With concoctions like Rajnikanth Rassam and Goli Soda, Daruwala is a fun, laid-back gastropub

The rooftop dhaba-style place offers 99 types of shots and Indian street eats
Daruwala
Daruwala

While news of Indira Nagar’s restaurants shutting down are grabbing headlines, on the other side of town, the scene in JP Nagar seems to be thriving with pubs opening every weekend. This week, we were invited to the newly launched Daruwala, a no-frills casual pub. The rooftop dhaba-style place offers 99 types of shots and Indian street eats. 

Choose your poison
We admired the view of the cityscape as we sat down to dinner. The menu also goes with the dhaba-theme with slogans like ‘order ok please’ adorned on it. Started by the folks behind The Yellow Submarine, Daruwala’s USP is their special menu of shooters. We spotted Goonda, a shot of whiskey, ginger, honey and basil leaves, and Rajnikanth Rassam — vodka, rasam curry syrup and chat masala. We tried the Peach Lemon Drop, a fruity, orange and peach number and the Black Russian — one for Kahlúa lovers. Although, fair warning — the shots are very strong!


We were also very impressed by the cocktails. The Bhelpuri Wala was a well-mixed concoction of 
dark rum, tamarind, jaggery and curry leaves. Another must-try is the Mai Sharabi — vodka, apple slices, watermelon bites, rosemary and elderflower syrup. 

We then tried an array of appetisers. Staples are what Daruwala offers, and that’s something they do well. We tucked in to juicy Tandoori Chicken, crispy Fish Fry, Mutton Seekh and Spring Rolls. They 
proved to be perfect accompaniments to the beverages. A special shoutout to the BBQ Pineapple on skewers and Chilli Prawns for getting the flavours just right.

Dal order
While Daruwala offers some Italian options such as pizza and pasta, we suggest you stick to the Indian dishes. We savoured a creamy bowl of Dal Makhani with a warm and pillowy butter naan. Classics such as Laal Maas and Butter Chicken are also good choices. One can round off the meal with a Sizzling Brownie or Fruit Custard.Pocket-friendly eats and quirky drinks could make Daruwala the next round-the-corner style pub for JP Nagar. 

Rs. 1,000 for two. At JP Nagar

— Anagha M
 anagha@newindianexpress.com 
@anaghzzz

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