In the first of a two-part series, Debaushree Dutta describes nightlife on the western and eastern fringes of Bangalore.
GD Bar & Restaurant
It isn’t common to hear of a place offering cheap booze as early as 6am to patrons who obviously think alcohol is as good a way of disinfecting their teeth as brushing. It’s also unusual when the drinking joint that offers the libation allows the kalyana mantapa next door to take care of its music requirements. But, perhaps the most deviant occurrence is when a woman walks into said dive in Rajajinagar; the night of our visit, it brought all the manly drowning of sorrows to a flattering standstill and made me wish for more than a recently-purchased purple back-loofah brush (see Consume) for protection.
To their credit, the management recovered their equanimity with admirable haste and one of the waiters, Shekhar, swiftly ushered us upstairs, to where “the main people drink”. Four tables with maroon rexine BMTC bus-like seats, two Sintex tanks, a sleeping banian-and-lungi clad gentleman who grumpily shifted out of sight, roughly distempered walls, a rust-coloured tile roof overhead and the sound of the shutting of a grill door downstairs made up this “VIP section”; but at least it ensured privacy. From the menu (recited by Shekhar), we opted for a Kingfisher Blue (Rs 70), a 60ml shot of Bacardi (Rs 60), chicken kebabs (Rs 50), gobi manchurian (Rs 30) and egg pakoda (Rs 30). The glasses were surprisingly warm to the touch (a sign of being cleaned with hot water) and the food was average bar fare – the egg pakoda, served with the avoidable regulatory sweet ketchup and chilli sauce, emerged the winner.
Unfortunately, the restaurant ran out of their speciality rasam, with the famed garlic kick by the time we decided to make an opportune exit, but Shekhar promised to have it ready for our next visit to Rajajinagar. It was almost like a poignant movie ending, when one character knows he or she will never see the other again, and yet only smiles and replies, “See you soon.”
3, Rajajinagar, opposite National Public School (2330-6941). Daily 6-1am. All major cards.
Ultra Violet
Theory 1: KR Puram does not classify as a “fringe” of the city.
Observation: Evoma Business Hotel’s website describes its property as a “world away from work” and “at the edge of town, yet accessible”. It does feel removed from the chaos too, in spite of the pell-mell approach via Old Madras Road.
Result: Jury’s out.
Theory 2: Fringes don’t offer any other place to drink at except “Bar and Restaurant” type of establishments.
Observation: The business hotel offers decent options like a 24-hour coffee shop, an open-air atrium and a restaurant with a serene outdoor seating arrangement on the lawn, besides Ultra Violet, a lounge bar decent enough to take a girl to.
Result: Debunked.
Theory 3: All drinking places at the fringes are cheap.
Observation: Ultra Violet isn’t. The cocktails were priced at
Rs 225 each and a small Signature whiskey was for Rs 100. The good thing was that these came with a complimentary plate of potato chips.
Result: Debunked.
Theory 4: It is best to stick to beers or hard drinks, and relatively simple food, at new places on the fringes or in the city.
Observation: The cosmopolitan was served in a whiskey glass and looked like watered down Roohafza in the process. The apple martini needed a hasty second order of Smirnoff green apple to take away the bitter taste of the black olives. The food, on the other hand, got a thumbs up. The chicken sate (Rs 140) wasn’t served on a skewer or with peanut sauce, but was good nevertheless. The vegetable gold coins (Rs 125) too earned themselves an honourable mention.
Result: Jury’s out.
Theory 5: Music is needed at a lounge bar.
Observation: Not particularly. The smart people at Ultra Violet were playing the music channel 9X on their flat screen TVs, which took away the need for any separate DJ or audio system. It also provided ample scope for conversation at the table to discuss Deepika’s dancing skills and Katrina’s looks.
Result: Debunked.
Evoma Business Hotel, 14, Bhattarahalli, Near Garden City College, Old Madras Road, KR Puram (4190-3030). Daily 11am-11.30pm. All major cards.
Source : Time Out Bengaluru ISSUE 1 Friday, July 23, 2010
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