Kolkata Restaurants Witness Surge in Poila Baisakh Crowds, Outpacing Last Year's Celebrations
Kolkata's culinary scene was abuzz with activity as restaurants across the city reported a significant increase in footfall during Poila Baisakh, the Bengali New Year, surpassing last year's figures. The festive spirit translated into packed dining spaces, with both lunch and dinner sessions experiencing full bookings and heightened demand across various cuisines.
Record-Breaking Attendance and Full Bookings
On Wednesday, the footfall at city restaurants notably exceeded last year's Bengali New Year numbers, with many establishments witnessing crowds even higher than on Poila Baisakh eve. Lunch seats at most restaurants were fully occupied, with some bookings extending until 5 pm, while dinner sessions also saw no vacancies. The demand was not limited to traditional Bengali fare; restaurants serving Mughlai, Chinese, and other cuisines also reported robust business, indicating a diverse and enthusiastic patronage.
Industry Leaders Highlight Key Factors
Sudesh Poddar, President of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India and owner of venues like Songhay and Manthan, confirmed that crowd counts for both Tuesday night and Wednesday lunch were better than the previous year. "Dinner is also full. We have hardly any seat left," he remarked, underscoring the overwhelming response.
Anjan Chatterjee, Chairman of Speciality Restaurants, which includes brands such as Oh! Calcutta and Mainland China, echoed this sentiment, noting that this year's crowd surpassed last year's Poila Baisakh attendance. He attributed the surge to the time gap between domestic LPG bookings, which discouraged extensive home cooking and encouraged dining out. "Our offering was mostly buffet as, on occasions like these, people want to eat a bit heavy. We called it 'Naba Barsher Gala Buffet'. We witnessed that in restaurants like Oh! Calcutta and Mainland China, most of the people preferred buffet," Chatterjee explained.
Widespread Success Across Establishments
The trend was consistent across various renowned restaurants in Kolkata:
- 6 BP, known for its Bengali cuisine, saw massive pre-booking and walk-in crowds, with momentum starting from 1.30 pm on Wednesday. Director Sushanto Sengupta noted, "Not only our signature restaurant at Ballygunge, but all our units did well."
- Aaheli at Peerless Hotel, a pioneer in Bengali cuisine, reported brisk business, with full occupancy from 1 pm onwards and better performance compared to last year.
- Peter Cat, Mocambo, and Peter Hu! were houseful on both Poila Baisakh eve and the New Year's day, with queues even at 4.30 pm, as highlighted by owner Nitin Kothari. He added that despite adding 145 seats recently, queues persisted, indicating a stronger turnout.
- Aminia operated at full capacity across all city outlets, with queues for both dining and take-away services, as stated by director Kabir Azhar.
Positive Outlook Amid Initial Concerns
Debaditya Chaudhury, managing director of Chowman and Oudh 1590, expressed satisfaction with the turnout despite initial skepticism due to the LPG scenario. "Although there was some scepticism around the current LPG scenario, and we had anticipated a lower turnout this time, we were truly pleased with Tuesday night's footfall. So far on Wednesday, the crowd is in line with our expectations," he said, reflecting a positive trend for the restaurant industry.
This surge in dine-out footfall highlights a vibrant celebration of Bengali New Year in Kolkata, with restaurants benefiting from increased patronage driven by logistical factors and festive enthusiasm.
