Welcome to Chota Bristol - a bar for the serious drinkers

Continuing the bar hopping session. Three seasons later – same friend, same weather, same time, and most significantly same city.

Chota Bristol is located behind the Metro theatre and next to the (in)famous Metro lane. Wondering about the unique name Chota? Well that’s because our Chota Bristol is located within the premises of Bristol hotel and strategically just behind Bristol hotel. Ironically, Bristol hotel was ceased quite some time ago.

In a walking distance, you will find couple of famous print media houses. These media houses are very strong in the Eastern part of India. Also, it is rumored that the famous and inspiring editorials are drafted here with a peg of Whisky. And that's how the name serious drinkers bar originated.

Chota Bristol is probably the only bar where a price-list board would welcome you. Once you get past the entrance, you will find this huge board on your right side. On the left side is the Chota Bristol testimonials, Chota Bristol “in news type” paper cutouts - a la graffiti.

Seating arrangements are simple, no designer lights, no table-top candles, no cozy chairs - just what a serious drinker want! Once you place your order, you need to look out for the snacks. Sorry, no freebies here. But no worries, the snack vendors would hawk around in your vicinity, take you pick, and pay him straightaway. Snacks are not added in the liquor bill as the vendors are outsourced, very unique! This procedure is practised much before the outsourcing boom hit the Indian subcontinent.

Chota Bristol is realistic, down to earth, and a character by itself. It's worth a visit of you want to capture the spirit of the city in a bar.

Chung Wah: Taste of the oriental cuisine

This is what happens when two old friend meets in their hometown – Calcutta on a soggy
Sunday afternoon. They watch a movie on a nostalgic theatre named Globe and then go out for bar hopping in the in the Esplanade area.

Chung Wah came as the third and probably the last bar in the chronological order. Located in Chittaranjan Avenue, this placed rocked in the decade of 50’s and 60’s. Armed with two ageing Anglo-Indian musician at the entrance, Chung Wah would always greet you with a classic western number.

But hey, this is four-decade later, so no strumming guitar and mandolin, not even a stoutly built security person passing you a royal salute, well it’s only you and your “push-hard” ability that would enable you to get pass the massive door, and get into the bar.

Chung Wah is suffocating and the liquor costs more here. In same price, you can get same liquor with better ambience and service in Pune. Ambience got the good-old touch of the British Raaj days. I felt it’s ideal for the oldies and their families; hmmm very nostalgic.

Food is very good, alright. The mixed fried rice was awesome in taste; comes with lotta quantity of chicken, prawns, eggs, and pork (optional). With 4 bottles of Kingfisher strong, I thought I couldn’t do much justice with the food. But the food rocks!