Why this Kolkata eatery will defect a foodie in you

There is something comfortless about a misled 19-year-old who sets adult an American show-themed café in a heart of Kolkata’s restaurant-shopping district, subsequent to an iconic single-screen theatre, portion tedious vegetarian junk food out of a freezer. The F.R.I.E.N.D.S Café, a initial in a country, is that Quixotic try during formulating a hip assembly indicate for foodies and fans of a American sitcom, with a thought that an orange couch, hookahs and a post-it wall is all we need to run a successful food corner saved by indulgent family members. It creates no concessions for a fact that other than Phoebe (why not rename it Phoebe’s Cafe?), everybody else on a iconic uncover was a tough core non-vegetarian, and many of them foodies.

The fries were oily, a stuffing in a sandwich stale

So, there we were, on a prohibited summer afternoon, in a line adjacent to Priya Cinema, Deshapriya Park, watchful to get in. By a way, this community is home to some of a excellent restaurants portion sea food, normal Bengali travel food, steak, biryani and more.

The pineapple cheesecake had inedibility created all over it

So, it incited out to be a laughable preface indeed. At a gate, a thin aged male sat with a note book, fancying himself to be a cranky between a concierge and a bouncer. He insisted there was no place inside, though when we managed to get in (it was approach too prohibited and balmy to reserve adult outside) we were told we could possibly wait during a bar stools inside, or be served in a hookah area. This was not before a gent outward had attempted and unsuccessful to physically stop us from removing in… had he been any younger, we would have screamed harassment.

So, it was full with teenagers and 20-somethings carrying pizzas and mac and cheese and some-more meddlesome in holding selfies opposite a informed F.R.I.E.N.D.S props — a couch, a purple door, Phoebe’s guitar, post-it walls and so on. Service was being rubbed by family members and a integrate of confused waiters. It took them scarcely 20 mins to offer a sugar lemon tea (Rs 70) and pure mojito (Rs 150). It took another 20 for a sandwich and fries to arrive.

Food during F.R.I.E.N.D.S. café is not a priority. The owners might have tired their imagination and resources for a décor — that they have finished utterly good — to consider of improved ways to get a cosmoplitan throng entrance in. The F.R.I.E.N.D.S Fries (Rs 180 and true out of a packet) were greasy and their choice of cooking middle really needs a re-think. The Moist Maker Sandwich (Rs 200) was done with law white bread and seared stuffing (the lettuce was wilted). For a prolonged time afterward, we struggled with a greasy aftertaste, in a mouth. The spike in a coffin — a cheesecake (Rs 170).

We have never had a pineapple cheesecake — though it was a residence special that day. When it arrived, it looked like a immature blob. It tasted worse — it was no cheesecake though usually a lot of artificially flavoured churned cream sitting on a bottom of a plastic-y substance. It had inedibility created all over it.

The kids will keep entrance here as prolonged as there is a newness in a F.R.I.E.N.D.S setting. But a restaurant’s usually USP seems to be a selfie with an orange couch.

One would suppose a era that grew adult on F.R.I.E.N.D.S is in their 30s now. During a stay, we saw a series of comparison people travel out in a pant — a singular menu and pulling around into a smoky, dimly-lit hookah bar with teenagers munching diseased fries — is not many people’s thought of eating out. Yes, and a shrill screens personification a show’s renouned episodes don’t have any takers. Hardly anyone was meddlesome in examination a show.

For all those envying your Kolkata counterparts for walking divided with a honours of hosting a initial F.R.I.N.D.S café, breathe easy. The community sandwich man on a pop-up kiosk creates improved stuff.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S Cafe
Food: Godawful
Service: Confused
Ambience: Trendy
Address: 175/A, Motilal Nehru Road, Desapriya aPark, Kolkata
Call: +91 9836645551

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