Where to eat… this October

There’s always a brand-new bar, a hot new chef, a splashy new dining spot, a pop-up to reserve, a sauce to taste, or, even at your usual place, an exciting new menu to try. Check Please, our monthly rundown of food news, is just the kind of edit for those who may not eat out every night but love to be in the know.

The annual hectic season is upon us again, and it shows. Bengaluru has three big openings—an iconic Chinese eatery from Mumbai, a rooftop brew garden with an octopus installation that has connections to Goa, and a not-so-secret speakeasy that somehow summons both a sensual Greek god and a German philosopher. Hyderabad’s newest bar comes with serious cocktail chops, a food menu that stands on its own, and a transportive, trippy vibe—its restored TV sets sometimes show scenes from The Big Lebowski’s Wild Bowling Dream. A new plate-shattering Greek spot returns to Mumbai. Jaipur gets Jamavar. And Delhi gets more drama. It is October and Diwali kicks off the countrywide party season, so everyone’s doing a new menu. But wait, first let’s catch some respite with a couple of Oktoberfest pints at our local pub. 

Openings

LOQA, Hyderabad 

Indeed, LOQA opened a couple of months ago, in early August, but it’s been making its way gently, organically, into the plans of anyone living in Hyderabad and anyone visiting as well. Turn right from Terrai, the neo-Telangana restaurant in HITEC City opened by the same founders, Anisha Deevakonda and Rohit Kasuganti, and right there is LOQA’s angled door. 

Tipplers must get across a vestibule that sets the mood with a projector, boxy tube TVs and wiggle picture lightboxes with surreal images (no spoilers). Past a second door is a bar that moves from intimate to lively (on a weekday night) but never gets raucous. There is Channapatna lacquered wood on the ceiling, and a mossy green marble bar counter on which a ‘vibe officer’ will set down drinks with ingredients such as fig and cheese brandy, red wine in chicken, and fluffy pineapple. These have names such as Glitch, Situationship, and Boom Boom Begum, and they are good, allowing lovers of classic cocktails to lean into more adventurous tipples. 

For teetotallers, the food too is worth revisiting. There is Deevakonda’s favourite pumpkin, raw mango sambusa, and we totally get why she loves it. Dosa crisps come vertically wedged into the Madras curry aliglot, and hamachi avocado ceviche appears in coconut crema. LOQA is a Telangana bar but also a bar that could be in a big city anywhere in the world. At closing time, get one of LOQA’s China box-style biryanis to go. They’re good enough to enjoy for a hangover breakfast—it is Hyderabad, after all. 

Jamming Goat, Bengaluru

There is an octopus-shaped light installation on a 6,500sqft rooftop in Marathahalli, and Bengaluru is okay to sit around it, under the sky, having Dantu Soppu ratatouille poppers and riffs on classic cocktails (Awkward Puppets, aptly named, has watermelon, olives, and green tea—all in one glass). Jamming Goat has opened its second outpost in Bengaluru and its fifth in the country. Here, the Goa establishment is designed as a brew garden. On the seafood-heavy menu is a section called Goat Meets Sea, featuring plates like stuffed bangda fry, lemon herb prawns on focaccia, spicy octopus stir fry, and tandoori coconut lobster with mustard mayo. From land come dishes such as chicken cafreal arancini, crispy broccoli poppers with avocado-wasabi mousse, and Goa’s favourite dessert—a deconstructed serradura. 

Opa Kipos, Mumbai

This Greek restaurant that was known a few years ago for big foot-stomping group dances that involved deliberately dropping and shattering plates (aka kefi) is reopening in a new avatar this month in Mumbai. Opa Kipos’s revamped 130-seater spot begins with a garden that leads to a grand staircase, which heads down to a dining and performance hall, a VIP lounge, and bar. The Santorini vibe is established with hand-trowelled lime plaster in off-white, stone flooring, whitewashed wood planks, and deep-blue upholstery. If it’s a Greek spot, there must be a mezze platter. And this one has assorted dips, marinated beetroots and olives, pita chips, homemade pita bread, olive-rosemary bread, and crudités. Standards like saganaki, tirokeftedes, and gyros sit alongside tahini salmon, flaming lobster linguini, and broccolini youvetsi. Baklava shows up as a sundae and in a cocktail. 

Royal China, Bengaluru

A 22-year-old Mumbai landmark, Royal China has set up an outpost in Bengaluru’s Vittal Mallya Road after opening branches in Delhi, Kolkata, and Pune. Of course, there are RC’s signature Cantonese classics, such as crispy aromatic duck with pancakes, prawn dumplings (har gau), steamed sea bass with ginger and spring onion, lobster in black pepper sauce, and chocolate dim sum, along with new dishes designed specifically for the Deccan capital. Old-timers from Mumbai will recognise Lychee Martini, Oriental Passion, and the Jasmine Tea Cooler on the beverage menu. 

