Bar Bar – outside al fresco section
Seating space – Bar Bar
Cuisine: Gastro Pub
Casual bars seem to be the new concept trending in India over the last year. With the success of brands like Social, The Local, Monkey Bar, Hoppipola and so on, it is difficult to believe that there is any more space left in this segment. But Bar Bar, the new bar concept from Phoenix Malls on the first floor of Phoenix Market City Pune, has something even better and quite different to offer. It’s all about enjoying your favourite drinks (whether popular, premium or luxury brands) at very low prices in an atmosphere that looks like any international bar. Unlike the grunge/distressed/chalk board look of a lot of popular bars, Bar Bar is slick and contemporary with a throbbing blue neon lit interior and an outdoor terrace overlooking the central courtyard. Today drinking out is an expensive affair which often means you either have to drink at home, in a cheap bar for young people or at a club where the rates are subsidised. Bar Bar means you can have a really nice night out with delicious quirky snacks at very reasonable prices. Drinks come in fabulous tall beakers in 250ml, 500ml and even a 1 litre size. The long island ice tea is their signature cocktail. The food is all finger and bite sized and looks like carnival has come to town. Most of it is tasty and filling and inspired by Indian street food. The little toasties inspired by road side toasted sandwiches are filled with mac and cheese, kung pao chicken, kheema ghotala masala and so on. There are plenty of things made with potato including the Sindhi aloo tuk dusted with chilli and amchur, a sweet potato chaat and a basket of fries with dips. The Malabari paratha rolls are a more substantial filler; they come in Malay style, falafel and even a pahadi paneer one. I particularly liked the ‘popcorn’, actually little bits of Amritsari fish, pork cuchi fritos, shrimp, buttermilk chicken and Mysore baby vadas and so on which all looked like popcorn served in conical paper cones. Each popcorn comes with a dipping sauce. For mains there are tiffins inspired by the dabba wallas of Mumbai. There is one with Goan curry rice and one called the Lucy Lui tiffin which is an Asian rice noodle combo. It’s all playful and fun. No desserts to speak of as yet. Bar Bar will definitely rock and give the other bars in town a run for their money both in terms of ambience and prices.
Popcorn
Tiffins – Bar Bar
Toasties – Bar Bar
WOW FACTOR – 8
WATCH OUT FOR – very loud inside and can get really crowded over the weekend
PORTION SIZE – good
ALCOHOL – yes!
VEGETARIAN – yes, plenty
And… young casual crowd. No need to dress up
Meal for two: Rs. 1500
Address: 1st floor, Phoenix Market City, Nagar Road,
Tel: 8806967967
Weekdays: 3pm to midnight
Fri to Sun: 12pm to midnight