Have you noticed the trendy new pubs that have recently mushroomed in the city? There’s Tango that opened in January, Plan B and US 101 in March, Big Bang Theory has been in business since July and most recently Hoppipola opened its doors two weeks ago. Apart from these, there are many more neighbourhood bars like Diff 42 in Velachery, Spice Bar in Valasaravakkam and Turf Pub in Thiruvanmiyur. This city is changing its traditional image, and how!
“We had a lot of Chennaiites coming into our Bangalore outlet and saying we should open a branch here. And we thought the city was starved for choice — that was our call,” says Thashvin Muckatira, director of Holy Cow Hospitality Pvt Ltd, that owns Plan B. But, just as Thashvin realised the response was much better than he had expected, he also found facets of the city that are not commonly publicised. “An outsider’s perspective of this city changes when they visit. Chennai’s people love to party and dance, which is not so much so in Bangalore, because places there close earlier,” says Thashvin.
Compared to cities like Mumbai and Bangalore, we are definitely not spoilt for choice. But, even as new pubs constantly open in the city, each tries to bring fresh ideas and offer new concepts, to lure customers and keep them excited. Take Hoppipola, for instance. They offer drinks, yes. They also offer food. But, distinctively, they offer a wall of books and board games — scrabble, jenga, taboo, pictionary and more — to “bring out the child in you”. They let you bring pets to the pub on Mondays. They invite you to make your own cocktails on Wednesdays. They organise chuggathons, they encourage you to play beer pong and let you doodle on your table with coloured chalk. Hoppipola, the newest addition to the city’s pubbing scene, is distinctively quirky.
Tango, on the other hand, takes a more sober approach to the whole affair. Save for the bar in one corner and the DJ’s console in the other, there’s nothing to betray that the elegant restaurant doubles up as a destination for revellers. Still preparing for their full blown launch, Tango currently does not pose any restriction on stags. Big Bang Theory, in contrast, has someone manning its doors, in much the same way as Hoppipola, which does not allow single men to enter after 7 p.m. “Obviously, it helps avoid trouble. It also makes it easier to cater to regular customers,” says Arasu Dennis, brand consultant, Big Bang Theory.
In a city which takes its food very seriously, Big Bang Theory has its eye on the prize. The place offers a chic ambience to pull a young crowd, but also an extensive menu to make sure it doesn’t get excluded as a dining destination. “People should drink and eat at the same time — that’s healthy,” laughs Arasu. He explains that this invites not just revellers, but also diners. Interestingly, this also means it opens up the age-group of the target consumer, inviting a mixed crowd to the place. Plan B seems to follow a similar philosophy, with Thashvin revealing that food accounts for 50 percent of sales.
Owing to these targeted marketing innovations, the identities of many neighbourhood pubs are changing. They are no longer seen as just places to drink and get raucous on weekends. You could get dinner with your mother on a Monday, or drinks with colleagues after work. You could even just stop by for lunch. “I’ve been in the bar business since 2003. For a long time, things were slow. In the last four years, we’ve had many new brands and ideas coming into the city. This generation, too, is open-minded and loves to hang out. Bars are now seen as a good place to unwind with a drink,” says Arasu.
Now, most popular places recommend reservations even on a weekday night. “The graph is picking up — even though Monday is the slowest night, we have about 50 people coming in. On a Saturday evening, we cater to about 120 people,” says Ashwin Chandrasekar, owner of Big Bang Theory. Even Hoppipola, that is currently functioning based on word-of-mouth publicity, is buzzing with activity on a weeknight.
There also exist many bars that predominantly cater to those in the area. Diff 42, for example, is a sports and lounge bar in Velachery. “It’s not packed nor is it empty — we have moderate footfall. We usually cater to the corporate crowd in and around the area. Young people, interested in sports, also visit to watch matches that we screen here. We offer something distinctive for Velachery,” says Vignesh Lakshmanan, manager, Diff 42.
US101, which also follows a sports theme, is among the many in T. Nagar — Elevate, 10 Downing Street, Minus 1. Yet, the place has found its niche. Regular live acts, including music and stand-up comedy, lend an energetic vibe, making the place a popular hang-out. “Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are when it is most crowded. Mondays and Tuesdays are relaxed, with a predominantly office crowd coming in,” says Balaji Kathirvel, brand ambassador, US101. He adds that people, from as far away as OMR visit the pub on weekends, while weekdays see a more local crowd.
The rapidly mushrooming neighbourhood bars keeps the commute to a minimum and also helps people call it an early night on weekdays. Yet, with each place offering something unique — new concepts, exciting ambience, interesting music, live acts and eclectic food — customers too aren’t hesitant about travelling or waiting to get into their favourite watering holes. “Traffic isn’t so bad here,” laughs Thashvin, who is Bangalore-based. He adds, “I hope more pubs open — the more the competition, the more people will be receptive to these new ideas.”
HOPPIPOLA
Venue: The Spring Hotel, Nungambakkam
What’s cool: Try their life-size jenga, or indulge in a game of taboo, scrabble or Pictionary while devouring cheesi nos and smokin’ carlos
Call: 28272706
TANGO
Venue: The Legends Hotel, T. Nagar
What’s cool: Ladies night is not just on Wednesdays, but Saturdays too! Try their tapas while you are there — crispy calamari, pork ribs with honey mustard, pumpkin fritters
Call: 42004355
PLAN B
Address: 65/5, Murugesan Naicker Complex, Greams Road
What’s cool: They slow smoke their meats in-house; eight hours for the barbecue ribs, and 12 for the pulled pork sandwich. Best to visit on ‘wasted Wednesdays’ where, for every drink you order, you get another free.
Call: 7358398659
DIFF 42
Address: 7, opposite Vijaynagar bus terminus, Taramani road, Velachery
What’s cool: Watch matches every weekend — football, tennis and cricket — while munching on Mexican grilled chicken or the chef’s honey pepper sizzler, marinated with domestic rum
Call: 30853580
US 101
Venue: GLM Meridian, T. Nagar
What’s cool: Take a swig of their vodka-based milk shot, and enjoy stand-up comedy shows on alternate Saturdays
Call: 9787341541
BIG BANG THEORY
Venue: Brownstar Boutique Hotel, Kodambakkam
What’s cool: Sit at the 20-seater community table; you are bound to meet someone new. Try the chicken triplet, beef pulled burger or the lamb chunks.
Call: 33011422
