West view bar & grill
The chill factor
When in Kolkata, don’t miss this place. West View at ITC Sonar doesn’t just serve you great food. It has an extensive wine list and live music to spice up your evening. Done up in old-world leather finish and complete with tableside flambé and a charcoal grill—the restaurant charms you right from the moment you step inside. And if you do love those sweet, romantic British and American popular numbers from the ’70s and ’80s, you might just want to stay back a while longer. Don Saigal and his band keep pampering you with haunting melodies from yesteryears and sometimes, just sometimes, they do play some contemporary music of your choice. Discerning diners in Kolkata have always missed out on a classy restaurant where one could listen to a live band. West View has plugged that gap.
Must try: Sala Cattabia Apiciana , Abbacchio al Forno Con Patate and Arciofi Alla Romana
—Ritwik Mukherjee
Haze
The chill factor
For a city that’s not really known for its live band culture, Haze, the Blues & Jazz pub in Basant Lok, is a blessing in disguise. Don’t be fooled by the unassuming exteriors, as the place has played host to some of the most talented Blues bands from across India, among them Soulmate. At any given time, over 30 people can sit and enjoy their drinks over live music and a portion of the floor is devoted to the live bands that perform here on weekends. You are assured of some good music here since the owner, Kiranjit Sant, himself has a thriving Blues club in the city. The jazz and lounge bar specialises in tandoori fare and the musthave dishes include Mutton Rahra and Banno Kebabs. Besides Soulmate, artistes who’ve performed at Haze include Lou Majaw, often referred to as the “Dylan of the North-East”.
Must try: Cocktails like Purple Haze, Colour My Life
—Anumeha Chaturvedi
Wink
The chill factor
Wink, the pan-Asian bar at the Taj President, sports a new look these days. An entirely suspended glass bar—perhaps the only one in the city—houses one of the most exclusive collections of spirits. With over 40 brands of whiskies, including rare malts (like the 40-year-old Glenfiddich and a sublime 1964 Girvan first batch distillation), WINK promises to leave all malt maniacs asking for more. But the best part of coming here is the music, which plays an integral part in the overall ambience and experience. Drop in with friends on a Thursday or a Friday evening to check the music out. It all begins with light music and slowly builds to a crescendo of high-energy music, pumping up your senses through the night. The bar has also taken to playing host to the hippest Indian.
Must try: The house specialty 1964 Girvan First Batch Distillation. For food, try any of the great finger snacks.
—Deepti Khanna Bose
Olive Beach
The chill factor
Spread across 4,000 sq. ft off Bangalore’s busy Richmond Road, Olive Beach has quickly become a popular hangout for the city’s swish set. Now, the lounge bar and restaurant is set to attract an all-new set of patrons with its Monday Night Jazz, where established and upcoming artistes entertain guests for a couple of hours on alternate Mondays. What began as an occasional performance some months ago, has now become a packed evening of Jazz, with musicians like Amit Heri and Gerard Machado drawing a packed house on Mondays, as they play their tunes in Olive’s central atrium and guests tap their feet at the bar or enjoy a languid dinner. Expect to have standing room only if you come in after 7.30 p.m. on these crowded Monday evenings.
Olive has revamped its menu as well, providing diners with a much wider set of options, with Chef Manu taking them down a somewhat offbeat gastronomic experience. I followed my cold soup up with the Pan Roasted John Dory served with tossed vegetables and a Meyer Lemon & Mustard Sauce and Parsley Puree.
Top this off with the Olive Signature Dessert—a hot chocolate cake straight from the oven with a heart of molten chocolate.
Must try: Tuna Crudo, Seafood Chowder and Tortellini of Smoked Chicken. Also check out cocktails like the White Jamaican
—Rahul Sachitanand
