Colaba Social uncovered

Colaba Social is not your run-of-the-mill restaurant. An upscale café and bar, it is a hangout place for photographers and freelancers by day and a place where young professionals can tear into a fun meal by evening.

Dressed for success, the place has lent a rugged, warehouse spin to its décor, drinks, food and presentation.It prides itself on being the perfect launch pad for projects, collaborations or a space to network with like-minded people; it is where artists, designers, innovators, entrepreneurs, photographers, writers, web developers and creative independents meet to bounce off ideas.

Given its popularity, the surging crowd makes one feel like they are at Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal during rush hour. Riyaaz Amlani, CEO and MD, Impresario Handmade Restaurants, says, "For the first time in restaurant history, we have introduced the 'second place' concept, an inspiring space where you can work and play."
Step in and you'll be welcomed by the sight of unfinished bare walls, plush leather sofas, skeletal table clamp lights and bulbs dangling from the ceiling. Sanya Desai, the designer behind Colaba Social, elaborates, "The brief was minimal intervention in the existing space, minimum use of materials so as be environmentally responsible, 100 per cent upcycled and creative furniture, which was discovered in our storage. This resulted in a space that kept most of the old architectural features intact, retaining the property's original floors, windows and doors. Quite the perfect little surreal setting to fill in for a dull work day."

The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, poutines, biryani, sizzlers and China boxes. The satisfying classic cheese house fries comes layered with a generous helping of melted cheese. You can try the other two variations including the house fries with Mexican lamb chilli or the BBQ chicken. We enjoyed the Fried Chicken Bucket and the Fish Tacos. A must-try appetiser was the Gunpowder Calamari. The Wao Baos (delicious pita sliders), burgers, Social Dawgs and the China Box were a welcome change to the routine. The food did take a little long to arrive, but in a setting like this, people didn't mind waiting for their grub to be served.
Brownie points to Colaba Social for the presentation of the food, which would arrive on gramophone records, enamel plates and even wooden-spiked boards. Over a year of research has gone into creating the menu, which delivers street food that is unpretentious and fun and is presented in a quirky and unconventional style. "Social is about departures from routines and deviations from the norm. The menu at Social combines ingredients, cultures and presentation styles from around the world. This is where street food from the world gets as much spotlight as a gourmet meal," quips Chef Gaurav.

But the real deal at Social is the drinks menu. Fancy yourself drinking iced tea from a mini bathtub? Well, that's not all. 'The Reaction' is served in a glass beaker with an injection syringe full of vodka and blue curacao. Shishir Rane, creator of the bar menu, explains, "The idea is to make drinking fun and 'social' again. Every drink you have, you will remember it. And it won't hurt your wallet either."

Colaba Social
Address: 24, Ground floor Glen Rose building, B. K. Boman Behram Marg, Apollo Bunder, Colaba
Call: 02222828484 Hours: 9am to 1.30am

More about Social:
To use it as a workspace, you need to fill out an online application form. The monthly membership fee is Rs5,000. It allows you access to the use of a printer and scanner, free Wi-Fi, and basic stationery.