Every guy wants to open a bar with his friends. These two did it

Just a decade ago, Greater Kailash 2’s M block market was that kind of neighbourhood marketplace where parking was easy and restaurant reservations, attainable. It had none of that frenzied energy that its fashionable cousin in GK 1 had spawned. Fast forward to today, GK 2 has quietly become the capital’s unofficial cocktail corridor with old favourites like Sidecar, Perch and Depot 48, and new spots like Trouble Trouble and No Vacancy leading the charge. Joining the neighbourhood’s growing line-up is Barbet & Pals, a 38-seater by bartenders and friends, Jeet Rana and Chirag Pal.

The duo is among the city’s most seasoned hands. Rana, former Global Brand Ambassador for Stranger & Sons Gin, has represented India at stages like World Class India, World Class Global, and the India Nightlife Convention & Awards, along with stints at Arth and Sancho’s in Mumbai. Pal’s pedigree includes Grappa Bar at Shangri-La Eros New Delhi and FIVE Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. The two started off their bartending careers at Westin Gurgaon in 2014 and have remained friends since.

At Barbet & Pals, all that expertise finally finds a home—so you can expect cocktails crafted with precision, personality, and a touch of spunk. Even the bar’s name has a story: Barbet alludes to the Himalayan Barbet, a nod to Rana’s roots in Uttarakhand, while the latter half of the name comes from Chirag’s last name—and is also a friendly invitation to join the flock. Among these pals is chef Amninder Sandhu (of Kikli and Tipai fame), who has crafted the menu for this bar.

Step through the blue door—a colour that in Uttarakhand symbolises warmth and hospitality—and the team urges you to stay hydrated, offering some barley-infused water and then some lightly fermented kombucha with hints of blueberry and chamomile.

Bar-side seating opens to a statement wall that Rana and Pal describe as a ‘messy masterpiece’. Graffiti collides with traditional Aipan art here so you’ll see a bird clutching a martini glass and bird footprints tracing the floor and bar counter. The menu too carries this creative chaos, looking more like a bartender’s diary, scattered with doodles, scribbles, and stickers.

We start with the limited-edition Bird’s Eye View section, which draws inspiration from the team’s travels, and is currently spotlighting the flavours of Uttarakhand through five cocktails. Myol, or Himalayan pear, arrives as a crisp, fragrant cordial while Madua is transformed into a nutty, velvety lugdi foam, enriched with ghee and barnyard millet. Nuts of Kumaon offer the gentle, earthy sweetness of acorn berries, while Gundrayani, an aromatic root, adds a whisper of forest spice. Bel-Sela rounds things off with a purée of dhonsela (or wild cherry tomatoes), bringing a soft, tangy finish that teases the palate.

The next section features cocktails that are closest to Rana and Pal’s hearts—some born from travel memories, others from award-winning experiments. OTP (One True Pair), which mixes Bacardi Ocho, Campari, curry leaves, lemon, and pineapple, once had Shah Rukh Khan asking for four rounds when Rana was behind the bar at Arth, the restaurant designed by his wife, Gauri Khan. “I remember our chef introducing me to SRK by saying, ‘Meet Jeet, he’s the Shah Rukh Khan of bartending,’” Rana recalls. “SRK stood up, laughed, and gave me a hug. That’s how the legend and I became cocktail buddies for the night.”

Another signature from Rana is Bodo Saviour, a tequila cocktail that is an ode to Assam’s Bodo region, where carrots and coriander grow in abundance. Nutty, earthy, and refreshingly bright, it perfectly captures the duo’s belief that every cocktail should tell a story and invite a touch of adventure. Here it lies in the edible rice paper garnish that comes with a bird holding a carrot!

Rana is also the mastermind behind Himalayan Madhpey, a cocktail that immediately captivates with its heady aroma of patchouli and turmeric oleo, and was something he first created in Miami at Diageo’s World Class Global bartending competition in 2016. On the palate, ginger and Campari lend warmth and depth, while lime and vegan foam lift the flavours. The gin-based Tickle My Pickle, where dry vermouth and pickle brine mingle with soda, and pickled blueberry, grape, and carrot is a drink that is cheeky, clever, and utterly memorable.

Pal, meanwhile, brings his own distinctive touch. Panache traces its roots to a boy’s trip to Srinagar, where a cup of kahwa left a lasting impression. Later, during a highball challenge restricted to just three ingredients—almond, cardamom, and saffron—he translated that memory into a whisky-based cocktail layered with kahwa cordial and saffron tincture, finished with a surprising strawberry-and-cheese soda.

Lugdi, a vodka drink inspired by a local alcoholic brew Pal first discovered years ago in Shimla, is made with fermented rice, passion fruit, mulberry, and a pink peppercorn soda.

Just when you think you’ve experienced Pal’s full spectrum, Aha Tamatar lands on the table. This whisky-based cocktail is an umami-packed treat, blending cherry tomato, mushroom, cheese, herbs, and malic acid into a complex, savoury sip. True to its playful spirit, it comes with a spiked tomato on the side. Don’t forget to say ‘bade mazedaar’ while sipping, a reference to the kids’ jingle that makes the experience all the more fun.

Then come the pickle shots, the ultimate plot twist. Pick your spirit, grab a pickle—tora shiro, purple sauerkraut, pickle pearls, or the classic cucumber—and brace yourself. Tangy, punchy, and full of attitude, each shot feels like a mischievous punchline, daring you to sip, grin, and maybe even argue with your friends about which one steals the show.

Chef Sandhu’s food menu is equally upgraded. Take for instance, the masala papad, presented here as Khichia dotted with raw mango chutney, mulberry chutney, creamed avocado, and cheddar—a perfect balance of tang, creaminess, and crunch. Equally irresistible is the freshly baked, carb-rich gol-gol bread, served with nolen gur butter and spiced chili-fennel butter. An accompaniment so good, I bet you’ll call for seconds.

The menu also features Mrs Barbet, a signature chicken recipe by Rana’s wife, served with desi chimichurri and caramelised onion foam. The Flock Fried Chicken is another special that comes with roquette, poached egg, prosciutto, avocado, hot truffle garlic emulsion, and parmesan. Charred Buttery Prawns with nori and almond butter sounds perfect on paper, but still needs a few tweaks to hit the mark.

Uttarakhand specialities bookend the food menu: there’s Bhuijiya Bhatt that combines Kumaoni white soya beans with crisp chickpeas, black olives, sundried tomatoes, feta, and a hint of orange, and Bhutuwa, that features nachni sourdough paired with Uttarakhandi-style mutton offals. But it’s the Bar-Brat that is likely to please the experimental diners: Naga pork sausage and naga fermented bamboo shoot ice cream (yes!). Vegetarians, don’t miss the jackfruit kofte with rice and crispy shallots.

Desserts end the meal on a high note. The warm rum Bal Mithai Sundae marries burnt butter ice cream, toasted hazelnuts, and mini marshmallows, making it one of the most addictive sweet treats I have had in recent times. If you don’t want something as rich, pick the boozy Limoncello Peaches and Vanilla Ice Cream that pairs limoncello-soaked peaches with in-house vanilla bean ice cream, finished with a sprinkle of crushed pecans.

By the final bite, you might think it’s time to return to your nest—but with cocktails still soaring and laughter in the air, you may as well just order another round and follow the flock.

The bar opens to the public on November 4, 2025

Address: Ground Floor, M Block Market, M-51, Block M, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi–110048

Timings: Wednesday–Monday; 5 pm to 1 am

Meal for two: Rs. 3,000 + taxes

Reservation: +91 9205645151