Putiram

Excellent, excellent, excellent. No other word can describe the experience. My visit to Putiram today was after 5 decades. Last time I had anything from here was in 1973 when I was a student of Hindu School. Our daily tiffin used to come from there. It used to cost us Rs 3.50 per month. There would be a singara or vegetable chop or nimki or kochuri and a sweet packed in a thick brown paper bag (thonga). Today I had radha ballabhi with chholar daal. It was so good that my wife and I ate 3 plates there and got 3 more plates packed. It's that good. Light, yet tasty. You pay only Rs 30 for 4 freshly fried crispy radha ballabhi and the daal. Both taste and price are so teasing. We also had winter special joynagarer moya which was fresh and less sweet than what is normally available in the market. It's a heritage sweet meat shop of Calcutta. And you will see a steady stream of customers here. Seating capacity is less so many customers would enjoy the delicacies standing.

It's always been kind of an enigma for me as to why not even a single sweetmeat shop in South Kolkata can compete with the North Kolkata ones, even after having all the capital and resources. I guess it boils down to only one thing. 'Skill'. One can replicate anything but the skill an experienced 'Karigor' brings to the table is inimitable. Their dexterity has been passed on to them by their ancestors. No one can compete with the moxie procured through centuries and passed down through generations. 'Putiram' is one such place where they have been producing delectable sweet items for many decades. Have been in love with their Radhaballavis and 'white' Mishti doi since college. They serve cholar dal (split Bengal gram) alongside the Radhaballavis. You might get a taste of their flavorful Alur torkari if you're in luck as it's not available all the time. Apart from their Mishti Doi and Radhaballavis, the sweetmeats they produce are hands down among the best in Kolkata. Do not miss them for the world. Hope someday they open a branch in South Kolkata as well. These greenhorns in South need to have a run for their money.

Putiram is a great brand itself in college street area of Kolkata. 'Naam hi kaafi hai' for its radhaballabhi, luchhi with sweets like rasagulla and sandesh. I have gone there several times and had the opportunity to taste the tasty. I recommend to try them out.

Every area of Kolkata have some legendary sweet shop and this one is on College street area,running since pre independence. This is famous for Sondesh and I taste the same,different type of Sondesh. Reasonably priced,have some space to sit also.