quick bite at a reasonable price. One of the best street food centers of South Kolkata. Maybe one of the best Kachori with Aloo Tarkari and Tea sellers in the city. A perfect iconic crowded place to have delicious snacks with varieties of tea. Highly recommended at least once.

It accepts Paytm and even delivers via Swiggy.

If you are in Kolkata and have not visited Maharaj – you have missed something. A must-visit outlet for all foodies.

Maharaj – a nice place to have snacks & tea with family and friends.

I personally would love to visit Maharaj again & again.

Kolkata is one city, where there is no dearth of good street food and restaurants.

Hotel Tarun Niketan is one of them but it is not a restaurant but a pice hotel.

Nearest Metro Station – Kalighat.

There were three reasons to visit Hotel Tarun Niketan.

1. One of the oldest pice hotels in Kolkata – since 106 years.
2. It was close to Bubble Beds – Backpackers Hostel in Kolkata.
3. Imtiaz Ali – an Indian film director visited this hotel to try out their curries.

Hotel Tarun Niketan is established by Deenbandho Deb.

Arun Deb is the current owner.

The question arising within was – What is pice hotel?

The owner, Arun Deb of Tarun Niketan enhanced my knowledge as follows:

Pice means – every food item is individually priced whether it is rice, dal, alu bhaja, chicken, duck eggs curry, gandharaj lemon, etc., or even the banana leaf where the food is served.

Timings: 9:30 am – 3:30 pm / 6:00 pm – 10:30 pm (closed on Holi -festival of colors).

Once you enter the hotel and had a seat, one person comes and puts on the banana (plantain) leaf, the salt, and the gandharaj lemon slice. Next, the person taking your order will place whatever is available hot for the day.

We were two. We requested – Rice, Moog Dal, Alu Bhaja, Chicken, and Egg Curry.The chicken curry and moong dal were just perfect in terms of texture, flavor, and taste.

In totality, The food was absolutely basic, soul-filling, non-spicy, and succulent.

Loved the clean ambiance. Very cordial hospitality. One of the oldest and best pice hotels in South Kolkata – no doubt.

Was my stomach upset?

No.

How much amount did I pay for 2 people meal at Hotel Tarun Niketan?

Rs. 244 only.

In short, an age-old pice hotel, serving good quality traditional home-style Bengali cuisines at affordable prices.

The interiors are simple. The tables are wooden, marble, and the chairs are plastic.

The menu (lots of varieties especially fish) is handwritten via chalk in the Bengali language.

Like me, if you are unable to read the Bengali language, talk to the owner or the waiter about the menu available for the day.

Note: Their dishes have no onions, and no garlic except fish, meat, and egg preparations.

You can see several newspaper cuttings pasted on the walls, bearing the name & review of this pice hotel. Overall, it was a good experience. Recommended at least once for sure. One of the best value for money. A simple dining place for Bengalis and Non-Bengalis for budget lunch/dinner reminds us of a by-gone era.

Hotel Tarun Niketan is Kolkata’s heritage for sure.

Karapak Jalbhara & Nolen Gur (Rs. 25 each)

Timings: 7:00 am till 10:00 pm (7 days open)

Nearest Metro Station: Netaji Bhawan

Click to learn morer about Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick.

As per internet search results – Eau Chew, Kolkata’s one of the/maybe oldest, traditional family-owned & run Chinese restaurants recently received the Culinary Heritage Award by INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage).

My Kolkata friend and I decided to visit following Google Maps.

Nearest Metro Station: Chandni Chowk

Eau Chew Restaurant is 5-7 minutes walking distance from Chandni Chowk metro station situated opposite Bank of India (right-side) and on the 1st floor just behind a closed petrol pump (left-side).

Timings: 12 noon – 3 pm / 6 pm – 10 pm

Sunday morning & Monday evening the restaurant was closed earlier but since the lockdown, there are no holidays.

