At #Beir the aim is to bridge the gap between craft and draught beer. How, you ask? The answer is ‘flavoured’ beer. We visited them on a Monday to find out more. The city was prepping for the upcoming
dry days ahead of the elections, so there was a sizable crowd for a Monday. We sat down at the breezy balcony area that overlooks the bustling Church Street.
Although the exact recipe is a secret, what they offer is beers blended with various fruity flavours. We started with a few samplers. They tasted like good draught beer but with an aftertaste of the flavouring agent. We tried vanilla, lavender, cranberry and lemongrass. Both lavender and cranberry impressed us with their notes. They plan to create a different flavour every week, and will have options such as tea, espresso, spices and other fruits.
Apart from these, they also have signature cocktails. We tried the Summer of Church Street, a mango and vodka drink and the Highway to Hell, a pineapple and chilli concoction. When it comes to food, #Beir has a range of Indian and global starters. Our first dish was the Crispy Corn Chat. Crunchy and spicy, it is a perfect accompaniment to the drinks. Next on the table were the Ricotta Spinach Cheese Balls. Spinach and ricotta are always a winning combination and the crispy coating on the dumplings made this one a winner. We were also served the Buffalo Chicken Wings and the Panko Prawns. While the former was well made and moreish, the latter impressed us with its panko coating.
The main course at #Beir spans burgers, hotdogs and paninis. The options include Afghani Tandoori Lamb Burger, Grilled Mushroom Burger, African Lamb Peri Peri Burger and Whole Crab Burger. We tried the Grilled Fish Burger, as we were in the mood for seafood. The grilled fish was spicy and tangy, and the soft buns that they use are made with organic ingredients. From their Hotdogs section, we tried a vegetarian hot dog, as that sounded novel. The hot dog bun is stuffed with vegetarian fried strips that are topped with caramelised onions and cheese — a bit of a let down if you are expecting a hot dog, but otherwise, an interesting dish.
When it comes to dessert, they offer the usual fare of cheesecakes, tiramisu and brownies. But what caught our eye were the Tarts available in Mango and Jamun flavours, the latter being our pick. #Beir scores high on innovation thanks to their blended beers and location.
Rs. 1,100 for two. At Church Street
anagha@newindianexpress.com
@anaghzzz