a chilly breeze indicates that Christmas is in the air and it’s time for some rock and roll with a platter of multi-cuisine delicacies followed by some rich fruit cake as dessert.

Park Street, Kolkata, with tons of famous restaurants, cafes, pubs, hawkers, becomes the central hub during Christmas. While one set of crowd gathers at Bow Barracks, the other rush to Park Street during Christmas time. And, undoubtedly, with Christmas bells lingering in the air and twinkling stars, both these places attract Christmas lovers from far and wide.

Read : Christmas Celebrations at Bow Barracks forever reminds of the traditional British celebrations in Kolkata

Christmas at Park Street

Christmas and Park Street are synonymous with each other. People from different communities, irrespective of their religion, come here to enjoy the Christmas carnival at Park Street. Our city of joy is all decked up with beautiful decorations during that time. And everyone in Park Street is dressed up in a party outfit wearing a Santa cap.

The street comes to life with glittering party lights, food stalls with lip-licking platters, fresh aroma of pastries and fruit cakes, Christmas songs, Christmas trees, rock music, gifts and presents.

Carols, Celebrations and Lighting   

Every inch of Park Street, starting from Russell Street to the end of Allen Park, is illuminated with thematic lighting, hanging overhead baubles, mini Santas, mistletoes and stars for the Christmas carnival.

A beautiful Christmas tree magnificently decorated with baubles, snowflakes, lights and stars is set up in Allen Park. It’s indeed a delightful sight to watch. In addition, Santa Claus distributes surprise presents to everyone to make their evening memorable. Besides, lots of fun activities are organized for the children. It’s heaven for the selfie-lovers!   

Gastronomic Exuberance

The Christmas carnival at Park Street is meagrely ten years old. But the gastronomic exuberance is a significant part of the celebration. The exceptional food of the renowned restaurants attracts food lovers from far and wide.

A meal in Kolkata is incomplete without fish. So, whole roasted bhetki with lemon butter sauce is common for all the mecho- Bengalis. Besides, roasted peking duck, roasted lamb shank, and stuffed apple pork are specialties available during Christmas.

If you have experienced queues outside the heritage restaurants and pubs like Peter Cat, Mocambo, Bar-B-Q, Trincas, and have thought, Oh My God! Visit Park Street on Christmas eve to meet the most enthusiastic and lively crowd standing in queues. You’ll get special Christmas buffets, including turkey and duck roasts, wine, fresh bread, fruit and plum cakes, at various places.

Christmas celebration at Park Street is incomplete without experiencing the flavour of mouth-watering dishes. The footpaths and lanes are full of food stalls serving multi-cuisine platters of all varieties to satisfy everybody’s taste buds. So along with mouth-licking delicacies, you can also have a wide variety of homemade foods, baked items and yummy snacks.  

Streets Crowded By Hawkers

On the occasion of Christmas, the hawkers come up with totally different items selling Christmas goodies like glitter hats, Christmas caps, laser lights, party shades and other things at reasonable rates.

Kids eye for the ideal treetop, Santas, reindeers and stars to take home. And the bustling shopkeepers fight for the best deals.

Also Read: This Christmas let’s take a tour around the heritage bakeries of my city Kolkata

Christmas Bakes and Cakes

Christmas celebration at Park Street seems incomplete without a taste of Flurys, the nostalgia in the city of Joy. The all-time favourite cake shop awaits with its bouquet of the authentic and unique collection of fruit cakes, plum and Dundee cakes; not to forget the Yule logs and pastries to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. They also serve new dishes like Norwegian Salmon, surf n turf dishes!

St.Paul’s Cathedral

St.Paul’s Cathedral on Cathedral Road, the largest church in Kolkata and Asia’s first Anglican cathedral, is beautifully decorated to celebrate the auspicious occasion. Adorned with a Christmas tree, wreaths, silver bells and streamers, trinkets and lights, it holds the midnight mass with Christmas carols and music by children.  

Jingle All The Way

Christmas parties are a must at Christmas time. Several clubs and pubs are host grand parties throughout the night. Some of the most renowned performers hit the stage with their rocking performances for the listeners. Different youth bands and church groups charm the ambiance with their rocking performance. Everybody is ready to rock the dance floor and sway to the music.

2021 Christmas at Park Street

Kolkata is planning to celebrate this year’s Christmas safely by maintaining Covid protocols. The festivity at Allen Park, was set outside last year and drew a colossal crowd. However, this year it’ll be brought inside to ensure no mob. Several cops will be present at the entrance and exit points to manage the excessive public.

