Barely 250 sqft in size, thereâs always a queue to get into Bengaluruâs Wine In Progress (WIP), a snug space known for pouring premium wines by the glass that can seat just 12 people. A year and three months since it opened, the demand for a seat in this XS eatery hasnât ebbed.
WIP isnât a one-off; it seems the tiny eatery is now the most coveted space for local gastronomes to gather. In Mumbai, chef Seefah Ketchaiyoâs latest chicken-and-rice joint, Khao Man Gai, is widely different from her eponymous eatery. For one, it only serves one main, in three iterations, and always has a small, gentrified crowd outside hustling for a table. With just four tables, this micro restaurantâs authenticity somehow shines through its no-frills approachâno handmade cutlery here, only stainless-steel forks and knives to pick. The one hero dish around which Ketchaiyoâs menu is built makes Khao Man Gai look more like a labour of love, and easier to run on her own terms.
While consistency is what brings people back, Kanishka Sharma, chef and co-owner of Bengaluruâs NÄvu, confirms itâs also a lot more âeasier to manageâ a smaller enterprise. Her chef-partner Pallavi Menon swears by the creative autonomy and âcomplete controlâ that such intimate spaces offer. âWeâve always wanted a space that had the vibe of a dining room if Pallavi and I shared a houseâand only small makes sense then,â adds Sharma.âŻIt seems the tiny eatery is now the most coveted space for local gastronomes to gather. Youâd think a crammed culinary establishment would be a recipe for disaster, but its appeal to diners (intimacy, interaction with chefs and hard-to-get seating) and chefs today is undisputed. Joshua Muyiwa chats with chefs about what it's really like to run an XS restaurant.
