Hitchens In Khar Combines Craft Cocktails And Bites With Creative Energy

There is a stylish new cocktail bar in Khar West and it guarantees to please lovers of literary and different arts. Hitchens – Cocktails and Concepts opened its doorways in November 2024. It’s based by Rakesh Singh, a movie producer, and Aparna Sud, an acclaimed manufacturing designer. The institution can be supported by a collective of acclaimed artistic entrepreneurs from literature, theatre, movie, and artwork. The group tells us that they’ve tried to create an area that may promote mental curiosity and stimulating conversations whereas one feasts on scrumptious food and drinks. Though it has been named after the long-lasting author Christopher Hitchens, he is not been the one supply of inspiration.

The partitions of the primary flooring are adorned with quotes from Hitchens and different literary legends – designed to make patrons really feel (metaphorically) ‘surrounded’ by nice minds. This higher stage is devoted to stay performances. There are plans to host numerous forms of occasions that purpose to foster group and spark dialogue, starting from spoken phrase periods to Urdu blues. Hitchens’ kitchen is helmed by Chef Gracian de Souza and supported by Chef Harsh Parikh. The meals menu options trendy European flavours with distinctive Asian influences. Chef Anurita Ghosh is answerable for the dessert part.

Hitchens’ exceptional bar program is the brainchild of mixologist Pawan Singh Rawat, whose celebrated profession consists of stints at award-winning bars in India and Shanghai. “The bar menu at Hitchens is a mix of highly effective flavour mixtures and surprising elements. It’s designed to shock and problem the palate,” Pawan says. The cocktail names are witty references to works by the bar’s eponym or explicit mental/literary ideas.

Picture Credit score: Hitchens

Signature drinks embody the Foxhole Atheist (Gin, Pineapple, Kaffir, Watermelon, Citrus), 7 p.m. Feminist (Rum, Sugarcane, Jaggery, Absinthe, Sherry, Citrus) and The Editor’s Alternative (Whisky, Umeshu, Sherry, Absinthe, Bitters). Every drink is thoughtfully designed to inform its personal story, creating a singular and memorable expertise for patrons. There’s additionally an array of creatively concocted zero-proof choices. Highlights embody A Hitch in Time (Beetroot, Apple, Shisho, Honey Shrub) and A Lengthy Brief (Papaya, Turmeric, Honey, Citrus, Seltzer).

Picture Credit score: Hitchens

The meals menu leans in the direction of trendy European fare, however the Asian touches to it increase the chances. “I like old-school fare by means of a contemporary lens, and I do not imply any of that molecular stuff. I am extra serious about elevating identified classics with shocking and novel textures and flavours,” says Chef Gracian. Among the must-try dishes embody the juicy Jackfruit tostadas, the creamy Candy potato gratin, the fiery Sambal tofu, the lip-smacking Market fish escabeche and the comforting Kerala mutton fry. Among the many Home specials, ‘A lot Room of One’s Personal’ that includes mushrooms cooked in 3 ways stood out to us. Finish your meal with indulgent mini Eclairs, a satisfying apple crumble or a shared plate of petit fours.

Picture Credit score: Hitchens

The atmosphere is characterised by delicate aesthetic particulars that reveal themselves in phases and also you uncover an area that brims with creativity. Open the menu and chances are you’ll be charmed by not solely the names of dishes/ drinks but additionally with the bar bites being referred to as “Foreshadowing” and the mains being titled “The Plot Thickens.” Go searching and you may respect the fascinating centrepiece of Hitchens (and the depictions of different authors) dropped at life by artists Atharv Ghatulkar and Nagnath Mankeshwar. Greet the employees and you may see uniforms created by Bollywood costume designer Priyanjali Lahiriy. Even the invoice folders embody a whimsical contact.

Picture Credit score: Hitchens

Hitchens is envisioned as an institution that celebrates the enjoyment of connection, the fun of mental discovery, and the artwork of indulgence. It presents a stimulating mix of sophistication and accessibility. The group explains, “Christopher Hitchens believed that nice concepts couldn’t be born with out the fitting setting. Right here at Hitchens, we hope to provide the proper setting. What you do with it – the person himself would agree – is as much as you.”

The place: Hitchens, 494-486, seventeenth Street, Khar West, Mumbai.

Picture Credit score: Hitchens