There’s nothing the millennials love more than a good throwback - and this brand new gastro pub will take you back to your school days in the most delectable way possible. Camac Street joint Please Don’t Talk, is all geared up to be your next squad hangout. As we stepped into the classroom-themed bar and the adjoining seating area, we couldn’t help but be bowled over by the attention to details. Right from the wall that is set up like a gigantic blackboard, there are funky high benches and the table centrepiece is a box made out of short wooden rulers that is stocked with nostalgia-inducing goods like cigarette shaped sugar candy , pencils, and even a pack of Phataphat - the decor is definitely a conversation starter. And don’t even get us started on the Rubik's cube wall art, the assorted lab beakers and the workbook menu cards.
“Nothing like this exists in the city. It’s a bar with a back to school theme! And we have broken this place down to different areas. We have a room designed like an examination room (with Pink Floyd garage art) which can act like a private lounge if you want. We even put quirky spins on the chemical names. Mg which was Magnesium in our Chemistry books, became margherita and Mn became martini,” says Harsh Vardhan Sonthalia, who co-owns Please Don’t Talk with Aman Chitlangia and Apurva Salarpuria.
As you go deeper and pass the neon lit notice board, you will find an elaborate library cum common room style dining area, which is cosy and has an excellent wooden book shelf installation and of course, books! “We are planning to host live gigs over in this area, and we aim to have live music at least thrice a week, if not more,” adds Harsh.
The menu is of course curated to appeal to the urban foodie and also has some experimental comfort foods, like truffled scrambled eggs, canteen chicken which is hot barbecue chicken wings, oregano naan with tomato truffle butter chicken. Please Don’t Talk is also serving Kolkata’s biggest pizzas, which are 1 metre (40 inches) long, and is good for 14 people. You can also opt for quarter or half-sized ones.
As we marvelled at the ‘Lost and Found’ themed wall art, the staff (dressed in very cool school uniforms) brought out a deliciously tender mushroom galouti with truffle raita along with a BBQ chicken pizza, the latter being a thin crjust delicacy.You’ll find a diverse variety of dim sums here, and we went with the decadent Yin Yang dim sum, which is made with shiitake and button mushrooms and Pak Choi.
One of the show stealers was definitely the chilli chicken bao, which we gorged on as The Chainsmokers’ Don’t Let Me Down played in the background. And the bao did not let us down - stuffed with spiced up chicken and bell paper, we really wish this was part of our school lunch boxes! So for your next Instagram throwback selfie, maybe show up with your squad to Please Don’t Talk.
Meal for two: Rs 1,200 ++