Mochar Ghonto, Potoler Dolma, Enchorer Dalna, Tel Koi, Kosha Mangsho? Bengali cuisine has travelled from home and the neighbourhood eateries to the star addresses. But it?s only in this week of the year that it tickles every taste bud.

?For the past seven or eight years, Poila Baisakh, like New Year or any other festival, has become an occasion of social celebration, and Bengali cuisine has moved over to big restaurants at a fast pace. The whole year through, it is the NRIs and non-Bengalis who generally opt for Bengali delicacies, but on Poila Baisakh, Bengalis like going back to their cuisine, thronging eateries to celebrate the day over traditional food,? says Sujan Mukherjee, executive chef, Taj Bengal.

Says Anitha Krishnan Chettiyar, assistant director, food and beverage, Hyatt Regency: ?Usually, it is a foreigner trying out regional food or an NRI wedding where the food spread has some select items to add to the traditional feel. But the Pujas and Poila Baisakh have foodies going the Bengali way.?

While Taj Bengal sells 70 to 80 plates of the Poila Baisakh thali per day, Hyatt records an average Rs 4-lakh sale a day during the same week.

On a regular day at ITC Sonar Bangla Sheraton & Towers, 50 per cent of the crowd visiting Dum Pukht prefer to order Bengali food. ?Bengalis take pride in treating their guests to their cuisine, but would not like to dig into it themselves for the simple reason that it is what they consume daily at home,? explains general manager Ranvir Bhandari.

So, while the rest of the year it is the curious foreigner who acts as an ambassador for Bengali cuisine, for Poila Baisakh, the babus prefer Bengali over Chinese or Italian.

The nostalgia factor plays a vital role here.?There is a 70 per cent rise in the number of Bengalis visiting the city during this time,? points out Rakhi Purnima Dasgupta of Bengali speciality restaurant Kewpies. ?It?s an occasion for the community, no doubt, but who wants to slave in the kitchen?? adds Rakhi. Moreover, few young people know how to cook the delicacies.

And why is Bengali cuisine just a Poila Baisakh craze? ?Not many people enjoy food cooked in mustard oil,? says Anitha. ?Bengali cuisine is fish-oriented, but in other parts of the country, it?s mostly sea fish, not the perfect ingredient for a Bengali item,? says Sujan.

?The cuisine had not been marketed well. However, in the past three or four years, people have taken the plunge and the results have been good,? says Sujan. Rakhi adds: ?With restaurants in London and New York serving Bengali food, the cuisine is definitely going global.?