What is the meaning of Eau Chew? – I question Joel Huang (born and brought up in India).

Europe.

As there were Britishers around here during the pre-independence era, about 85-86 years back, my great-grandparent (originally from China) opened this restaurant and named it Eau Chew.

My grandfather, my father, and I was born in India. I am the fourth generation.

What is Josephine Noodles? – another query.

It is noodles in the name of my mother – Josephine.

One day a customer, Deep Roy Chowdhury, about 15-20 years back, visited our restaurant and requested noodles. My mother made it and it was very much liked by Deep da and he named it Josephine noodles. That’s how it gets the name.

What are Eau Chew’s signature dishes?

Chimney Soup, and Clear Soup are our signature dishes since starting days of the restaurant. And also Josephine Noodles.

We don’t make Indian-Chinese food. It’s not an Indianised Chinese restaurant. We make Authentic Traditional Chinese Food. Nowadays my mother, my wife, and I take care of this restaurant. Mother and I prepare meals for customers. Hence, you can rest assured about the food quality. We don’t employ any cooks. Last year we received a Heritage tag from INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage – Calcutta & West Bengal Chapters)

We don’t do home deliveries.

Thank you Joel for enhancing our knowledge. Thank again.

And we requested Josephine Noodles (Rs. 550) and 1/2 plate Garlic Chicken (Rs. 270 – 6 pcs.)

Authentic and flavourful Chinese dishes. Homely food – almost.

Josephine noodles – Good-sized prawns & veggies are the main attractions including noodles.

Please Note: Order very carefully because we were only two and the dishes were sufficient to satiate our hunger.

And If you ever want to taste authentic Chinese cuisine in the heart of Kolkata, you may visit Eau Chew.

It was a nice experience. The ambiance is good and the food quality is sumptuous and it was not spicy and less salty.

The staff is courteous. Cleanliness maintained. The owner is friendly.

In short, it is an air-conditioned hidden gem. If again I visit Kolkata, I would definitely visit Eau Chew to taste other dishes.

Cost: I would say Rs 1,000 for two people. If you share your order Rs. 15 will be extra charged.

Nearest Metro Station: Shovabazar Sutanuti

After visiting Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House, we reached nearby Laxmi Narayan Shaw & Sons.

Upon request to enhance our knowledge about this historic shop, Keshto Kumar Gupta – the current owner narrated the history as follows:

Khedu Shaw – Grandfather was originally from Gaya (Bihar), opened this shop in 1918 in the name of his son Laxmi Narayan Shaw.

Khedu Shaw used to supply telebhajas (fritters) and tea in the secret meetings of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose during the pre-independence era.

Telebhaja is a crispy, salty, finger-licking Bengali morning/evening snack consisting of potato, onion, and vegetables, coated in gram flour batter, and then deep-fried in oil, best eaten with puffed rice.

Telebhaja was Netaji’s favorite. Netaji studied at Scottish Church College. While returning he used to stop at our shop to have telebhaja.

Since 23 January 1942 on Netaji’s birthday till date, as a mark of respect, we started distributing telebhaja for free to children (2 pcs.) and adults (4 pcs.).

Timings: 8 M – 12 Noon / 4 pm – 8 pm (7 Days Open except Holi and Dussehra holidays).

Wonderful shared knowledge. Thank you – said I.

We requested piping hot telebhajas.

The best was – Though it is deep-fried in oil still you won’t find it oily with no smell of oil. This place has its own charm.

In short: pocket-friendly/very cheap and the owner a very nice human. Fantastic place to have fresh & hot morning/evening snacks.

A must-visit place for fritters aficionados. Good, we visited too.

T-Shirt Quote About Being Nut – This photo was taken near Sharma Tea House at Bhowanipore, Kolkata.

The person in the picture is Mahendra who has 30 years of driving experience but is nowadays a little paralyzed.

Upon request, he happily agreed to click his t-shirt photo.

A small amount of donation was offered to him for his generosity.