There was a time when you would go to a bar and order a drink and the only thing they served you was peanuts or wafers. Bar nibbles have come a long way since. Restaurants are getting innovative with their cocktails and the same applies to their list of munchies accompanying these drinks. More often than not, you will end up nibbling on these bar snacks instead of opting for a full meal because they are so tasty. We looked high and low till we found a list of some very interesting bar snacks that will satisfy every taste bud.
Kamal Kakdi Chips and Seafood Bhel at The Bombay Canteen – This restaurant has one of the most innovative menus in the city. Everything here is locally sourced and is inspired from various Indian dishes. The complimentary ‘Chintoo’ deep fried lotus root chips are an outstanding snack without a drink and something we wish they would put on the menu permanently. It is tough to choose out of the wide list of snacks, but their seafood bhel is a great dish and a popular one too. The crispy fried mandeli (fish) is another worthy mention.
Nachos at Irish House – The Irish House is one of those bars that insists on serving massive portions, which is a welcome change from places that are more conservative with their servings. The entire space is designed to make you kick back and enjoy, and everything on their snack and appetiser menu is perfect with a round of drinks. Their Grande Nachos are a huge portion of nacho chips with heaps of cheese, jalapeño, sour cream, fresh peppers, tomato salsa, guacamole and a topping of your choice (chicken or vegetarian). It really is a mountain of food and ideal to munch on.
General Tso’s Chicken at Monkey Bar – This is a fun bar that is always buzzing with folks. Monkey Bar’s menu is full of interesting innovations such as their laal maas phulkas (which are also great bar snacks) popcorn chicken and Goan chorizo pao. It is the sort of place where you go with a group of friends and try to order all their appetisers because they are all that good. If we had to pick one that works well with drinks, it would be the General Tso’s chicken, because a spicy sweet-sour wok-tossed crispy Chinese chicken is always a great match when you have got a couple of drinks in you.
Potato Skins at Woodside Inn – Both their outlets in Colaba and Andheri are extremely popular and almost every night of the week, you will find people popping in for a quick drink post work. Their main menu has some great choices, especially their burgers, but when you are in the mood for a light nibble, then – without question – try their home-made potato skins that come served with wasabi mayo. If you are a potato addict, these will work perfectly. Other worthy mentions are their beer-batter fried onion rings and crispy fried calamari.
Pav Bhaji Cones at 145 Kala Ghoda – This place is slowly morphing into a hot spot in Kala Ghoda. Their food is fun and their drinks are well-priced, which makes all the difference. Their appetiser menu is full of the usual suspects, nachos, fries, tandoori prawns (all fantastic), but if you want to try something slightly different, then opt for their adorable mini pav bhaji cones which is basically bread (shaped like a cone) stuffed with hot spicy bhaji. Not your usual bar snack, but it works and, most importantly, it is fun!
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Better known as the Tiny Taster, Roxanne is an internationally respected blogger and expert on the Mumbai food scene. She has hosted many events, including the Upper Crust Food & Wine Show and travels the world, sharing her knowledge and gaining more experience.
