(De)bar the usual

Bandra Kurla Complex has no dearth of bars and pubs that provide an interesting concoction of spirits, fancier versions of bar finger foods and an even fancier main course menu. Craftbar is another addition to the list.

The pub welcomes you to a drawing room ambience with its walls adorned with the embroidery hoops you often saw your grandmother with. These hoops hold pieces of cloth with colourful designs and patterns ranging from abstract to flora and fauna making them the perfect accessories for your social media accounts.

Craftbar has quite a confusing menu in terms of presentation. The dishes are spelt out in concentric circles with a complete disregard for the sequence of meals. This means one has to spend a while just figuring their way out of the labyrinth, giving up and eventually asking the attendant for help.

Aata Majhi Satakli

Over pop hits blaring from the speakers, we called for the Pirates Pepper Pot, which is a Caribbean style coconut flavoured soup made with plantains, sweet potato and bell peppers. A vegetarian’s delight, the soup is not surprisingly, sweet. If you can skip this, you should try the Catalan Seafood Stew. Made with clams, squid, prawns and fresh fish, the seafood stew has the right tang and spice.

With a very limited salad menu, we asked for the Glassy Classy Salad that is served in an upturned Cosmopolitan glass. A combination of citrus fruits, dry fruits, cherry, tomato, black olives, onions and citrus dressing, the salad is simply beautiful. The highlight of this dish is the simple combination of the citrus fruits and dry fruits, which will leave your palate satisfied.

An interesting offering on the menu is the Tandoori Momos. Your first impressions will be of a chicken tandoori stuffing, but the dish is a pleasant surprise. The momos are steamed at first, then marinated in tandoori masala and grilled! It reads like a risky call off their menu, but is definitely one worth taking. The Kasundi Chicken Kulfi, on the other hand, bears resemblance to homemade fried chicken marinated in mustard paste and cooked in a tandoor. You could skip the Kasundi Chicken Kulfi and go for the Tandoori Momos if the Kasundi Chicken is something you may previously have tried.

English Vinglish

The SolKadi Shots with Prawn Golguppa is another feather in the chef’s cap. A very impressive solkadi is merged with tangy prawns, making the combination amazing.

On the cocktail front, the Tera kya Hoga Kaliya is kala-khatta infused gola (ice-popsicle) topped with Vodka and is a strong drink. Aata Majhi Satakli is a homemade Baileys served in a chocolate glass. While the drink in itself is potent, it was a little too sweet for our palate.

Coming to desserts, the English Vinglish is a chocolate brownie layered with gajar ka halwa. Regardless of how sceptical you are to try this out, you should, because the amalgamation of flavours is almost pure.

All in all, Craftbar promises to offer a good evening with a highly detailed albeit confusing menu, potent cocktails and a chill ambience. If you work in and around BKC, you could drop in for an elaborate after-work dinner.

Rating: 3.5
Price for two: Rs 2,000 for two (with alcohol)
Craftbar, Hallmark Business Plaza, near Chetna College, Kalanagar, Bandra (W)
Contact 30151411