I’ve hit up quite a few bars in Mumbai, enough to take the liberty to start making generalisations based on my observations and experiences. I’ve never come across a bar that’s as open a book as D:OH!
Complications pertaining to its name and the way it is spelt aside, I call it an open book because you actually get a no-holds-barred view of the entire space and its evidently colourful set-up through a see-through glass, by standing a good 10 meters away from its entrance. So, there’s no room for surprises, and there’s no big heavy door that you have to push whilst wondering what lies on the other side as you walk past grumpy bouncers.
Ironically, D:OH! did have a surprise waiting in store for us, and it came in the form of learning that it was a self-serving resto bar. Although I had to face a little bit of embarrassment in the process of learning that this place had a self-serving system (you can guess how), I didn’t mind the idea of bringing my own food and drinks to the table for a change. It just felt like a refreshing touch to yet another evening of drinking.
Before I get to what matters the most, I have to mention the quirky interiors that D:OH wears on its sleeve. You can also observe a small method to the décor and vibrancy around you – you have gigantic swings on one end of the place which doubles up as seating for large tables, you have the simple table chair arrangement in the middle, and on the other end you have your high chairs that you find in a lot of bars. The walls are splashed with colourful paintings and props.
They have an impressive bar menu and a wide-ranging one at that, with a ‘beer cocktails’ section that particularly interested me. The standard cocktails are thrown in there as well, with a flat rate of INR 299. After scanning through the entire menu, my eyes went back to the beer cocktails section.
The guy taking the order at the counter handed over, what looked like, a pager to me (I hadn’t held one in ages), giving me a heads up that it will buzz when the order is ready. I wouldn’t be lying if I said that I was filled with a child-like excitement as I walked back to my table. This was all part of a different experience, a change from the run-of-the mill ones I end up having at most bars every weekend.
I asked for an Orange Cider (INR 199) under the beer cocktails section, but don’t get confused because this isn’t craft beer. This was simple canned orange juice mixed with beer, and they called it an Orange Cider. A craft beer fan in me cut them some slack because I was enjoying the moments I was spending in there at the time. Plus, they did a decent job with the drink. The partner was in the mood for wine, so a Sula red wine by the glass rounded off the alcohol order
They largely have Italian cuisine, with the regular finger foods making up the rest of the colourful menu book. We called for the Aglio Olio Spaghetti Chicken Pasta (INR 299) and the Burnt Garlic Chicken Dumpings (INR 249). The Pasta paired well with the drinks; and the dumplings, the core of which was some deliciously cooked chicken, just melted in the mouth to perfection.
I think I’ve made it very clear that D:OH was quite the surprise package, and we were left brimming with smiles as we made our way out of the place. The staff is courteous too, so there was hardly anything that this place got wrong. Pay a visit on a lazy Sunday like I did, and you won’t be left disappointed. We visited the Andheri outlet, but they also have another one down south in Lower Parel.
Where? Unit 2A, Ground Floor, Fun Republic, Off New Link Road, Andheri Lokhandwala, Andheri West/ Ground Floor, Unit 2B, Trade View, Kamala City, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel
Cuisine: Italian, Finger Food
Cocktails You Must Try: Orange Cider, Beergarita
Food You Must Try: Burnt Chicken Garlic Dumplings
Music: Bollywood
Is there a dance floor? No
Average price per head: INR 800
