That Red House serves classic Kolkata delicacies

On a not-so-sunny Wednesday, we came across this old Calcutta ‘red house’ where you can just sit and spend time, reminiscing memories. Any old South Calcutta house still retains the charm of the bygone era and That Red House replicates the same to the tee giving out the familiar vibes of an old Calcutta home’s living room.

Childhood buddies, lawyer Shameek Ray and filmmaker Abhimanyu Mukherjee had always dreamt of opening a café. The minimal interiors comprise a few books, indoor games, showcases, wooden window frames, lamps, framed digital paintings and a giant yesteryear dressing table and mirror. “We always wanted to foray into the food industry, without much ado. And hence this low-key, minimalistic and quiet space with good food where you can spend long hours,” says Abhimanyu. “We serve not just popular Bengali delicacies like fish fry and dimer devil, but also the classic Kolkata continental delights like an Anglo Indian Chicken Stew or an Armenian Keema Dolma. We serve a host of beverages, sandwiches and tidbits too,” adds Shameek, as we relished the gooey, chilli cheese toast and sipped on the cups of first flush Darjeeling tea complementing the cloudy weather.

Their Dharmatala fish fry prepared with chunks of well-marinated bekti slices, crumb-coated and deep-fried is decent in taste despite a little thicker coat. But Melvin’s French Fry won our hearts soon after with the crispy fries topped with garlic, parsley, red chilli flakes and lime juice, offering an unputdownable combination. We paired it with a sweet, creamy and nostalgic Cold coffee OG.

The main course was the real show stealer with the super loaded shepherd’s pie boasting of a bed of
sauteed veggies, and chicken keema cooked in tomato gravy, topped with mashed potato taking the crown. This was not just filling, but super yummy too. The stuffed chicken too was equally yummy. Loaded with cheese and spices, this wholesome dish was served with a creamy mash of potatoes, sautéed veggies and cream sauce.

We ended our meal with a freshly baked orange cake with fresh orange frosting.

Price for two: Rs 500 AI

Pictures by Anindya Saha