Adam & Eve

Once you reach Bandra’s 15th Road, technically Khar: enter through the doors of HOMM Bandra, head to the main dining area, and take the elevator to the basement. There, you’ll find a spanking new intimate cocktail bar: Adam & Eve. 

'Intimate' isn’t a buzzword here – like quite a few emerging spots, it only seats 17-18 people at any given time, leaving space for, say, a couple more people to fit in, barring the staff of three. 

Snug and dimly lit, the space is decked in jungle-themed Sabyasachi upholstery on the walls with integrated cove lighting. A bar lies bang in the centre, and low-seated, plush sofas are positioned closer to the deep red and brown-toned walls, utilising every square foot of the 400 sq ft room, and every dimmable table lamp.

Interestingly, though, the primary source of light is… the ceiling. Its interactive VFX screen with switching graphics by Alien.vision creates the illusion of a much more expansive setting. A custom gorilla sculpture, crafted by a Jaipur artist, sits atop a back-lit wall of liquor bottles, its wings shining when lit. As the night progresses, the lights get dimmer, and the music starts to surround you. Come the last seat, the energy would shift to a high-octane hum to the beats of DJ Manish Khtri.

The cocktail-forward bar has a concise menu created by Pankaj Balachandran and is led on the ground by beverage head Ashish Tamta. Ten items, reading like a grocery list, are the heroes, and the spirits come second. The South American botanical tea, yerba mate, mixes with pisco like a modern highball, layered with apples, apricot, mango and coconut milk. In tomato, the milk-washed fruit with tequila and mezcal becomes an alcoholic clarified tomato soup. Enoki is a savoury, umami take on whisky. 

Ponzu, the Japanese sauce, evolves into a margarita, subduing its tang, oscillating between fruitiness and bitterness over several sips. Housemade fig cognac, Campari, and vermouth are matured in beeswax for a delicate drink. Fat-washed and strained along with dry gin, brie is shaken like a martini with grape brine and vermouth. 

Food travels to the basement from HOM’s kitchen. The curation by Chef Saurabh Udinia is of just five snacks, three bowls and one dessert. That’s deliberate, because Adam & Eve is not where you come to eat. The limited choice doesn’t mean limited flavours. If anything, it’s the opposite. The avocado and paneer chaat make for a great bar bite. The Kerala fried wings and animal prawns pair well with whatever you choose to sip on, all while filling you up. If you want a punch, the Chettinad-style chicken over lemon rice is perfect.

Pratik Gaba, the owner, aims to rewrite the city’s drinking culture. Even though it's in the basement, it isn’t a speakeasy, and he wants to steer clear of that term, which he rightfully calls overused. He just wants people to leave their worries at the door – or elevator in this case – and unwind. You’ll be handed handwritten notes, stickers, coasters and a confession note in an envelope, making things even more interesting.

Adam & Eve is probably the city’s only basement bar. And when more of those inevitably crop up (down), I’m sure they’ll be met with fierce competition.

Time Out tip: Not-so-experimental folks can request classic cocktails.