After the success of the Doosra Stadium experience during the IPL, Park Street Social is ready to floor you once more with a food and drinks menu curated to enjoy the explosive action during the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. My Kolkata was at the trending hangout spot on Sunday evening to catch the live action as India faced off against Pakistan in a low-scoring thriller in New York.
With rain in the Big Apple threatening to play spoilsport, the crowd was getting jittery ahead of the toss. Especially at the thought of India batting first on an unpredictable pitch. But the Drop the Jitter burger from the Hellmann’s Mood Burgers menu helped diners keep calm. Priced at Rs 580, the lamb burger is served with a slice of cheese, pickles and Hellmann’s mayonnaise for the perfect bite along with a side of fries. The veg variation comes at Rs 560.
A packed Social sings along as the Indian national anthem plays in New York
Toss time approached and an eerie silence prevailed as Babar Azam chose to field first. Finding comfort in the Thai Maalish cocktails, made with a gin base with flavours of kaffir lime, basil, galangal, lemongrass and coconut water, Social got ready to cheer for the Men in Blue. Served in a repurposed Tanqueray bottle, the aesthetically pleasing drink comes for Rs 410. Soon after, the national anthems were played and every soul in the house stood up and sang along to create a stadium-like atmosphere.
Rohit Sharma hit a sumptuous six off Shaheen Afridi, and Social went berserk with Chak de India blaring through the speakers. But a couple of minutes later, rain dampened the mood once more, as everyone turned to their food to keep the vibe going. We turned to the Anda Shammi Pao at Rs 275 with the Shammi patty wrapped in an omelette, served between soft buns along with a sweet and spicy chutney.
The Kasundi Bhetki Tikka made up for Kohli’s early dismissal
The Anda Shammi Pao and the Kasundi Bhetki Tikka
As the covers came off, Virat Kohli brought the crowd to his feet with a trademark cover drive, before Naseem Shah sent him packing and brought about a prolonged hush at Social. The Kasundi Bhetki Tikka, served in a mini grill along with onions and chutney, for Rs 690, made for a delicious consolation. We paired it with the Asia Sour, a whisky-based cocktail with kiwi puree, pineapple, rosemary tepache and basil, just as Rohit’s innings was cut short in an attempt to clear the ropes. The refreshing drink at Rs 410 was just what the doctor had ordered, with each sip making it easier to swallow India’s shaky start.
As Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel built a semblance of stability, the second burger from the Hellmann’s Mood Burger menu made its way to our table. The burgers are made keeping in mind a balanced diet — the multigrain buns packed with sesame seeds offer the perfect cover for a crispy fried fish patty, topped with Hellmann’s mayonnaise. A bite into Eyes on the Prize, priced at Rs 460 with a veg option at Rs 280, added more flavour and zing as India looked to counter-attack.
A second round of drinks arrived halfway through the Indian innings, with the Benarasi Patiala at Rs 540, made with sugarcane juice and a vodka base along with secret spices, proving to be as adventurous as Pant’s stay at the crease.
Trip on the Drip provided just the right amount of cool to deal with the heat brought by Pakistan’s death bowlers
Trip on the Drip (left) and Benarasi Patiala
Pant was dismissed for 42, but Trip on the Drip at Rs 410 soothed the disappointment somewhat. The vodka-based cocktail, served in a sealed pouch of sorts, is made with orange, cranberry, peach and schnapps, and has just the right amount of cool to deal with the heat brought by Pakistan’s death bowlers. Just before the Indian innings wrapped up, came the Get Charged Up burger with its crispy chicken patty getting us in the mood for the second innings, even though India had just 119 runs to defend.
The Get Charged Up burger
At Rs 390 for the non-veg and Rs 360 for the veg option, the Get Charged Up burger is what the Indian bowlers could have done with. As Pakistan coasted along, Social slowly emptied out, resigned to an Indian defeat. Midway through my cab ride home, the match began to turn. As India, riding high on a game-turning spell by Jasprit Bumrah, won by six runs, I wondered what Social would have looked like had we all put more faith in Rohit and Co.
With all of India’s matches at the World Cup set to be screened at Social, there is no shortage of opportunities to try out their wide range of options, especially given how India look primed to go deep once again.
