It is a dark and box-like space — if not for the spotlights above, I would find myself trying to figure my way out of a maze. As I walk into Kommune Bar & Kitchen, located right by the bustling Gopathi Narayanaswami Chetty Road in T Nagar, I am greeted by creaking wooden floors and find myself looking diagonally upwards. It’s almost as though I am waltzing through a Lego structure, except the colours shuttle between jet black and shades of wood. Everything seems geometric — and the different levels inside the space (spanned over two floors), only magnify this impression.
As Abba’s ‘Dancing Queen’ plays in the background, the mellow weekday vibe sets in and bar manager, Mohit Kothari, draws my attention to other finer details. I catch a silent library space, in the corner — “you can read about wine, different cuisines and so on, in that corner. We don’t have any other books,” he informs.
Kommune is a German derivative that loosely translates to community, he tells me. The idea behind the interconnected seating area, with no partitions, seems to be the same. “We encourage people to make friends and interact as well,” he says, as two doctors at the table opposite call out to Mohit with surprising familiarity.
Soon enough, 92% water is served — yes, you read that right. Starring watermelon (which is why the name) the drink is ideal to sip on after a long day. The first swig lends a peppery tinge to my throat, before the refreshing (though slightly watered down) watermelon slowly takes over. The drink’s appearance is akin to a cosmo, but it is far from sweet. Figaro is another breezy drink, with figs and Thai chillies infused in a combination of dark and white rum. A bobbing piece of orange, with ‘Kommune’ stamped on it, is hard to miss and the spices make themselves felt only as an after taste.
Avocado fries, apparently a crowd favourite, arrive next and are a refreshing change to the crunchy finger foods that most bars serve. Coated in flour and Cajun spices, with a heavy taste of avocado the slightly bitter starter is definitely worth a try. Shish taouk, on the other hand, is a juicy alternative to pork ribs doused in a mild curry of spices and tomatoes, cooked for 20 minutes to tame the texture of the pork. It is served in sizeable portions and can easily replace a meal for one. On the other hand, Sriracha egg is basically boiled egg, coated in a Sriracha-laden exterior for no discernible reason. It tastes like basic bland egg, with a slight hint of flour, not as crunchy as it promises to be.
Despite these, if you are nowhere close to being buzzed, an espresso martini is likely to fix you up right on the first swig. Nightowls take note : made with vodka, kahlua and freshly brewed espresso, this drink, which has a prominent head of creamy froth and three coffee beans to adorn it, will keep you awake for quite some time. An alternate version made with whiskey is even stronger, informs Mohit.
- @ 60&62, 3rd and 4th Floor, Gopathi Narayanaswami Chetty Road, T Nagar
- Hits: Espresso martini, dal makhani
- Misses: Sriracha egg, motichoor cheesecake
- Cost for two: ₹1,500
If you are particular about digging into comfort food while on your third or fourth drink, Kommune’s dal makhani is a no brainer. Paired with steaming slices of fragrant garlic naan, this creamy North Indian go-to food, is rich and full-in-the-mouth. The taste of butter take the fore but does not disappoint. Their Khao Suey serves two people easily, though the flavour of turmeric is overpowering and can put one off. Generous shavings of broccoli and zucchini, with little to no chunks of chicken (despite it being a chicken Khao Suey), rule the dish.
On the whole, if you are looking to relax on a weeknight, Kommune is just the right kind of bright and mellow.
