Elation

A neighbourhood bar in GK, Elation is something between a proper restaurant and a slightly scruffy night out spot. It sits on the second floor of M Block Market, and the interiors are quite large. The tables are so well-distanced that the place has an ex-pool parlour vibe, as if the room was built for a bigger crowd or a different game.

Unremarkable at first sight, but once you spend some time here, people-watching gets interesting. The table next to mine had two people drinking beers, eating bananas (they'd carried them) and discussing self-driving cars. It's an odd combination of snack and subject, and it's hard to imagine it happening anywhere with a stricter idea of what a night out should look like.

Since they serve hookahs, the interiors are always slightly smoky. If that's not your scene, there's an outdoor space with glass windows that looks over the market, which gives you a view of GK going about its evening without the haze.

The food is varied, from pizzas and dumplings to Indian mains, so it's the kind of menu a mixed group can order from without a long negotiation. They also host live music nights, mostly popular covers. It's a safe, singalong sort of programme that suits a room that isn't trying to be exclusive.

The neon sign behind the bar reads 'Your Spirit Gets Me High' and while I have no idea who 'you' and 'me' are, I kinda get what it's trying to say. It's a sign with no real meaning that still captures the mood.

What makes Elation work for me is that it doesn't quite fit into any one category. It is too expensive to strictly be a dive bar, too casual to be a proper lounge and too busy to be a quiet neighbourhood bar. But despite all of that, it has found its crowd.