One Floor Down, Bengaluru

What makes a bar Dionysian? How can a drinking spot be inspired by Nietzschean philosophy? To find out, Bangalorians will have to go to One Floor Down. This is what we know so far… OFD, below Helen’s Place in Marathahalli, is a new modern-day, well-marketed speakeasy, a secret spot that wants to be found, a place built with manufactured mystery and secrecy. There are rules at the door, on the reservations link, and on the menu tab on their Zomato page. It’s a place for millennials and boomers, so only people above the age of 27 are permitted by Pablo, the doorkeeper. And there is plenty of provocation all around. Drinks come with names like That Lusty Night (port wine Kahlua, vanilla vodka, Laphroig) and Hickey (pisco, plum liqueur, campari, martini fiero). Modern Indian and Asian plates include namjim edamame, crispy chicken skin with hot togarashi, mini brioche butter toast with jackfruit or lamb rendang, and lacy pork in Goan power with pear chutney. Each drink comes with a tagline. For the Hickey, it’s ‘the stain you never wiped off’. 

Dramique, Delhi

Dramique moves from dinner to drama over the course of the evening, hour over hour. Supper starts at 7 pm and is soon taken over by spectacle. According to Dramique’s Instagram page, The Prelude is at 9:30 pm, The Drama is from 10 to 11:30 pm, and The Encore runs from 11:30 pm to 3 am. The room is anchored around a stage, and as the evening unfolds, extravagantly costumed dancers and cabaret artists show up and Dramique turns into a performance venue. As the night deepens, it’s all-out frolic. Anyone who has been to dinner clubs Lío Ibiza and The Theatre Dubai will recognise the inspiration. The menu has a range of flavours: roasted beetroot crudo with citrus and avocado creme; espuma burrata with grilled peach, raspberry and olive dust; sliced smoked duck with black bean; polenta mushroom ragu; a couple of pizzas; and Russian honey cake with cheese sauce.

Jamavar, Jaipur

Leela’s iconic and unabashedly opulent Indian dining destination, Jamavar, makes its way to Jaipur (after Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru). It replaces the Leela Jaipur’s Mohan Mahal but more as an upgrade than a transformation, keeping the erstwhile Indian restaurant’s architectural splendour and layering its 3,50,000 hand-cut Thikri mirrors inspired by Jaipur’s Sheesh Mahal and its 18-carat gold-leaf work with a more contemporary polish. The Parchinkari menu is all Jamavar, with signature dishes such as gucchhi mutter masala, Kofta-e-Jamavar, Dal-e-Jamavar, and gosht ki galouti as well as dishes inspired by the regal kitchens of Rajasthan. The service team is all women, and in keeping with Jamavar tradition, a tableside symbolic handwash sets the tone for the meal. 

New menus, collabs, pop-ups, and festivals 

Oktoberfest at Woodside Inn, Mumbai

Oktoberfest comes to the beer-forward neighbourhood Mumbai bar. Woodside Inn, which helped us first discover and fall in love with craft beer over nearly a couple of decades, is celebrating a two-century-old Bavarian fest across its locations in Colaba, Bandra and Andheri until October 12. We have a week to try salted crispy pretzel knots, Bavarian sunset toasts, German potato fries, and the classic Nuremberg hot dog with steins of 50 Days Märzen in collaboration with Bombay Duck Brewing, Woodside Brew’s Schwarzbier dark lager, and Festbier from Igloo Craft Brewery.

New pizza menu at QLA, Delhi 

This month, Mehrauli’s contemporary European spot has a seasonal menu of pizzas paired with wine. Parma ham + burrata is matched with piccini merlot to cut through its richness; wild garden + truffle gets the delicate Portuguese Gatao rose; zucchini + ricotta is paired with a Gatao white. Vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free folk, you get to eat the way you’d like to, too. 

Around The Table brunch, and a new menu at Monkey Bar, Mumbai 

This Sunday, October 12, Bandra-based supper club Around The Table is coming to Monkey Bar for one day only—as an opening party for the festive season—with a nine-course meal. There’s goat cheese and caramelised date tarts, lamb (or veg) koftas with plum sauce, and a whipped feta and roasted beetroot dip with pita chips. Mains are made for comfort: sumac-roasted chicken or tofu with caramelised onions; a bright cucumber and avocado salad with Asian poppy seed dressing; roasted aubergine with saffron yogurt, pomegranates and chilli crisp; and Monkey’s signature crispy turnip cakes. Past the veggies and protein lie a sticky banana cake topped with miso caramel and walnuts, and a dark chocolate mousse with berries, olive oil and a touch of sea salt. 

Sunday plans already set? That’s fine. To mark its first anniversary after the revamp, Monkey Bar has also launched a new menu, cocktail programme, and weekday lunch service. There are lots of fun, friendly dishes—we noticed a pindi chana hummus, and a salsa verde locho, haleem rolls, and butter chicken khichdi. Chief mixologist Harish Chhimwal brings in new cocktails like Limon Cha with bourbon, brandy, raspberry and earl grey tea served cutting chai-style, as well tropical drinks and cocktail pitchers, while keeping old faves like Saat Rasta 2.0 in place. Also on the cards, new programming. Monkey has tied up with the team behind HYLO for a host of IPs, including Sunday Drunches, and QPOP! queer nights with Salvation Star, more collabs and cultural evenings. 

