The Puja menu at Kewpies. Pictures by Rashbehari Das

Durga Puja without pet puja is like Team India without Sachin Tendulkar. Post-Chinnaswamy, need we say any more?

And continuing with cricket, the Gangulys and the Akhtars may not see eye to eye on the cricket field but when it comes to cross-cultural gastronomic treats, most Indian and Pakistani cricketers seem to have a glad eye.

From Jo?burg (where both the Prince of Calcutta and the Rawalpindi Express dig a common Indian culinary address) to Jaipur, most of our on-field heroes are known to share a taste for things nice and spicy on the table.

Closer home, former national wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta was among a lucky few, alongside Bangla band Chandrabindoo, to dig into some sumptuous Pakistani fare this week.

?I love my kebabs,? smiled the man with the big gloves, catching every kebab in sight at the Pakistani Food Festival at Tandoori Nights.

The eight-month-old Hazra Road eatery seems to be riding a friendly neigbourhood wave by throwing open a passage to Pakistan, down the spice route till the Pujas.

?This is a humble effort from our side to convey the message of harmony between the two countries. Moreover, if delicious food is in sight, one can forget personal differences. The fare would be economically priced,? said Indranil Dasgupta, owner of the hotel and an ex-armyman.

To know the secret of Shoaib Akhtar?s speed in the run-up to the Pujas, just tuck into the lip-smacking array of kebabs from the streets of Rawalpindi, Karachi and Peshawar.

Pamper yourself with a choice of Irani Macchhi Kebab, Tandoori Jhinga, Lahori Murg and Gosht Nawabi. If the kathi delicacy does not suit you, gorge on Shahi Pulao, Multani Murg Biryani, and Gosht Akbari Biryani.

But if green is your colour at the dinner table, you can still sample similar flavours in Paneer Nawabi Tikka, Parda Kebab and Paneer Seekh Kebab.

So, if a taste of Pakistan is what you feel will add to the true spirit of the Pujas, head for Ballygunge Phari and order a range of dishes at anything between Rs 70 and Rs 80.

One for the park

From Pakistan to park, Jodhpur Park. The south Calcutta para has long had one complaint. Despite having a sizeable population wanting to eat out and willing to eat well, the locality has not had a restaurant worth its while within bounds. One or two stray ones that opened operated on flawed pricing strategy and shut shop soon after, forcing residents to drive up north.

Now a cosy little place, Shanghai, has survived the initial test of time. The 20-seater restaurant, serving Chinese cuisine, celebrated its first anniversary last weekend. ?We have grown more than we expected,? smiled manager Sukanya Bagchi.

While the soothing d?cor (by proprietor Nilanjan Haldar, an old hand in interior designing) goes well with the spirit of a nice, long chat over a steaming plateful, the prices don?t make the pocket pout.

Shanghai offers home delivery as well, till as far away as Shakespeare Sarani. ?The orders from that belt are predominantly for vegetarian fare, ? Bagchi says.

This has prompted the food stop to introduce more variety, fried mushroom with vegetables being the latest addition.

While catering for parties was always on the Shanghai list, the restaurant has recently started supplying lunch boxes to offices close by ? proof of the changing profile of the once-lazy locality.

A Tandoori Nights spread

Bengal beckons

Back to Bengal, via Pakistan and China. For many, the festive season cannot start or end without an ?authentic? Bengali meal. That takes us to Kewpies.

The Bengali speciality restaurant that found pride of place in The Telegraph Food Guide as one of the Top 21 restaurants in town, has just unveiled a Grand Durga Puja Celebration menu.

To be served during the festive days of October 17 to 23, the menu would have the usual vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, plus a special fare entitled Kolkata on a Platter.

This would feature fusion fare like Mutton Chetinad, Thai Chilli Prawn, Smoked Hilsa, Patrani Macchhi, Goa Crab Curry, Duck Vindaloo and more.

?I have incorporated traditional recipes from various communities like the Jews, Parsis, Goans and even south Indians who have made Calcutta their home down the years,? says Rakhi Purnima Dasgupta of Kewpies.

Most items in the special Puja section are priced at Rs 150 per dish.

This apart, there are two special Mahabhoj Thalas and the Puja Special Vegetarian Thala on offer. The vegetarian Mahabhoj Thala priced at Rs 300, a traditional Bengali meal, includes Gobindobhog Bhaat, Luchi/Radhaballabi, Shukto/Alur Dom, Moog Dal / Chholar Dal, Alu Jhuri/Begun Bhaja /Vegetable Chop, choice of four vegetarian dishes, Chutney and Papad, Payesh/ Doi, Mishti, Paan.

Its non-vegetarian counterpart offers a choice of three non-vegetarian dishes instead of the vegetarian items and is priced at Rs 345.

The Puja Special Vegetarian Thala is less elaborate, offering Bhaat, Luchi, Sukto / Alur Dom, Dal, two kinds of Bhaja, choice of one vegetarian dish, Chutney, Papad, Doi, Mishti and Paan for Rs 210.