Monday evening is certainly the time to unwind with friends and share a drink to forget the Monday blues. So earlier this week, we headed to newly reopened The Barn - Bar & Kitchen, which was earlier known as Jimi’s Beer Cafe. Located on the fourth and fifth floors of Garuda Mall, the biggest advantage of this pub is that, though located in the mall, the top floor with its rooftop garden and fairy lights is cut-off from the mall and is the perfect spot to relax.
A quick look through the menu and we figured the bar section is a mix of classics, a few signature cocktails and mocktails. The food section includes regular bar snacks, grills, burgers and sandwiches, salads, pasta, and European, Indian, Thai and Chinese mains. As we weren’t in the mood to try something new, we chose the Chicken Golconda, an Andhra-style fried chicken starter with pieces of chicken, marinated in a mix of ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, chilli powder and lime and deep fried. Though delicious, we missed the spiciness that one can expect from Andhra food.
From the vegetarian starters, we tried the Corn Jalapeno Cheese Bites, which more than made up for the missing heat in the chicken starter. Crunchy patties stuffed with corn, mashed potatoes, chopped jalapeno and melted cheese, they are highly recommended, but only if you can handle the spiciness. For main course, we tried The Hogg Burger Chicken that’s served with cheese, bacon, a fried egg and mushrooms. This one is for those with a big appetite. The multi-layer burger has a juicy chicken patty, and the bacon and fried egg just enhance the flavours of this meat-heavy offering.
Next, we tried the Vegetable St Tropez. The creamy and cheesy vegetable stew is served with capsicum rice. Nothing special about this one, it’s a basic dish with vegetables like carrots, zucchini, broccoli and bell peppers cooked in a white sauce. From the drinks menu, we stuck to the classic cocktails like Mojito, definitely not a let down. We gave desserts a miss since there was nothing really exciting.
The Barn offers limited options on the food menu but their cocktails and and other drinks are impressive. Nevertheless, their USP is certainly the ambience that’s perfect for a relaxed evening.
Rs 1,500++ upwards for two. At Garuda Mall, Magrath Road
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