KOLKATA: Planning to enjoy a relaxed evening this Friday after work over drinks with friends at a restaurant on Park Street? Well, while you may still enjoy those after-work drinks, whether you will get the crispy fried fish or the perfectly spiced seekh kebab remains uncertain.
The shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, triggered by tensions amid the war in West Asia, has affected restaurants on Park Street. While many have trimmed their menus, some have shifted to induction cooking for certain dishes, while others inform orders from food delivery Apps have also declined.
“The business has dipped due to the shortage of LPG cylinders. If this remains the case, we might start using coal,” said one of the staff members at Hot Kati Roll, one of the favourite stops for food lovers on Park Street.
Kwality restaurant on Park Street, known for its sumptuous North Indian Punjabi cuisine, needs nearly four LPG cylinders a day to serve customers. Now the stock is almost exhausted, and some cooking has been shifted to induction. In fact, one of the staff members said the LPG crisis has led to at least a 20 per cent drop in business. Oasis on Park Street has also set up an induction counter for smaller orders.
Corridor Bar and Kitchen, a new nightclub on Park Street, is actively shifting a significant portion of food preparation to induction-based cooking to reduce dependence on LPG. “The menu is being strategically managed with greater focus on dishes that can be efficiently prepared using induction, such as dim sums, pizzas, nachos and French fries...” said Swastik Nag.
Olypub, with its old-world charm and pocket-friendly liquor still has some stock of LPG cylinders, but it will not suffice for the weekend. The staff has contacted the distributor and has been promised a delivery soon.
Meanwhile, several top clubs and restaurants are removing their scheduled buffets to continue kitchen operations. The Bengal Club, founded in 1827, has discontinued the scheduled buffets on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays temporarily till March 31.
Flurys, the iconic tea room of Park Street, however, remains unaffected. “Most of our kitchen equipment at Flurys runs on electricity, so our dependence on LPG is minimal...,” said Rajesh Singh, National Head, Flurys.