Our first impression of Oheka was quirky as it welcomed us with a ‘namaste bitch’ in neon lights, making us wonder if it is a ladies night. But, once we entered, we realised that the overall space designed by Zara Eisa and Rohan Poojara, the duo behind designing Ostaad, reflects feminity in its colour scheme as well as in the artworks. However, none of these overpowers the casual yet chic vibe of Oheka.
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We started off with Boon-Mee and Brazilian Connections from their Signature Cocktail section. While former was a strong white-rum based cocktail and had Thai chilli in it, the latter was gin-based and had coffee and chocolate bitter, reminding us of the Baileys. However, both were strong and yet delicious.
Moving on to the appetisers, we tried Cheese Corn Scallion Cigars, Chilli Cheese Arancini and Trash Can Nachos, all of which get a thumbs up from us. While the outer layer of the cigar rolls was crispy and the cheese stuffing inside was in its melting state, the Arancini balls were made more flavoursome with the tomato sauce that was used as a base while plating the dish. The trash can nachos was basically nachos in a cylindrical shaped vessel, which could also be removed for convenience. We also tried their signature dish, Dahi Ke Kababs, which weren’t deep-fried as it is served in most placed but were instead tossed in a pan, making it taste uncooked.
But, leaving us surprised was their main course, which features dishes like Dal Makhani and Thai Green Curry, Goan Curry, Butter Chicken, Khow Suey and Pasta, all in the same section. In their bit to address our surprise, we were told that the menu has drawn inspiration from various regions of India. We went for Dal Makhani and Naan and both paled in comparison to dishes we tried earlier.
Although limited, the dessert menu was very interesting. We went for Ice Cream Tub that offers a scoop of Indian Masala Chai flavoured icecream alongside cookie crumble, caramel popcorn and honeycomb. And, although the ice cream was outsourced, we absolutely loved the experiment that it was!
However, what disappointed us was the fact that although the place has been touted as “an exclusive standalone place with a pool inside the venue”, the pool is, in fact, a swimming pool where people come to swim as an activity and not a pool-side you would want for drinks and dinner. When asked about the same, Director of Oheka, Ashish Mehta informed us, “Our concept was to promote Oheka as an all-day-place where guests could spend time in the pool and when they come out, they could indulge in our food and cocktails. Also, whenever we will plan to do special pool parties, we would block the pool for the members so as to filter the crowd.”