With art installations, a twirling white light fixture that defines the space and bold blue and red interiors, the newly reopened Social 2.0 at Church Street, the first ever Social in the country, has positioned itself as an art cafe and creative space. In addition to the interiors being given a complete overhaul, with help from actor and interior decorator, Lekha Washington, the menu too saw a number of new additions, which we felt warranted sampling. Despite having opened its doors just last week, the space was quite busy on the weekday we dropped by.
In keeping with the restaurant chain’s love for quirk, the newly added dishes are all a bit experimental, but stick to flavours that will leave you asking for more. Take the Celebrity Bhel Puri for instance. This dish features puffed rice, with quinoa, diced plums, orange and amaranth seeds, kiwi and flax seed granola tossed in a sweet, sour and spicy sauce, that could give roadside chaat vendors a run for their money. Jack (son) & Juice is another creation that seeks to push the envelope. The cocktail brings together jackfruit juice and whiskey, which does not sound like a great match, but worked well together, much to our surprise.
Another must-try from the new cocktails is the Beach Don’t Kill My Vibe (vodka, cucumber, fresh watermelon juice). This is best paired with the Hari Bhari Chicken — Andhra-style chilli chicken but with toned down spice levels. While the flavours were bang on, we would have preferred it without the skin.
From the mains, we tucked into the Crispy Pork Po Boy Sandwich. Julienned pork is deep fried and tossed in Japanese barbecue sauce or tonkatsu and served in a fluffy bun with fresh veggies. The contrasting textures thanks to the crisp pork, crunchy vegetables and soft bun will definitely win you over as will the blend of spicy, salty and sweet notes.
Dessert included the decadent and utterly delicious, A Fatal 4 Way, a dessert jar with Oreo crumb, caramel sauce, toffee custard, tiramisu and vanilla ice cream. If you’re in the mood for some tropical flavours that are spot on, opt for the Fly Me To The Moon, coconut cake served with tender coconut ice cream.
Though it might take some getting used to, one can rest assured that the new decor, has done nothing to diminish the appeal of this restaurant, and the new menu is sure to make it all the more popular.
Rs.1,500++ for two. At Church Street