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Flurys nee Flury's is one heritage spot close to every heart that has somewhere had an association with Kolkata. Started in the early 1900s by a popular Swiss couple of the same.name, Flury's had been a tearoom. Over the years, many renovations, historical changes, business deals, and an ownership alteration later, Flurys still stands strong minus the apostrophe.
It is hard to miss its statement door and bright pink name board as you enter the main lane on Kolkata's party zone, Park Street. While the crowds inside Flurys have evolved from British officers to Indian white collar classes down to the Instagram generation and much in love couple--the atmosphere and ambience still remains sophisticated. My memories of Flurys range from star struck experiences with my dad eating out here once a month. I learnt to hold a fork and knife right here while having sausage from its classic English Breakfast (served all day long mind you). However, today the menu has evolved into gluten free and vegan offerings too alongwith classic Flurys fare that come marked with H (for heritage) on the menu card. Here are the quintessential Flurys picks that you MUST have in the avatar they originally have.
Chicken Puff
Unlike the chicken puff you find elsewhere, the crust is barely there as you bite in to get a feel of what is inside. The savoury filling is not spicy and is simply cooked in simple seasoning. No mayonnaise or new age dips here. The classic chicken puff is just what the name suggests--a puffy snack to have before a hot cuppa!
Cube Cake
Flurys always baked its cakes and pastry differently from the other Kolkata heritage hubs say Nahoums or Great Eastern (now The Lalit Great Eastern). The cube cakes in strawberry and later also chocolate looked like small cubes that had a hard fondant like cream coating. The cakes come with a certain bite and are slightly dry. The soggy sugar syrup dipped pastries are very different from the typical hardstyle bakes at Flurys.
Brownie
No ice cream to go with this chocolate treat, the brownie at Flurys comes with chunky texture and a sandy feel. Slightly bitter, the brownie stands testimony to how seriously the founders of Flurys took the quality of chocolate used, being Swiss that is!
Chicken Sandwich
Never grilled unless you specifically order that variant, the classic Flurys chicken sandwich comes with well-boiled and shredded chicken seasoned with pepper and salt. That is all. No fancy spice mixes or accompaniments. Best had with a traditional Flurys omelette that is so so thin you might not gauge how the cook overturned it on the plate.
Rum Balls
I was finding it hard to pick the rum ball over the Earl Grey tea but the decadent dessert is an icon of Kolkata and not just Flurys. Even today, the chef making rum balls here has been the same one since the last thirty years. Initiated as a way to use all the chopped off or slightly edgy chocolate cake or pastry portions, the rumballs uses high-grade rum along with interesting tidbits such as tutti-fruity and even some mixed fruit jam. The rum balls are famous for the aftertaste they leave and the sticky quality of the cake used.
A Memory That Sticks Out Forever
No other rum ball I have had in places as diverse as Seattle to our own Mumbai, tasted as good as this. One part of Flurys has a live baking counter and a jazzy or peppy vibe while the other side retains the traditional seating and smaller tables close to the full-length glass windows. The latter gives you views of the magazine sellers selling pirated international storybooks on the pavement as well as young kids walking hand in hand without a care.
