There is nothing new about restaurants with a theme, and with eateries mushrooming across the capital, standing out can be quite a challenge. Doing things the regular way, therefore, was not an option for the founders of the new entrant, Drama Upside Down Bar, so they changed the game by turning everything upside down, and won our hearts. Read on.
AMBIENCE
Twin glass doors open to a dim-lit space with red satin curtains, this leads to a flight of stairs that take you to the lounge dining area. Spread across four floors, the lower two definitely have more drama going on than the upper two. The first floor opens to a plush lounge area with giant sofas and old, grandpa chairs, but what gripped our attention was the was a library hanging upside down from the ceiling. Making things more surreal was a Formula 1 racing car on the wall, placed as if it will run backwards on the depicted track. The seating, much to our relief, wasn#39;t suspended from the ceiling, or upside down! While the first floor had brick walls, the others had mellow lights, white interiors and a blackboard ceiling, scribbled with random quotes. They have a dual terrace with a quaint little private chamber for those looking for a peaceful dining experience. Open for private parties and gigs, both the terraces come with open space and minimal furniture.
FOOD + DRINKS
To cool things off, we began with their zesty Cilantro Orange Margarita (Rs 325), a spicy glass of Last Tango In Modena (Rs 275), both Tequila based, and a glass of Red Wine Sangria (Rs 375). Each of these came with a unique touch, but what impressed us the most was the freshness fruit juices infused in the Margarita, instead of canned ones. If you like spicy drinks, try the bell peppers and basil infused Last Tango. The classic Red Wine Sangria was slighlty sweet for our taste, but delicious.
We loved the Insalata Crumble salad (Rs 325), minced chicken on a bed of crispy lettuce with tangy in house Thai dip. In starters, we tried the I Tikki 7S (Rs 375) and XXX Prawns (Rs 575). We got the right balance of flavours in the dishes we ordered, all thanks to the chef#39;s suggestion. The former was a platter of seven types of well done tikkis (kaju creamy, beetroot, vegetables, pickle, corn and lentil), these were light and crispy. The latter had batter fried, juicy giant prawns, that came in a tiny red basket, with a dressing to keep the spice levels in check.
In main course, we suggest you try their Dhakkan Murg Makhan (Rs 485), butter chicken with a tangy twist; vegetarians can opt for Matar Malai Factory (Rs 375), soft sweet peas and juicy mushrooms in a mellow white gravy; this can be paired with the traditional Butter Naan (Rs 85). You can also try the Orange Thai Curry (Rs 395) that comes with a portion of steamed rice. We suggest, however, you stick to their Indian dishes. And since no meal is complete without a dessert, go for the Agni Lava Brownie (Rs 295), a melt-in-mouth, rich brownie, with the right amount of sweetness, complemented beautifully by vanilla ice cream on top.
IN A NUTSHELL
WH Verdict: A unique dining experience that made us fall ‘head over heels’!
Meal For Two: Rs 1,500
Timings: noon to midnight
Follow them on Facebook
**The writer was invited by the restaurant to preview their menu**
There is nothing new about restaurants with a theme, and with eateries mushrooming across the capital, standing out can be quite a challenge. Doing things the regular way, therefore, was not an option for the founders of the new entrant, Drama Upside Down Bar, so they changed the game by turning everything upside down, and won our hearts. Read on.
AMBIENCE
Twin glass doors open to a dim-lit space with red satin curtains, this leads to a flight of stairs that take you to the lounge dining area. Spread across four floors, the lower two definitely have more drama going on than the upper two. The first floor opens to a plush lounge area with giant sofas and old, grandpa chairs, but what gripped our attention was the was a library hanging upside down from the ceiling. Making things more surreal was a Formula 1 racing car on the wall, placed as if it will run backwards on the depicted track. The seating, much to our relief, wasn#39;t suspended from the ceiling, or upside down! While the first floor had brick walls, the others had mellow lights, white interiors and a blackboard ceiling, scribbled with random quotes. They have a dual terrace with a quaint little private chamber for those looking for a peaceful dining experience. Open for private parties and gigs, both the terraces come with open space and minimal furniture.
FOOD + DRINKS
To cool things off, we began with their zesty Cilantro Orange Margarita (Rs 325), a spicy glass of Last Tango In Modena (Rs 275), both Tequila based, and a glass of Red Wine Sangria (Rs 375). Each of these came with a unique touch, but what impressed us the most was the freshness fruit juices infused in the Margarita, instead of canned ones. If you like spicy drinks, try the bell peppers and basil infused Last Tango. The classic Red Wine Sangria was slighlty sweet for our taste, but delicious.
We loved the Insalata Crumble salad (Rs 325), minced chicken on a bed of crispy lettuce with tangy in house Thai dip. In starters, we tried the I Tikki 7S (Rs 375) and XXX Prawns (Rs 575). We got the right balance of flavours in the dishes we ordered, all thanks to the chef#39;s suggestion. The former was a platter of seven types of well done tikkis (kaju creamy, beetroot, vegetables, pickle, corn and lentil), these were light and crispy. The latter had batter fried, juicy giant prawns, that came in a tiny red basket, with a dressing to keep the spice levels in check.
In main course, we suggest you try their Dhakkan Murg Makhan (Rs 485), butter chicken with a tangy twist; vegetarians can opt for Matar Malai Factory (Rs 375), soft sweet peas and juicy mushrooms in a mellow white gravy; this can be paired with the traditional Butter Naan (Rs 85). You can also try the Orange Thai Curry (Rs 395) that comes with a portion of steamed rice. We suggest, however, you stick to their Indian dishes. And since no meal is complete without a dessert, go for the Agni Lava Brownie (Rs 295), a melt-in-mouth, rich brownie, with the right amount of sweetness, complemented beautifully by vanilla ice cream on top.
IN A NUTSHELL
WH Verdict: A unique dining experience that made us fall ‘head over heels’!
Meal For Two: Rs 1,500
Timings: noon to midnight
Follow them on Facebook
**The writer was invited by the restaurant to preview their menu**