12 December,2021 08:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Anju Maskeri
Delhi’s popular hotspot, Toy Room, has arrived in the city. It will open its doors on December 15
On August 15 this year, when the state government extended the operation timings of restaurants and bars in Mumbai till 10 pm, from the prohibitive 4 pm, the Campbell Group was in the throes of setting up the Toy Room at Grand Hyatt five-star in Santa Cruz. The UK nightclub has outposts already operational in Dubai, Istanbul, Rome, Mykonos, Athens and Delhi. The Indian Campbell Group owns a majority stake in the entity. Emulating the London flagship, the Mumbai outpost one, too, has a hip-hop inspired vibe with graffiti murals. The USP, however, is the DMX-controlled ceiling light that syncs with the music to offer a psychedelic experience. "While we know that clubbing picks up only as the night progresses, it didn't make sense to wait any longer for all restrictions to lift. Delhi has seen a phenomenal response, and Mumbai nightlife looked like it could do with a shot in the arm."
And the team, learnt surprisingly, that Mumbaikars were happy to get used to the sundowner. "A couple of hotelier friends were telling me how people are now okay to start partying at 5 pm," says Saurabh Shetty, director of Krishna Palace Group of Hotels, where the reinvented Grant Road nightclub Baroke opened as B-Cuisines & Cocktails. Moving away from its earlier image of a hub for Bollywood music enthusiasts, this intimate space is a shoutout to the spirit of the '90s, defined by rock music, well-priced cocktails and a satiating menu with Shetty specialties like ghee roast. At the stroke of 10.30 every night, the place converts into "B Switch"; the lounge becomes a more happening space. Bartenders break into a jig and open the dance floor to the crowd.
It's no exaggeration then that the city's party animals might soon have a problem of plenty as a slew of nightclubs and premium bar lounges open doors despite the continuance of the pandemic and the latest Omicron variant panic. While Toy Room will launch on December 15, Vandal-Bar & Lounge, housed on the ground floor of Meluha, The Fern at Hiranandani Gardens Powai, opens today. The latter hopes to draw the elite partygoer, aged 30+. "We were ready in February 2020, and initially, the customer was the international traveller. They made up 70 per cent of the occupants at the Fern. Now, with international travel affected, we are eyeing the working professional and corporate. There are enough and more options for Gen Z," says Punish B Sharma, VP Operations. The imposing chandelier with hundreds of lights light up an L shaped bar. On a higher level is the DJ console, fitted with the state-of-the-art music system. The speakers are suspended from chains from a high ceiling.
Prasuk Jain, director and founder of The Game Palacio, believes that the time is ripe to put experimental concepts to test.
The Game Palacio on Waterfield Road in Bandra has four eclectic alter-egos - nightclub, diner, bowling alley, and retro arcade zone. The concept tips a hat to Brooklyn Bowl, a multifaceted attraction in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is an 80,000-square feet venue accommodating a mélange of attractions and entertainment options, ranging from bowling, live music to fine dining and gaming. "The entertainment scene in Mumbai is no longer a strictly ânight' scene. It's now governed by what more you can offer. Entrepreneurs are looking for ways to give visitors a more wholesome, fulfilling experience. It's the reason why more players are trying their hand at the hospitality business for the first time," he says.
According to Jain, there's a revenge-revellery that's being witnessed across the world. "The silver lining to the travel restrictions is that people are being compelled to explore the local scene, and this can benefit domestic brands."
Shetty says it's also the right time to look beyond Bandra and Lower Parel as entertainment and leisure hubs. "In 2012, when we started Baroke in Grant Road, the first few weeks were extremely slow. But as people experienced it, they were willing to come back." Shetty's goal is to turn Nana Chowk, a neighbourhood known for its affordable bhaji gali and mom-and-pop food stores, into a party district.
12 AM
Hour when all F&B establishments in Mumbai must shutter, according to the state COVID guidelines
