This new lounge bar in Banjara Hills is mixing good health with high spirits

The all-new Pudding and Mink claims to be the first bar in the country to serve Ayurvedic cocktails. 
Aam Panga
Aam Panga

A spirited night, followed by a morning-after with no hangover? Pudding and Mink, the sparkling new Ayurveda based bar & lounge in Banjara Hills, touted to be world’s first Ayurveda Cocktail Bar, says its ‘magical potions’ can give you a great night of partying, thanks to its drinks based on your doshas,  and give you a good night’s sleep to wake up fresh and fine.



The bar with a South Asian feel is done up in red and glittering glass and the backlights on the bar and the tables give it a warm glow. The walls with red and orange jaamdaani fabrics on them and designer mirrors reflecting the red light back, remind you of a watering hole in Hong Kong. The showstopper of the place, however, is the sadhu pop-skull made of mirrors by French contemporary artist Yahel Chirinian. Tejuswini Chaudhary, entrepreneur and fashionista, who launched the concept bar three weeks ago says that it was her quest to find a “tastefully-done place with great food where there are no creepy folks in the city” that made her launch it. This mom of a four-year-old says that her brush with Ayurveda started four years ago when she was carrying her son and she found respite only in the science of food. “I had been researching the science for the last three years and I believe food is medicine. Why should even your occasional party binge have unhealthy food and beverage? That’s what made me start the bar and lounge. No plastic, canned or frozen food here. We serve organic, fresh, local and seasonal.” 

Perringer 
Perringer 


By the way, entry is by invite only at this members-only bar. So who gets to become a member? “Freethinkers, the powerful and the pioneers,” quips Tejuswini. One should call the bar and leave their credentials and the bar will do its screening and once cleared, they send an SMS to the guest with a code (which is used to order when you visit). The 70-seater place already has 300 members. On entry, the steward hands over an iPad with 30 quick multiple choice questions ranging from age to your frequency of thirst to your body build to assess if you fall into any one of the doshas  — Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The app then generates your body type and advises the drinks you must go for. Luckily, mine turned out to be a rare one all the doshas are balanced. “When you drink what goes well with you, it is more fun with least side-effects,” she adds. The focus is on quality and even their cold-pressed machine is what Whole Foods, a global benchmark food company in New York uses. “My friends from abroad have started asking me to set it up in their place,” states the first-time entrepreneur. 

Onion Rings
Onion Rings


I started off with Aam Panga, a twist to the regular Aam Panna with a dash of Belvedere Vodka and raw mango chilli powder and a piece of the fruit. This one’s recommended for those with Kapha and vaata doshas as well. Sweet with a slight tang, it was tasty and gave an immediate relaxing effect. You are supposed to bite into the mango as you sip, for effect. 

Chinese Rice
Chinese Rice


Then came quirky starters such as goat cheese with beetroot jam (peppery and sathvik, even the jam wasn’t overly sweet). The chicken house-spiced with fresh herbs did not have any food colouring and turned out with just the right crunch and spice. It was time for drink two, Perringer with Tanqueray gin, fresh organic ginger juice, cracked pepper and sweet lime juice had a predominance of ginger. Got sinus and nose congestion? Go for this one. A drink to one’s health! The Thai green curry rice we had was tasty with the flavour of coconut milk and not too harsh on the taste buds. Tejuswini recommended the chewy brownie – made of pounded dry fruits in oats and no sugar. It wasn’t so chewy, but tasty and loaded with dry fruits.

Thai Green Curry
Thai Green Curry

Price for two: Rs.4,000. 

Pics: Vinay Madapu

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