Andheri’s newest brewery has something to offer everyone
Bavarian Bouquet and Tropical Froth
A trend we have seen in menus across the city is the use of the term, progressive global cuisine. This covers everything under the sun and allows chefs to serve dosas or dimsums. Many falter in delivering the best of each cuisine, while others manage to gain footfall.
Andheri’s newest brewery (in place of The Pump Room, which was a brewery too), Barrel & Co has a menu that falls in this category. The interiors are industrial with a surprise mix of S&M, in the form of a large cage and mannequins decked in chains.
Beer-infused Chicken Supreme with Dukkah Spice
Butter Chicken and Jeera Rice (as part of lunch thalis) and Spaghetti Lamb Bolognese fight for attention. We hope for the best and order their craft beers first. We have a weakness for wheat beers and the Belgian Wit (‘190 for 330 ml) has the perfect grainy flavour with a hint of citrus. The Hopfenwiezen and Irish Red Ale (both ‘190) need a little more finesse for a smooth transition of the many flavours they pack. The most unique offering is the Bavarian Bouquet (‘210), a floral, sweet beer that we guess will polarise opinions. It’s unlike anything other breweries serve and the aroma reminds us of an exotic spa — we don’t mind it one bit and call for another mug. One thing that all the beers lack is a good head. To further experiment with the Belgian Wit, we pick Tropical Froth (‘300), a cocktail that makes the most of the citrusy nature of the craft beer when mixed with orange, apple and pineapple.
Zucchini Stuffed with Cottage Cheese and Cream Melange; (bottom) The industrial interiors. Pics/ Dhara Vora Sabhnani
Happy with the beers, we try a Mini Dosa Taco with Chicken Sukka (‘290), Beer-infused Chicken Supreme with Dukkah Spice (‘275) and Zucchini Stuffed with Cottage Cheese and Cream Melange (‘275). We are not disappointed. The chicken skewers are tender and the coating of dukkah adds a woody taste to the meat. The stuffed zucchini, comes on a bed of chutney-like paste and the rolls are stuffed with delicate paneer. The chicken stuffing of the dosa tacos starts with a sweet taste and then hits spicy notes, balancing the flavours. The dosa is a tad soggy.
Like us, other tables seem to be having a good time, too. Several tables are filled on the Monday evening when we visit. With good food, aptly priced craft beers (just two options for bottled beers is a downer) and a well-designed entrance to property that will soon become an Insta favourite, Barrel & Co calls for a revisit.