ONE SIP RESTRO CAFÉ is a project born out of the passion for music. With a dedicated stage for gigs in the shape of a grand piano, a wall of fame with music legends like Elvis Pesley, Bob Dylan, Ustad Bismillah Khan among others, it is a charming mix of old and new make the 150-seater a haven for music enthusiasts. Spread on a whopping 2,000 sq ft, with a cosy mezzanine floor, divided into two parts that evoke nostalgia with gaming tables (you can play Super Mario while eating), the year-old café was started by three friends who share the passion for music and food.
Ishita Sadhukhan, one of the partners who is a trained psychologist says, “Music is something that binds us all and when discussing the theme of the café we couldn’t think beyond it. In fact, SIP in the name stands for Sink in Passion. Also, we did not have a café dedicated to music in this part of the city. And since its inception, we have had seasoned musicians performing here and we are looking for budding musicians to use this stage as their launch pads.”
The menu is a global mix and has been interestingly sectioned after music jargons like Aalaap for starters, Fine Tuning for chefs special, B-Flat for The Bar food and so on. While we hummed to John Denver’s Country Roads, Murg Dhungaari Kebab teased our olfactory senses with its smoky profile. The succulent pieces of chicken kebab cooked with onion and capsicum and select spices partners well with the potent Nutcase from the selection of tea cocktails. A luscious combination of whiskey, sherry and green tea, the concoction whetted our appetite and we moved on to sample Gyoza, a plateful of potstickers with cracked pepper and scallions. The dumplings served with honey chilli sauce stood out for its meaty filling and we recommend it. Crackling Mushrooms will make you binge with its sharp flavours of spices.
The menu also has soups and if you have a liking for sweet and spicy flavours then Tamatar Dhanya Shorba is your go-to bowl. Moving ahead, we also took a bite of Bekti Frito, a classic Bengali fritter - Bhetki fry, with an extra crunch of crumbs. Served with the English Mustard sauce and tartar sauce, the Bengali in you will love it. Have a tooth for Lebanese dish? Try the Mezze Platter that comes with baba ganoush, pickled veggies, hummus, falafel, paneer shashlik and mini pita. You can also find popular Thai and Italian dishes on the menu. From the dessert, we polished off their signature One-Sip Cookie Fiesta, a delectable twist on the classic sizzling brownie with a soft cookie.
Rs 1,500 ++ for two