K.C. Das

K.C. Das is a Bengali sweet shop at 11 Esplanade East in central Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The Esplanade shop belongs to the family associated with the canned rosogolla, the syrup-soaked cheese dumpling that became one of Bengal's best-known sweets, and it is a convenient place to try Bengali sweets by the piece without committing to a full box. Its central position makes it easy to reach from New Market, the Victoria Memorial and the Esplanade bus and Metro hubs.

The sweets are built on chhena, the fresh curdled milk cheese at the heart of Bengali confectionery. Rosogolla, the soft white sponge ball in light sugar syrup, is the emblematic item. Rasomalai, a chhena disc in sweetened thickened milk, and sandesh, a drier and more delicate sweet often moulded or flavoured, are the other staples. Mishti doi, the caramelised set yoghurt, rounds out the counter. Sweets are sold by the piece and in boxes, and the range varies by season.

The shop is a traditional counter-service mithai store. The atmosphere is brisk and practical, with customers ordering at the counter, paying and eating on the spot or taking boxes away. The noise level is moderate to high at busy times, and there is little formal seating. Dress is casual. There is no beverage programme beyond tea and basic drinks, since the sweets are the focus.

Prices of roughly 30 to 150 rupees per piece, around 0.31 to 1.56 US dollars, make it an inexpensive stop. It is open daily, generally from about 9AM to 9PM, though timings can change around festivals such as Durga Puja, when sweet shops are at their busiest. Reservations do not apply, as the shop runs on walk-in counter service. Visitors can buy a small selection to taste on the spot and pack boxes of rosogolla for travel, and it fits easily into a day that includes the Esplanade area and New Market.