Byloom Cafe

We have been to rooftop café, poolside café, café on a deserted highway but how about a Café within a “saree” shop? What can you expect from such a café? That’s what we explored today! As the biggest festival of Bengalis, “Durga Puja” is just a month & a half away, it’s time for us to hop from shop to shop and pick up clothes for selves as well as for near & dear ones. That’s what we were doing today afternoon and discovered this place called “Byloom”. We finished our shopping and while waiting at the payment counter, the Café in the store caught our attention. Our expectation wasn’t much but we should admit that we were pleasantly surprised.

It has the feel of an old world Bengali home .We initially thought that some saree clad Bengali lady will appear to take our order…no lady but the service was superb. The best thing we liked is that the waiters seemed to vanish and only appeared to take orders or serve leaving us in our own little nostalgic moment to contemplate the lives of old rich & royal Bengali families (whose identities are now on a path of extinction in Kolkata!!)

The Decor
The decor is simple- feels like as if you have walked into someone's living room. Colorful handloom cushions to cozy into; it is a charming little place. There is a small area to sit outside with a fountain but it was too hot a day for us to venture outside. The outer area would serve as a perfect rendezvous for love birds in the evening, especially during the winter season.

The Interior

The Fountain outside

Outer sitting area

Wall Decor

The Food
Coming to the food, the menu does not offer a very wide choice (after all it’s a Saree store first) but enough to make a choice for a light meal/ snack. We ordered very basic items mutton chops, fish and chips and fresh lime soda.

Fresh Lime Soda

Mutton Chops with Tomato Kashundi (a concoction of tomato & mustard sauce)

Fish & Chips

Verdict The food was finger-licking delicious with a capital “D”. The melt in the mouth- superb quality of fish fry was among the best that we have tasted in a while. It’s served with mayonnaise and French fries. We can say that, in recent times we haven’t tasted such fresh “Bheckti” fish!!!!
Mutton chops served with tomato kashundi (a concoction of tomato paste & mustard sauce)....mmm heavenly! Tastes every bit like it was made in a Bengali grand mom’s kithchen.. so wholesome it was.

From the heavy ceramic crockery to the subdued pelmet lighting it is a place well worth exploring!

Address: 58B, Hindusthan Park (Near Krystal Chopstick); Kolkata- 700 029

Price - Rs. 500 for 2 snacks & 2 drinks

Rating: 4/ 5 (We would have love to give it 5/5 but we think, they need to include some more options for the vegetarian people).

(Content: Swastika| Photography: Abhiroop)