Only 300 seats will be provided inside the park to witness the Christmas program. In addition, the administration will not allow any food stalls at Park Street except for only three stalls inside the park.  

Christmas in Kolkata is unimaginable without Park Street. Although the celebration is just for one day, the festivities and decorations last until the new year.

The post The Grand Christmas Carnival At Park Street appeared first on KolkataFusion.

The city is suddenly abuzz, cheering up to the holy occasion. So, when all are looking forward to the last week of December, can Kolkata Fusion be far behind? Here’s presenting the 4 iconic bakeries of Kolkata which you should not miss visiting this Christmas, at all.

1. Nahoum’s

Nahoum Israel Mordecai founded the store around 117 years ago. Till date the shop and its goodies have not lost their dedicated customers. The fruit cake, plum cake, brownies, white chocolates, dark chocolate bars, or the black forest cakes, taste the same as they tasted before. The sweetness is subtle. The morsels just melt in your mouths in no time.

In the present time, when the Kolkatans are getting much more exposed to newer varieties of confectionaries, or newer names like Mrs. Magpie, Nahoum’s had stood firm on selling their heritage confectionery goods. 

The last of the descendants, David Nahoum, passed away in 2013 but still the extended family of the Nahoum’s, its loyal employees are carrying on with the Nahoum legacy.

Location:

F20, Bertram St, New Market Area, Dharmatala, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700087

Operating Hours: 10 AM to 9 PM

2. Saldanha Bakery

When Nahoum’s have decided to keep preparing their age old food items and sell them, the Saldanhas have thought of keeping their heritage stuff as well as improvise on newer varieties. The Saldanha Bakery is also a few hundred years old.

While ‘Uncle’ Denzil Saldanha have held the fort strong with his personal interactions with the repeat customers, his daughter, Debra Saldanha have learnt the ropes of the family business and joined the legacy. Debra’s daughter has brought in the fresh vibe with her knowledge in pastry and patisserie making.

The wood fired oven yields in the delectable Wedding Cakes, Almond Cake, Chocolate Walnut Cake, Chicken Envelope, Macarons, Crossed Buns, Cheese Puffs and so on. The Christmas Cake or the Rich Fruit Cake orders shoot up during the months of November and December.

Location:

19, Nawab Abdur Rahman St, Haji Md. Mohsin Square, Esplanade, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016

Operating Hours: 9 AM-8 PM

3. Barua Bakery

This was arguably the first bakery that made Christmas cakes accessible to the common citizens of my city, Kolkata who, though had the wish to taste Christmas cakes but their pockets did not permit them to buy the costly varieties.

Presently famous as ‘Mantu da r cake er dokan’ near the Bow Barracks area, the bakery was founded by Manoranjan Barua in 1928. The taste of the Christmas cakes or the fruit cakes will remind you of the taste of home baked cakes without any fancy additions.

Another speciality of the Barua Bakery is the ‘Chhana Pora Cake’ with cottage cheese as the main ingredient.

Location:

No. 123A, Lenin Sarani Rd, Esplanade, Dharmatala, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700013

Operating Hours: 2 PM onwards

4. Flury’s

In 1927, Mr. and Mrs. J Flury, founded the Flury’s which became hugely popular among the British and affluent Indian community staying in erstwhile Calcutta. It served as a tea room and confectionery store, both. Each year during Christmas the pre-orders for Christmas Cakes and other goodies increases November onwards. On the Christmas Eve, in Kolkata, there’s a long queue outside the main gate of Flury’s waiting for its signature Rich Fruit Cake, Plum Cake, Chocolate Truffle Cake, Cookies and other savouries.

The tea room emits an old world charm with its traditional seating arrangements and warmly welcomes the patrons with its All Day English Breakfast, Peach Melbas, Asparagus Rolls and many other signature dishes.

Located right in the epicentre of Christmas fever of Kolkata, a seat in the corner of the tearoom, a piece of Red Velvet Cake in front of you and the festive fervour outside the outlet can usher in the season of good times like no other place can.

Location:

18A, Park St, Park Street area, Kolkata, West Bengal 700071

Operating Hours: 7:30 AM – 11 PM

The post This Christmas let’s take a tour around the heritage bakeries of my city Kolkata appeared first on KolkataFusion.