“Whiskey sour,” whispers the girl ahead of us. The bouncer promptly throws open the large white vault door and lets her in. Loud beats escape from the crack. The door shuts behind her and swallows the music with it. It’s our turn next. “Passcode?” demands the bouncer, “Whiskey sour,” we reply and the vault opens again. There’s a whole new world on the other side, the kind that thrives on good music, cocktails and momos.
This is The Code, the only speakeasy club in town. Winding steps lead down to the space set at the basement of Grand by GRT Hotels. The password here changes every Friday, so don’t try your luck with ‘whiskey sour’ because they might think you’re just sozzled. For now, the DJ passes on the code through social media.
Revamped Grand by GRT has a 1920s theme. That was also the era of Prohibition in the U.S., when the manufacturing and sale of alcohol was banned there. The speakeasy concept came into play, and unlicensed bars started surreptitiously selling alcohol.
“Since The Code was taking shape around elections, when there was excessive talk of prohibition, we thought why not replicate the idea. But ours, of course, is all legal,” laughs Vikram Cotah, COO of GRT Hotels and Resorts.
The Code is among the latest crop of individualistic bars cropping up all over the city. With innovative themes and menus, these are the kind of spaces that cajole you to stay for yet another round of daiquiris. Take Steam and Whistles, for instance, with its Great Gatsby, Grand Budapest and 1920s train saloon-inspired interiors. Set above The Code club, this is the lounge bar at the hotel. There are cocktails inspired by the 1920s — Bootlegger, Capone and Moonshine Cooler among others.
The bar even has a Himalayan Kitchen, which serves ema datchi from Bhutan, tingmo from Tibet and spice-coated momos from the regions nestled along the mountain range. “It’s all about how different and exciting you can make a place. We have a fun theme and are getting DJs from all over the country. But we know to sustain interest we have to ensure we get the basics right,” says Cotah.
Meanwhile, at Radio Room at Somerset Greenways, which is all set to launch next Friday, work is still in progress. Vintage grunge defines this place. As part of the décor, around 50 transistors, all painted white, are stacked against the bar counter and DJ console. At one end, a large container vessel hosts comfy black couches. In the centre is a long wooden community table. Lights beam out of microphones suspended from the ceilings. There’s Jimi Hendrix in the form of wire art, while Michael Jackson’s eyes gaze at you from a bright yellow wall.
The owners are finicky about their music and its quality. That explains the space's superior acoustics and clarity of music. “We will primarily have a lot of retro, old school and classic music playing here. There are two in-house DJs and also a focus on live bands performing here,” says city restaurateur Sandesh Reddy, co-owner of the resto-bar. Expect a lot of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin… interspersed with Adele, Sia and Mike Posner.
The cocktail list has 30 signature in-house creations, of which 10 will be available at all times. The dessert cocktails sound just as deadly — a decadent combination of Baileys and Milo; tiramisu with filter coffee and a hold-your-breath Nutella mudslide.
“There’s a huge emphasis on food. It’s global comfort food like tacos, corn on the cob, baos, sliders and puffs,” says Muthu Venkatachalam, one of the other co-owners of Radio Room. The owners are keen on creating a friendly ambience: something that’s not pretentious. “There is no dress code. People can walk in dressed in shorts and be comfortable. We don’t want it to be a place where it’s about being seen... it’s a place where you can chill,” says Sandesh.
The owners seem particularly thrilled about the competitive pricing of cocktails. (Psst… It starts at Rs. 450, all inclusive.) The 2,700 sq. ft. bar can seat 110 people, but for the first couple of weeks, they will operate on a reservation-only basis.
Of late, people also seem to prefer intimate spaces. Some like it because they appear less intimidating and cosier. With real estate prices spiralling, for the pub owners this works well, because it means lower rental costs as well as electricity and staff costs.
One of the newest small wonders is The Velveteen Rabbit. This charming month-old space can seat 40 people. Located in the basement of L’Amandier, the interiors seem just like a snug living room, where you can sit back, catch up with friends and colleagues, play a board game or two, or even pick out a book from their mini library. And the drinks are generous: by the time you’re done with their mammoth Long Island Ice Tea, you could well finish reading an autobiography.
The drinks make a conscious effort to stay away from synthetic flavours and use fruit purées. The menu has popular bar food, pizzas and a strong Lebanese influence. Interestingly, they don’t have a DJ here. It’s just curated music. “The focus is on conversation. In Chennai, we desperately need neighbourhood watering holes. Located in this residential zone, ours serves the purpose of a pub down the road. People living nearby can come in for a quick drink and walk back to their houses,” says Nidhi Kapoor Thadani, owner of The Velveteen Rabbit. It gets its name from a children’s book that’s about being real, and that, she says, is also their philosophy here.
With people increasingly heading out for drinks and dinner on weeknights, the hunt is always on for a new haunt. There’s a keen interest in upcoming places, even if they are months away from launching. For example, the buzz around Thirsty Crow — nobody knows when it’ll open but its Facebook page — featuring dignified crows in hats, already has 200-plus likes.
