With attention to detail, Soda Bottle Opener Wala absolutely wins hearts, and the delicious food paired with interesting cocktails leave everyone craving for more. Those who have been here know the ambience well but those who haven’t, it is the quintessential Bombay Irani cafe and bar where walls are adorned with templates like ‘Aapro Queen’ and ‘Bawa+Peg’, where the table has a copy of a Parsi newspaper and where you can order ‘Bantawala’, served in nostalgia-filled Banta bottles, and relax while you find a zillion things to capture and put on Instagram since this place of full of quirky elements.
After revamping its food menu and including a wide range of options for vegetarians, they have launched a new bar menu with a wider range of signature and classic cocktails while retaining the old charmers. We went there recently and attended their specially curated masterclass on cocktails. And, trust us, being behind the counter and making those drinks are definitely more rewarding than just drinking it. The new cocktails, made using homemade syrups, continue to retain their signature style of having a quirky name like Chai Ki Whisky, Peena Colaba, Rani Toh Pappa Ni and Whiskeywali Coffee to list a few. While each drink boasts of a simple flavour, Berrywala Special, a whiskey-based cocktail infused with a homemade mixed berry syrup, stood out for us. It was a very refreshing twist to the heavier whiskey-based drinks. We would also recommend people to try Peena Colaba, a gin-based drink with pineapple shrubs, and Whiskeywali Coffee, an interesting concoction of expresso and whiskey. We were taught here that we first drink a cocktail with our eyes then our nose and then finally with our mouths, and the drinks here withstand all tests of tastes.
After experiencing the life behind the counter, we were ready to indulge ourselves into their delicacies. Alongside starters, which were a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, we went for their Cheesy Pav Bhaji and trust us when we say that we can rave about it all day long. Filled with three types of cheese, the bhaji served alongside two really soft buns was heaven to our taste buds. Meat eaters out there, do try Chicken Farsa and Salli Chicken, both complement their drinks well.
And, while we were behind the table, the mixologist there also taught us some tricks of the trades and we thought you might like them just as much. So, here are they:
1. Always chill your glass. It keeps your drink refreshing without much effort.
2. You should play with flavours and colours because what’s appetizing to the eyes is appetizing to the tongue.
3. Always check your ingredients. Sometimes, the ingredients are stale and they can really affect your drink.
4. Whenever you’re using any herbs, make sure you tap them so that they ooze their lovely fragrance and the taste.
5. And, always remember to enjoy making the drink because if you don’t enjoy making it, the person won’t enjoy drinking it.