
PROLIFIC restaurateur AD Singh has gentrified the central idea of Gurgaon’s AHATAs and Kerala’s Kallu Shappus and created an open-in-the-evenings-only “Indian cocktail bar” where a quirky décor dominated by a bespectacled elephant complements a deliciously experimental menu crafted by Sujan Sarkar, who returned from London last year after successful stints at Michelin-star restaurants, hangouts of high rollers and The Whistling Shop, rated by Zagat as one of London’s best cocktail bars. My favourites are the masala taftan served with a jar of chicken liver and bheja (brain) pate, the oddly named Punjabi Poboy Burger with batter-fried soft shell crabs (not quite a Punjabi speciality, but one you’d like to get your teeth into!), and the unputdownable jhaal moori granola bar with avocado, imli gel and micro greens served, like a marriage made in heaven, with a Vineet Bhatia-inspired dahi bhalla sorbet. The cocktails by fresh-from-Melbourne mixologist Nitin Tewari come with refreshing twists and no off-the-shelf syrups and canned juices. The must-have ‘Mojito 6’ is a cool combination of Bacardi, starfruit juice, honey water, Ayurvedic six-spice mix and mint leaves. It’s an “Indian cocktail” without being outlandishly so.