There’s a new steakhouse in town and it is nestled in the tree-lined lanes of Salt Lake’s Sector 1. New LaBong Cafe and Steakhouse is a twee little eatery serving up succulent, slow-cooked steaks. You can savour their unique creations in the trendy new space in Salt Lake or have them delivered to your home (they taste just as good when heated!).
“We started this venture as a cloud kitchen called Labong Steakhouse in 2018. We wanted this side of the city (north Kolkata) to have a taste of good quality steaks that were affordable, accessible and could be delivered to doorsteps quickly,” says Nripjeet Banerjee, co-owner of the enterprise. Nripjeet runs the steakhouse along with his wife Koyel Banerjee.
When the duo set up the Salt Lake address in August 2022, they changed the name to New LaBong Cafe and Steakhouse in an attempt to create a space that would cater to all age groups — from teens and tweens to grandmas and grandpas. The menu at the eatery sees Continental recipes with a feisty twist to satiate Kolkata’s palate that craves spice and brine. “Most of our sauces are original and have a unique twist. We began with only a few variations like white sauce and black pepper but now we have mushroom and a version of soubise (an onion sauce thickened with bechamel) as well,” says Koyel who runs the kitchen in Salt Lake.
The decor at the steakhouse is vibrant with interiors done up in shades of yellow, black and white. The wall hangings have been made by Koyel herself while the artworks have been sketched by another family member, Debjyoti Chakravorty
What’s on the menu?
Steaks! And more!
Chicken, fish and pork steaks are up for grabs in the choicest of sauces from peppercorn and mushroom to bechamel and Madagascar. Other Continental favourites such as Grilled Prawns in Lemon Butter Sauce, Chicken Stroganoff, Spaghetti Bolognese, Prawn Cocktail and Pasta Carbonara are also available, some whipped up traditional to the tee while others have unique layers.
Chicken Steaks
“Our chicken steaks are our best-sellers — both online and offline. We cook them medium rare and have five sauces on our menu,” says Koyel. The most interesting sauce is their take on the classic French onion sauce soubise. The LeBong version has mushrooms and their take marries a creamy mushroom sauce with the rich bechamel creating a flavoursome concoction.
Pork Chop in Mushroom Sauce
A juicy pork chop, marinated in a house-made herbs and spices mix, and cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce that pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables. This pork chop can be delivered to your home as well.
Chicken Galantine
A classic French derivative made with minced chicken, cheese and spinach, rolled into a roulade of sorts and then poached and grilled in a house sauce, the Chicken Galantine is a dish that catches you by surprise.
Prawn Tempura
The Prawn Tempura has delicately spiced prawns dipped in batter and golden fried, served with mayonnaise. “We serve six prawns with each plate and make a classic tempura sauce that goes along with it. It is one of the most popular dishes here,” says Nripjeet.
Chicken/Mutton Chelo Kebab
The Iranian special is another best-seller at the steakhouse. It comes with six pieces of chicken shashlik, two pieces of chicken/mutton seekh kebabs, butter rice, mashed potatoes, grilled tomato and a sunny side-up to top everything off.
The Iranian special is another best-seller at the steakhouse. It comes with six pieces of chicken shashlik, two pieces of chicken/mutton seekh kebabs, butter rice, mashed potatoes, grilled tomato and a sunny side-up to top everything off.
Nutella Pancakes and Caramel Custard
Showstopper desserts at the eatery are Nutella Pancakes and Caramel Custard, both equally palatable. The Nutella Pancakes are delicate wraps coated in Nutella and then topped with choco chips while the creamy Caramel Custard is made following the classic recipe.
Location: BA 152, BA Block, Sector 1, Bidhannagar, Kolkata, West Bengal 700064
Pocket-pinch: Rs 1,000 for two (approximately)