The Art of Lunch at Otoki, Mumbai

Six months after its opening, the Japanese spot that replaced Indigo Deli in Colaba has launched a daytime meal called ‘The Art of Lunch’. Chef Mohit Singh, who has worked at restaurants in Kyoto, Bangkok, and Belgium, brings his experience to midday dishes comprising katsu sandwiches with portobello and fish, bento boxes, salmon teriyaki donburi, and miso butter scallops.

A new menu and women-led bar takeovers at AER, Mumbai

Two years and a few months after its massive revamp, the rooftop bar at The Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai has a brand-new menu that brings to its tables touches of Mumbai’s love for chatpata. There is Bombay guac with thhecha and masala-dusted ragi nachos, bhoot jolokia chicken, Gulmarg baked brie with tomato pesto and honey-chilli drizzle, and flatbreads that range from beachside cheese pav bhaji to blowout caviar, truffle and fior di latte. New drinks seem to look out at the view for inspiration. There’s The Tranquil Tides with vodka, cucumber, screw pine, and cacao, and sunny #AER Picante with orange, jalapeño, coriander, and cucumber, just in season for the roof to retract and open up AER to the sky. 

Also on, this month, a celebration of women mixologists and bartenders. On the 12th, Rebecca Diaz, Aspri Spirits’ brand ambassador, will take over the bar, and on the October 19, Shibani Surkund, brand advocate for Suntory Global, will stir up some drinks. 

New menu at Como Agua, Goa 

Vagator’s Como Agua has a new menu to kick off the start of Goa’s season this year. On it is a new hot honey and double pepperoni pizza made on their 48-hour dough, topped with super-fresh mozzarella that’s now being made in-house. The Japanese soba salad has goat’s cheese, nuts, citrus, and kale, and red snapper in tomato broth drizzled with curry leaf oil. There’s a lobster roll and a honey toast. With this comfort food come some curious cocktails. Two Honeybees blends tequila with smoked honey and raw mango pickle juice. The Nest has truffle vermouth and a white chocolate egg nestled in vetiver. 

Avo’s Kitchen at Comorin, Mumbai

Goa’s beloved Avo’s Kitchen shows up in Mumbai for three days this week at Comorin’s PDR, Lynx. Veg and non-veg thali meals will be available for two seatings—at lunch and dinner.

New menu at Yazu, Goa 

This Candolim beach club’s new menu is called ‘The Bold Edit’ seeing as it features astonishing pairings in flavour and texture. To this end, there is a Peruvian-inspired kiwi and pinenut dumpling, scallops with XO sauce, a kimchi ramen bowl, a chilli-plum pan-fried chicken topped with torched slices of avocado and loads of crunch, and a watermelon roll. 

A 100-day cocktail pop-up at PORT Kitchen and Bar, Mumbai 

PORT Kitchen and Bar in Shakti Mills’ G5A cultural centre has a long-standing tenant currently serving up cocktails. For only 100 days, Eateratti, the food and drink strategy platform (check out their Insta bio) will compose drinks based on mood, memory, and seasonal expression. Each 30-day menu takes on a new theme inspired by South Bombay’s ‘layered mythology’. Currently they’re invoking the moods of Marine Drive and Mumbai members’ clubs. We’re digging how they’ve named their drinks. There is the IG Bio: Plant-Based Curator, Turned Vibe Curator with gin, blue pea flower, and lavender. It’s Nandan or Nothing, Babe has rum, coffee liqueur, and house cold brew. And then there is Umami Unverified with its fascinating mix of a Japanese whisky with nori and miso. These are complemented with “globally inspired vegetarian-forward plates, limited-edition pairings, guest shifts, and low-key surprises”. 

A new menu at Indian Accent, Mumbai 

To mark the second anniversary of Indian Accent Mumbai’s opening at NMACC, chef Rijul Gulati has introduced a seven-course seasonal tasting menu that celebrates the start of the festive season across the country. Of course, it begins with blue cheese naan and Indian Accent Shorba before venturing into further delights afield. These include tandoori pulled pork with bacon bhujiya and cherry chaat; crab varuval with pepper butter, black truffles shaved tableside; and dry aged duck wrapped in khandvi in a pool of green almond korma. Vegetarians get a solid treat too, with smoked ‘dhingri’, kalari , black truffle; sweet-sour kashiphal with aam ki launji; and chilli cheese vada alongside red amaranth keema with brun pao. This season, the palate-cleansing mini pressure-cooker kulfi sorbet is made with aloo bukhara and churan, and the meal ends with motichoor soft serve and a lacy confection of Amritsari black plum, saffron mascarpone, and crispy seviyan. You won’t miss the daulat ki chaat, not too much.