This blog will be short. A close friend suddenly told me that I am yet to write a blog on Kolkata Rolls. She was right, this thing did not even come to my mind.
When it is about Kolkata Rolls, I have few preferences and I am not really a fan of all those places which tops the list of most of the Kolkata-people. For example : Nizam's. I am sure Nizam was the best at one point but not anymore. I am not a kind of person who would go to Nizam's for a Kati Roll. The kebabs are still good but not the roll, which is drenched in oil. If I am paying for a roll, I would not pay it for Nizam's and I am sick and tired of listening to stories of nostalgia and hearing that everything that was good during 1970-1980 's is still the best. Visiting these kind of places once in a while is still fine but calling it to be the best during 2023, is foolishness.
Coming to the point, there are places of mine for a roll.
Kusum's and Hot Kati Rolls on Park Street, Kolkata are my favorites. These two are known to all. However, I would write about these two in a different way.
If you're someone who likes the paratha to be on the softer side, Hot Kati Rolls will make it for you. Kusum's, on the other hand, make the paratha a bit flaky, a bit on the harder side since it is purely a Lachha paratha. I am someone on a softer-side and that is why you would find me visiting Hot Kati Rolls more than Kusum's. The kebabs that are used at Hot Kati Rolls is smaller in size than that of Kusum's. The variety is more at Kusum's definitely. People go to Hot Kati Rolls if they want a simple Egg Roll, Egg Chicken Roll or a Chicken Roll. But, at Kusum's, rolls with mutton liver, cheese versions and all are also available beside the regular ones. I am not a fan of adding everything and anything in a roll, hence Hot Kati Rolls serves my purpose.
If I have to rate a simple Egg-Chicken Roll, I would give Hot Kati Rolls a rating of 4/5 because I like the paratha to be soft. For Kusum's, it is 3.5/5. This is a personal preference of any individual and it does not go as per the traditional recipe and process of making a roll.
A simple Egg-Chicken Roll at Hot Kati Rolls comes with the paratha softly fried with an egg, small but 6 pieces of chicken kebabs, onions, chilies, lemon and a masala topping. Sauce is added only if you want.
In Frame : Egg - Chicken Roll from Hot Kati Rolls and Kusum's
Coming to other favorites and not an option from Park Street, I simply adore a Chicken Tikia Roll from Bedouin at Gariahat. This is my childhood favorite and anyone who is from South Point School, will be able to relate to this.
This Chicken Tikia Roll is prepared with fried tikia chops which is crushed and put into the roll, added with chopped onions, capsicums and chilies, a masala sprinkled on the top, a bit of lemon is squeezed also and handed over to the customer. Not really a fan of the other rolls from here but definitely try the Chicken Tikia Roll every time. Here, the paratha is much like Kusum's, a typical lachha one but a drier one. But again, the size is huge and one is enough for a quick evening snack. Just at 40 INR.
People do try other varieties here like the Fish Roll and all however, the best-selling item is the Tikia Roll and they do end up preparing more than 500 rolls in a day. Of course, then comes the Egg Roll or the Chicken Roll.
I do remember getting a treat from my mother from this place if I get good marks in any exam during the school days. Of course, getting good marks was a very rare thing for me and hence, the rolls too.
It was not because of my studies but because my father used to like their Tikia Rolls, we used to have it once we are done with the shopping from Gariahat. I remember, the rolls used to less than 20 INR during that time.
SPECIAL MENTIONS :
I generally do not like Rolls which are not the "usual" ones.
However, I found out another type of Roll called "Murgh Pahari Tikka Roll" from Imarat, a Biryani shop on Lake Road. This specific roll is prepared with a Tandoori Roti and not with a Paratha. Inside, you will find chunks of soft Chicken Tikka, topped with onions and their special green chutney. The roll is soft and it tastes heaven. The person who asked me to write this specific blog from Kolkata tasted the roll and was immediately blown away. You can check out my small review on this roll here. This is a must-try if you are willing to try a different kind of roll.
Another roll which I must write about is the one that Gopal Da prepares. Gopal Da or Gopal Da'r Dokan is our local shop at Golf Club Road and perhaps, the first snacks bar of our local gang.
If you know Atalanta Club at Tollygunge, you can go and ask anyone and he/she will let you know where this snack shop is. You will not find it on Google Maps or anywhere but the roll is a mighty one.
I still stick to the plain and simple Egg Roll or an Egg-Chicken one, but Rahul would come down to Kolkata and will have a "customized" one which will have egg-chicken-mutton and what not! This type is not even mentioned on the menu but we get a special treatment. It won't be a sin if I mention this Roll as "Rahul's Roll". It is a mandatory to gorge on this Roll every year during the Durga Puja. That roll is a gem, trust me. I am sure each and every locality or para of Kolkata will have their special "dokan" or "shop" for all these items. Gopal Da is such!
Note : Another shop which I love is Anamika Roll Center at New Alipore, however it is been long that I haven't visited this place and I am not sure how the quality is, nowadays. The last time I had a roll from Anamika was during 2017. This is also a similar kind of shop like Gopal Da's, a small cart-like, local snacks bar but famous for the rolls. You can check out the location here. I will visit soon and update this blog with a review and a snap.
What is your favorite place to have a roll? Let me know in the comment section. This is one street-food which makes Kolkata look like "Kolkata" and I can gorge on one or two at any time.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)