Calcutta Club

Calcutta Club lawns

There is something about that place. It is the old world charm that the club has held on to with such care that it is an obvious preferred haunt for an incurable romantic like me. Walk through the gates of the club and you enter a world that's slow, graceful, whimsical, poetic and a tad bit proud. It is a place full of idiosyncracies and that's exactly why I love it so much.
The club is not very welcoming to children. I remember a time when I had to enter the premises through the backgate to go to the swimming pool because children aren't allowed in the main hall on 'regular' days. I vividly recall occassions when senior members would look at me with suspicion as if I were about to launch an attack on the dignified space. However, such behaviour never irritated me rather it almost always amused me and helped me draw up an image of the club.
Having said that the club otherwise is a world that I love much. One of my favourite haunts in the club is its library. Spread over two levels and packed with books this a place where I have spent several afternoons lost in the world of literature. Hours I have spent browsing through shelves, pouring over pages, discovering old titles that have long been forgotten. In college while my friends frantically made copious notes of critiques in the college and university libraries, I spent my time reading fiction tucked away in a corner of Calcutta Club's library.
The other section of the club that I love a lot is the fab swimming pool. This was my chill out zone in high school. During the long summer breaks I have spent a lot of time with my friends hanging out at the pool singing songs, playing pranks and occassionally swimming. After the "swimming session" we'd gorge on the delicious chicken rolls and cold coffee... those were the days when one didn't have to worry about calories (sigh!).
The dining room that's another place that I like. While the continental food served there is always good, what some may not know is that if you place an order 24 hours before, they will serve you the most heavenelicious Lobster Thermidore and Beef Steak. Now when I visit Calcutta, my father places this order a day in advance at the club.
Recently, the much-hated Chinese room has become quite nice. The food here earlier was pretty bad. However, over the last two years it has improved remarkably. My recommendations are: Spring Chicken and Prawn Gold Coin; Mixed Fried Rice; Honey Chilly Chicken; and Hakka Noodles.
Apart from that of course the club calls out to me in December and January with the Bakery Carnival, Christmas Lunch, New Year Eve's Dinner, and International Food Festival.

Love you lots CC!