Popular restobar chain to open branch in Lower Parel's Palladium

With its grungy interiors and extremely competitive pricing ('100 for beer), Colaba Social soon became the place to visit since its launch last year. Marketed as a bar/café/work space, Impresario Hospitality's Social will now open its third outlet, just down the road from its second outlet (Todi Mills), at Palladium in Lower Parel.

Crispy Lamb Burger. Pics/Atul Kamble

"It's close to Todi Social and we wanted to do something different. So, we thought what would go best with beers, and we had a burger menu," says chef Gresham Fernandes. Other than the Beer + Burger menu, the big addition to Palladium Social is The Craft Beer Room, a bar behind the bar.

The interiors are less grungy and more sit-down style than its predecessors

This includes 14 taps that will pour craft beer offerings from The White Owl, Gateway Brewing Co and Bira (Bira91 White is a must-try), in addition to international favourites such as Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Erdinger Dunkel and Erdinger Weissbier.

Palladium Social will have 14 taps on offer

The Craft Beer Room will host beer-y sessions, where participants will be pampered with tasting sprees, beer and burger samplers, the ABCs of craft beer and a chance to pour their own beer.

This, however, (understandably) will be done during non-rush hours. Like its predecessors, Palladium Social will also be open as a workspace for interested members, and project matches too.

The taste test
As fans of their earlier outlets, we were excitedly hoping for their new burger menu to turn out good. And it did. The menu is a result of endless burger tasting sessions, we are told. On offer are more than 16 burgers (fewer options for vegetarians) that offer chicken, lamb, pork, fish and tenderloin fillings.

And since it is a Social menu, expect a twist and not a customary patty in every burger. From the vegetarian section, we tried Spinach, Mushroom & Swiss Cheese Burger or SMS ('260, prices exclusive of taxes) and The Faker ('240). The burgers come with a side of hand-cut fries and different sauces.

SMS offered a filling of crispy batter-fried spinach for crunch and creamy mushrooms, all packed in a sesame bun. Layered with cheese, the burger is a perfect antidote for vegetarians suffering from burger boredom in the city. The Faker, with its mock meat filling, is mainly for those keen to try mock meat, which comes covered in a spicy Asian-style sauce.

The real fun began when the meat was called in. The Cheese Burger ('340) was a classic burger with a tenderloin patty and a choice of cheese. The Lamb Burger ('320) is flavoured with bacon jam. If you prefer some crunch in your burger like us, try the Crispy Lamb Burger ('260), with its bits of crispy lamb marinated in a sweet and spicy Asian sauce, laced with pickled cucumber.

Our favourite offering was the Pulled Pork & Mango Burger ('340), slow braised pork so smooth that it glides over your tongue, traditional mango ‘chunda' adding an extra punch. For a meatier preparation, try What the Duck? ('340), a grilled Duck Patty served in buns slathered with cherry compote.