Craving hot chicken stew but unsure of venturing into Dacres Lane in the middle of the pandemic? Longing for authentic Chinese noodles but not confident about travelling all the way to Tangra?

Take a trip to New Town’s Holiday Inn any Saturday evening and you’ll be served the four cuisines that define Calcutta food — Bengali, Mughlai, Chinese and Anglo Indian.

“We had this buffet spread in mind for long and had done all the homework too but then the lockdown started,” says general manager Jaidev Dutta. During the lockdown, the hotel served as a quarantine home and their restaurant Social Kitchen opened to public in June.

“Initially we were unsure of how such a buffet would fare given the pandemic but the Pujas dispelled our doubts. This Puja, we actually did better business than last year,” Dutta says.

Thus encouraged, Social Kitchen has launched Saturday night buffets. Among starters will be everything from cutlets and Fish Batter Fried to Galauti Kebabs and Dimer Devils.

“The Anglo Indian cuisine doesn’t get talked about much but it has some delicious recipes. Many now-popular dishes are modifications of European ones too,” says Dutta, pointing at Jalfrezi and Mulligatawny Soup, a rich lentil-based broth.

The live counter has quintessential street food — phuchka, Chicken or Vegetable Stew with bread, tea with malai toast or Bapuji cake. “None of the dishes on our menu are new. Rather, they are old favourites that we are nostalgic about and perhaps, don’t get a chance to snack on in our fast lives anymore,” said one of the chefs, Debarpita Das.

For the main course, take your pick from Basanti Pulao, luchi, Narkel diye Chholar Dal, Mochar ghonto and Chingri Malaikari. “The menu will change every week although we’ll have to keep biriyani and chowmein constant,” smiles Dutta. So Schezwan Noodles, Veg Manchurian, Metiabruz-style Mutton Rezala will all be on offer.

The dessert section will boast of Anglo Indian-inspired pastries, Chinese Darsan and ice cream, Bengali Nolen Gurer Rosogolla and Mughlai-inspired Gulabi Phirni with rose essence or Daal Badam ka Halwa made of moong daal.

And don’t miss the signoffs with some typical mouth fresheners — colourful aniseed (mouri)and the dark, black salt lozenges usually sold in buses and local trains. “This menu is curated for working class people and so we have kept the prices within their reach,” says Dutta. The buffet costs Rs 943. With alcohol, the price is Rs 1,179.

Noodles, biriyani and a starter platter of Cocktail Chicken, Kabiraji and Dimer Devil

An attendant at the live counter prepares phuchka.

A dessert platter comprising Gulabi Phirni, rosogolla and more.

Chicken stew to be relished with bread.