Commercial gas cylinders may still be scarce amid the Iran war, but that has not taken the bang out of the Baisakhi Blast that Mani Square hosts in the run-up to Poila Baisakh.
Neither has the price of the select dishes been raised that are on offer at every counter in the food court till April 15. Like last year, Magic of 99 carries a price tag of Rs 99.
“This is a Nava Varsha promise to the city that we have to keep every year. Since we are keeping the mall running, the food courts have to prepare food anyway. So there is no hurdle to host the festival,” said Sudarshana Gangulee, director of the Mani Group.
Seventeen outlets of the food court on the third floor are laying out a variety of offerings that has something for everyone.
Antahkarana, the six-year-old daughter of actress Koneenica Banerjee, parked herself at the corner of the display counter where a variety of pizzas was laid out while also casting a longing eye at a tub of Chicken Popcorn. “My daughter’s favourite is pizza. If I am out at work, I get a call seeking a pizza. Though my own favourite is home-cooked food, I end up relenting sometimes to her cravings,” said the actress who inaugurated the festival.
The items on the display counter ranged from quick-service comfort food to globally inspired plates, all tagged at the festival’s uniform ₹99 price point. There were thick-crust pizzas in multiple variants — chicken pizza, chicken pepperoni pizza, classic capsicum pizza and classic corn pizza (Pizza Hut)— alongside snack staples such as samosa, corn cheese sandwich and chilli momos. The Asian section leaned heavily on crowd favourites, with chicken chowmein, crispy chilli potato, dry chilli chicken and honey chilli baby corn (Wow! China) sharing space with Korean chicken with rice (from Supper Me). Central Asian offerings included Lebanese chicken shawarma, paneer tikka shawarma and pita with hummus (from Desi Shwarma), while the burger-and-fried menu featured chicken burger, chicken popcorn, fried wings, barbecue wings, tandoori grilled wings and classic French fries (from Wow! Chicken and Mr Brussels, respectively). Indian mains were represented by chole bhature (from Pepper King) and plated rice-and-curry combinations, turning the counter into a compact culinary map of popular mall food-court cravings. There are snack staples too, such as samosa, corn cheese sandwich, veg puffs, toasted sandwiches and chilli momos, any of which can be gulped down with a cup of masala chai from Tea Junction.
Items on sale for Rs 99 at the Mani Square food court for Baisakhi Blast
A serving of ice cream rolls from Kwality Walls, drizzled with syrup, and a glass of thick Oreo shake from Coffee World are alternatives for a sweet and indulgent finish with a flourish.
The event, offering a festive window to enjoy pocket-friendly fare, commenced in 2009, a year after the mall opened. “It was called Magic 21, offering a large variety of items, each priced at a uniform Rs 21,” recalled Gangulee.
The price tag has since been revised to Rs 31, Rs 51 and in 2019, to Rs 71, after which there was a gap of three years due to the pandemic, till it returned in 2023.
This year, the musical offerings that are a part of the occasion will feature folk songs and Bihu dance on April 12, baul songs on April 13 while Chaitra Sankranti (April 14) and the Bengali New Year’s Day (April 15) evening acts will be headlined by Diyashini Roy and Atanu Mishra respectively, the reigning champions in the senior and junior group of Zee Bangla Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.
