Going to one of those ‘themed pubs’ on opening night is not what I had in mind for my Thursday night plans. Does this one raise the ‘bar’? Only time, and Rajni, will tell. Read on…
Our Udipi folks are not quite ready to take the ‘pub’ plunge
Really now, what’s with Bombay’s fixation with these themed bars? Is a nice, classy, comfy place to go have a drink really too much to ask for? I’m guessing the answer is either ‘Yes’ or ‘We’re the frustrating, new generation and we don’t know what ‘classy’ means.’
Either way, each day there are newer bars with newer themes opening up in our city (yes burbies, I included you too. Don’t wet yourselves now) and my sob story today is about just another one of them.
My genius friends decided to go hit up this fresh off the boat place at Khar station (Khar AGAIN?! With the amount of bars in Khar, I seriously think the inhabitants need professional help). The place was a South Indian themed bar for crying out loud, and had opened just a few hours before we walked in.
Replete with a garish neon board and a mustachioed dude on it, the entrance sure said Kollywood. Oh, the name of the place? SamBar. True story.
So, we walk into this place that is named after something I already dislike, and it’s packed. We start off at the bar (ugh) with a promise of a table soon enough. A lot of attention has been paid to make the place feel as if it’s been uprooted from a film set down South – loud colors? Check. Murals of classical dancers and Rajni-esque faces? Check. EVERYTHING on the menu with South Indian twists to it? CHECK.
Alas, that’s about all the good things I have to say about the place. The food, though delish, is barely enough for one person. I’m serious; the appetizer portions were a joke!
A gimmick works only if you go the full throttle, guys. They may have taken care of the décor but they unfortunately forgot about the music. What we had here instead seemed like the room of a Tamilian teenage boy who had just discovered EDM and Hip Hop. Tch Tch.
Note to the guys over at SamBar – ICYDK, your walls may be bright but they don’t emanate light. The lighting here is abysmally poor; only funny thing was watching my friends contort themselves into awkward positions to get some light to read the menu.
Another pain in the ass (quite literally, you’ll see) are the seats. It’s as if they didn’t really want anyone to sit down. That thing they calling a chair could barely hold my bag, my behind is out of question!
And to make matters worse, their servers wear pink. I feel especially bad for the dude who needs to stand between the two restroom doors to point the sexes in the right direction. There are no signs on the doors yet, you see.
Teething issues considered, I decided to give this place the benefit of doubt. But then, they played Kala Chashma, and dug their own grave. Toodles!
Where? 8 Vora building, 3rd road, Opposite Khar education society, Khar west
