After having small cafes and takeaways in Mumbai, finally the Kolkata ki shaan, Flurys, has a proper restaurant or a ‘tea room’ as they prefer to call it. This place is on the ground floor of Sea Palace Hotel opposite the sea, near the Radio Club in Colaba.
This quaint place looks very inviting with coffee aroma and pink ’n’ white decor. But unfortunately, the white seats are dirty; not just one but almost all. However, I must grant it to the manager Alam and chef Anup, who were quick in changing the seats and making amends.
Chef Anup recommends that I start with Shakshuka — his signature dish — and order a coffee while I wait for it. I order for Iced Cinnamon Coffee. They use Lavazza and it is well brewed. I would have loved it if the cinnamon had come through more. Their food and beverage menus have a ‘heritage’ section that has the traditional dishes of Flurys, which have been favourites for the last 97 years along with some Mumbai specials. I quickly order some heritage stuff — Baked Beans on Toast, Chicken and Mustard Sandwich, and Eggs Benedict.
The old flavours are lingering on my mind as I order… and I am presented the Shakshuka. The base is roasted coloured peppers and cherry tomatoes. This combo sets off the eggs very well. The tomatoes lend the little sweet ’n’ sour tang and peppers the flavour. The eggs are perfectly done, and every mouthful is extremely flavourful. Eggs Benedict could have been a little runnier I feel and Vijay Cavale, the gentleman from the next table, an old Calcutta fan, agrees. We exchange notes as I wait for my next. The Baked Beans come on a thick slice of homemade bread. A generous helping of the baked beans swimming in tomato puree served on the toasted bread with freshly cut onion, green chillies and grated cheese in the traditional style. I am sold on the taste that continues to be the same as my memory of Calcutta in olden days. The vegan cheese made from cashewnuts and coconut oil is the USP of Flurys Vegan Breakfast.
Chicken and Mustard Sandwich does not disappoint either. The toast is neither soggy nor too crisp… just right. And so is the mustard and chicken mix. The first bite transports me down the delicious memory lane. Little dip in the mustard served on the side adds zing that I love. Chef Anup recommends another Mumbai special — Madras Chicken Sandwich. He suggests that I should choose the croissant as the base. The flakiest croissant ever is cut into two and stuffed with chicken marinated in their ‘Madras masala’, sauted with onions and peppers. Trust me when I say it is a delectable amalgamation of taste and texture. Anup’s boss, Chef Arshad, later shows me the honeycomb inside the dissected croissant. “It is my secret eggless recipe. And we bake our croissants everyday first thing in the morning!”
The Mumbai menu has some additions like flatbreads, pastas, burgers, etc. “The idea is to make everyone happy — people who come for nostalgia and people who come to try a new restaurant,” says Vishal Lamba, the man behind Flurys in Mumbai.
They get their bhekti (fish) from Kolkata for the Fish n Chips and Chargrilled Fish. The old-style crumb fried fish and the Mumbai’s chargrilled fish both are flavoursome thanks to skin being intact. Ask for the day’s soup. I tasted the Roasted Peppers Soup and it was slow-fire cooked, made with love, delicious soup.
Along with the breakfast/lunch/tea/dinner menu, they have Over The Counter stuff as well — the traditional Flurys stuff like Rum Balls, Mona Lisa, Strawberry Cube, Chocolate Cube, Chicken Quiche and some new pastries by Arshad. The taste is as good as the original. Deepinder Singh, another old fan says, “The taste of the dishes is exactly the same as Kolkata. For me it was nostalgic.” Don’t miss the Double Chocolate pastry in the new.
Flurys at Colaba has a variety of delightful iced teas and freshly squeezed juices and some unique cocktails too. Their wine list, though short, is good as well. They also serve beer.
Average cost for two: Rs 3,000 (with alcohol)
