Several continental restaurants in Kolkata have dropped steaks and hamburgers from their menus after the supply of beef dried up over the weekend. The disruption in the beef supply chain has forced many eateries to temporarily discontinue beef dishes, with some expressing uncertainty about when normalcy will return.
Restaurants Affected by Supply Disruption
Nizam's restaurant at New Market has discontinued its beef items temporarily since Friday. Chairman Samar Nag stated, "We have temporarily discontinued beef items as supply has been hit. I hope we will get a clearer picture after Bakrid." Similarly, Zam Zam Restaurant on Noor Ali Avenue has removed beef biryani and other beef items from its menu due to a lack of supply.
The Burger Shop at Rashbehari Avenue took to Instagram to announce that "beef is no longer available." The post read, "This is an announcement that we make with a heavy heart, after five years of serving burgers exactly the way we wanted, and you loved, we are making a change in menu. Beef is no longer available at The Burger Shop..." Co-owner Utsha Das commented, "We don't know what the situation is going to be like. As of now, there is no supply."
Steakyard at Lake Terrace stopped serving beef dishes even before the government called for enforcement of norms at slaughterhouses. Restaurant supervisor Kaushik Pahar said, "We had tenderloin steak and other beef dishes that were discontinued after the polls." Mocambo owner Nitin Kothari noted that while dishes were still on the menu, they were not being served as supply had ceased. "We are waiting for supply to resume. But if it does not, we will have to remove it from menu," he added.
Some Restaurants Still Serving but Facing Uncertainty
Some restaurants, including Olypub on Park Street, Chapter 2 off Southern Avenue, and Steak & Grill on Hindustan Road, are still serving beef dishes but admit they may have to discontinue soon. Zarin Tangri of Olypub said, "Beef items would not be scrapped off. But if the irregular supplies continue, then we will have to tell our patrons that the dish could not be prepared due to supply issues. No beef ban has been told by the govt, the problem is with supply."
Shiladitya Chaudhury, owner of Chapter 2, mentioned that supplies were limited. "We haven't taken the beef steak off the menu. Once supplies become very uncertain, we will have to take a call," he said. Meat suppliers have informed eateries and fast food outlets that they are unable to provide beef after slaughtering operations at Tangra abattoir came to a halt. Officials at the abattoir said it stopped receiving fresh cattle supply after Thursday, affecting the city's beef supply chain.
"We informed several restaurants, stalls and roll counters on Monday that beef would not be available till the situation is resolved," said a supplier to eateries and fast food centres. Apart from restaurants, the disruption has also hit roadside stalls and retail meat shops in some neighbourhoods, with many smaller eateries temporarily withdrawing beef items from menus.
