We've only visited Kolkata once, but that was enough for us to have certain flavours and dishes imprinted on us. So when we had chops and biryani at Jollygunj, it felt a bit like we were at a bar on Park Street. After Byg Brewski Brewing Co. and Bob's Bar, the newest sister concern for the parent brand Byg Ventures, is Jollygunj. At the time of publishing this recommendation, apart from the JP Nagar one, where we dropped by for a preview, there are two more Jollygunjs that have opened up — one in Whitefield and the latest being in Yelahanka.
The JP Nagar location of Jollygunj took us by surprise the moment we entered it. It's a sprawling rooftop bar that mixes colonial-style architecture with the vibe of an Old Calcutta adda. The manager mentioned to us as we took a walk across the length of the bar, which felt like 5,000 steps, that it can seat around 800 people. 800 people are a lot of people, but the expansive space doesn't feel crammed. It's spread across two floors with balcony seating on the second. The colonial-style touches come in the form of heavy woodwork, winding staircases like those in old colonial-era houses, and a chandelier-like canopy atop the central bar area. Exposed brick wall, private spaces, and the fact that the entire roof can open up for an open-air setting, make Jollygunj a different vibe, unlike the many bars that dot JP Nagar.
The addas in Kolkata are known for quick, fried, finger food that keeps the conversations flowing. And at Jollygunj, that concept has been adopted in the form of small plates. It's mostly a mix of the kind of food you'd get at, say, an Indian Coffee House (ICH) or Peter Cat in Kolkata — vegetable chops to chelo kebab. Our menu for the night started with Calcutta Vegetable Chop and Nimki Ghugni Chaat. The beetroot chop was a winner the moment we dug into it — crispy and very much like the ones you'd get at ICH. The chaat had potatoes topped with crunchy nimki, a savoury namkeen, and we almost had to stop ourselves from asking for seconds. These are the kinds of food we enjoy when we are out with our friends for a drink session.
Since it was a weeknight, we skipped the manager's suggestion of trying one of the 16 shots that included a lemony Nimbu Bong to a khala khatta-inspired Moon Ka Khatta. We instead settled for sober Jolly Jolt and a Tarbooj Picante. The jackfruit-based Jolly Jolt paired well with the rest of the food that came our way. A very addictive no-nonsense Chilli Butter Garlic Prawns and Scotch Egg were next to come, followed by a round of Fish Fry and Park Street Mutton Seekh. We mopped the plate clean when it came to the prawns, and the eggs hit the spot. It had a potato-chicken crispy coating — winner combo.
Our plus one, who was drinking the picante, wasn't a fan of the mutton, but it worked for us. (Maybe they need to hit the streets of Kolkata.) But the drink they were a fan of. The watermelon-passion fruit-based drink had hits of chilli and was refreshing to say the least.
We wrapped up our meal by skipping the dessert and instead downing a plate of Calcutta-style Chicken Biryani. It's the only thing to do when you don't have much of a sweet tooth.
