It’s just another restaurant-and-bar in yet another mall in Gurugram. There’s really nothing to distinguish La La Land Brew Pub from that one place you had an office party in a few years ago, and probably kept going back to only because it’s conveniently located near both your workplace and your preferred form of public transportation back home.
That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with La La Land (other than the fact that the place has close to nothing to do with Damien Chazelle’s 2016, musical, despite an intro online saying it was inspired by it).
Just that it gets lost in the crowd, trying to be everything for everyone. Finger food? Check. Standard Continental? Check. Beer? Check. A generic bar menu with classic cocktails and other liquor? Check. Standard Chinese? Check. Some generic desserts? Check. (Except, some aren’t available.) Trying to woo you with its misleading name? Check.
There’s a crowd of such resto-bars, and La La Land adds nothing to that genre of F&B spaces. That said, if you’re really looking, there are a few mild surprises on this menu.
The vibe: If I stretch to see a link between the film and the place, it’s in the wide semi-circular vinyl booths, probably reminiscent of a jazz bar. The lights are dimmer than they need to be, especially for a Saturday afternoon, and the music is — yes, you guessed, not jazz. American pop from the late ‘80s and ‘90s plays loud, with the big screen TV flashing an ‘English music’ channel on mute. This non-synchronicity aside, the staff is courteous and in command of their menu, and say that the place fills up in the evenings, with neighbouring office-goers coming to unwind.
Do try: The Yam Galouti, which fully uses the creaminess of mashed-up yam. It makes for one of the softest vegetarian galouti around. The Spinach & Curd Kebab is a good variation of the standard dahi kebab. The Creamy Orange Fettuccine Pasta has just a hint of citrus in a regular-looking creamy white sauce. Definitely try the Dum Ka Bharwan Karela. With the vegetable being one of the most unpopular, especially at an after-office sort of place, chef Ashok Chandola unsurprisingly said it’s probably the least ordered item on the menu. But its sweet-tangy gravy is comforting and filling.
Skip: The chicken breast that’s cooked sous vide and has nothing really interesting about its flavours — it is cooked through well though, if you’re interested in just how skillfully they managed the process. The naans are tough and dry, with daal that did nothing, though was presented well. Their beers are mediocre at best — the German Wheat was too light and watery, the Irish Stout a decent average, and the Mango beer, which was launched in May, was a slightly confusing surprise. Maybe it made me nostalgic for the old Mango Bite candy, but I was unsure of how this can carry through the winter months, especially since the staff say there are no plans yet of replacing this with a new brew. Their basil-infused LIIT was a disappointment: regular LIIT with huge sprigs of basil dunked in.
Go with: An extremely entertaining group of colleagues, because nothing else might really excite you here.
Space bar: 8,000 sq ft carpeted area, with 230+ seats (they have a 350 capacity)
How much? ₹2,200 for two
Reach: A 7-minute walk from the Sector 42-43 Rapid Metro stop; just cab it.
