Every time we think Kolkata can't get cooler, something new comes up, making us fall for the city yet again. This time, it's the popular restaurant chain Social Offline. That's right! Owned by Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., Social made its debut in Eastern India recently, with its first outlet at Park Street, Kolkata. Hence, we thought of taking a stroll through Park Street Social to experience the food, culture, and nightlife they plan to offer the City of Joy. Here's how our experience was.
Interior And Ambience:
Spanned across three floors, covering 10,000 sq ft, the place is made keeping the 'Bong' connection in mind. From Kolkata cabin-style sitting arrangement to 'alpona' on the staircase and quotes like 'taratari cholo (come fast)' and 'aschi baba (wait, coming!)' written everywhere - the place instantly gives you an old Kolkata vibe. Then you will also find very Bengali household elements like carpets, gramophones, vinyl, etc, to add to the vibe.
While the first two floors provide you with experiences of different sides of the city and its culture, the third and topmost floor of Social is an open-air space, along with an almost open kitchen (glass-paneled kitchen). You can enjoy hot and freshly baked pizzas here while watching the bustling Park Street.
Food And Drinks:
To put it simply, Social has never failed to impress us with its food and drinks menu and it was no different at the Park Street outlet. Besides having the Social classics, it also comprises some very Bengali dishes to connect to the palate of the locals.
We began our meal with a Purani Dilli Chaat Walk - a platter that comprises Delhi-style papdi chaat, dahi bhalla, hash brown tikki chaat, raj kachori and of course, khatta meetha golgappa. After giving a chatpata start to the meal, we went on for some light and refreshing cocktails and ordered _ and _. Alongside, we got a portion of Caesar salad, chingdi cracker (prawn crackers), pepperoni and bacon pizza and a killer kebab platter. We must say, each of the dishes just enhanced the flavour of the evening.
What fascinated us the most is the fact that along with the national bestsellers, Park Street Social also has an array of special dishes unique to Kolkata, including luchi-torkari, dhakai porota, mughlai porota, Kolkata style mutton and chicken biryani and more. We went for luchi and pulled kosha mangsho and ended the meal on an indulgent note.
The Bottom Line:
To summarise, it was a refreshing post-work experience and helped beat the weekday blues. And to our surprise, the space was quite busy considering it was a Monday. So, if you are planning to hang out with friends, or throw a party, then Park Street Social is the place for you to consider. Visit it soon and let us know your experience.
Address: Russel St Social, BFL Bangur Estate, 1A, next to India's Hobby Centre, Park Street area, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016
Hours: 11 am to 12 am, all seven days
Meal for two: Rs 2000 (approx.), with alcohol