Bangalore's new party destination 1522

If you’re from Malleswaram and Rajajinagar, White Horse is not a new name for you. This bar and restaurant, which is very popular with the residents in the area, has now expanded to a floor above, where there’s a swanky new pub. Called 1522, keeping in trend with naming places based on the address, it is the typical Bangalorean ‘pub’ — with rock music, draught beer and desi khana.

I decided to check out this rather new outlet on a Tuesday night with a bunch of friends. The moment you walk in, you realise that it is quite the hip joint, something this area has been lacking for long. Paintings of famous rock stars and long bar stools, this is the kind of place you’d want to come out with your close buddies and hang out, especially if you’re in the area.

We sat ourselves down between paintings of The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd and Jim Morrison. And like true Bangaloreans, we started our evening with a pitcher of beer. Alongside that, we ordered for a plate of chicken wings, a seafood platter and a very interestingly titled Shutter Fried Lamb.

The first thing you notice is that the waiters are friendly and eager to please and the service is super quick and efficient. This definitely is a good sign, if you’re looking at going back to a place after your first visit. The food served here is inspired from the Mangalorean cuisine.

The chicken wings were nice, soft and spicy. The Shutter Fried Lamb, which were fried lamb balls with mushrooms sautéed in soy sauce, was the surprise winner. We enjoyed it and were glad that we ordered it because of the interesting name. The seafood platter, with anjal, crab, silver fish and kane, left little room for complaints and was the perfect choice for a bunch of seafood lovers at the table.

We decided to try our luck by checking out the cocktails. So on our table came an M-1522 (the signature cocktail), a Manhattan and a barman’s special, which we asked for a gin-based cocktail. The signature cocktail had a little too much of coconut, much like a Pina Colada. I quite liked this rum-based cocktail.

The Manhattan, which had vermouth and whiskey, was sweet and pleasing. The barman’s special, which had blue curacao and gin, was quite nice too. Priced at `150 each, these cocktails are fun, heady and just what you’d want when you want to get drunk with friends.

We ordered for Butter Garlic Prawns and Chicken Ghee Roast with this round of alcohol. The prawns were a big hit. Crispy and with just the right amount of flavour, this one was a sure winner. The chicken on the other hand wasn’t quite the spicy finger-licking-good variety that we’re used to. Nevertheless, it was tasty enough.

1522 is the kind of place one would frequent when you want to go on a binge drinking trip with your close pals or watch a game live on their many screens. One thing is for sure, Malleswaram just got a lot hipper with this place opening up!