The newest joint in Colaba is Havana Café and Bar. Situated at The Gordon House, the place is essentially a drinking paradise, and an ideal post-work hangout place.
Inspired by Cuba, the place has very easy vibes along with a good mix of vegetarian, Jain and non-vegetarian munchies. We went visiting this Latin-American spot on a Tuesday night, when the music was low and we had a great spot to chill and converse without jarring lights and loud music that is akin to a drinking spot.
Amidst the low lights and retro posters, you have a lineup of antique leather chairs and cushioned couches surrounding the candle-lit tables with a fountain on one side. The place also hosts comedians from time to time and usually on weekends you can dine till 11 PM, after which the tables are moved back and the place turns into a dancing spot.
Living up to its reputation of being a watering hole, the menu offers over 150 drinks with rum being its best offerings. With 18 different varieties to choose from, we went for the Bee Sting, which was also a chef recommendation. The delicious mix of white rum, lemon juice and honey is excellent for someone who has just started experimenting with rum. We also picked a non-alcoholic option, the Rise and Shine, which was a fruity mix of peach, orange and orgeat syrup.
Since the place is essentially a drinking joint, we didn’t expect great meal options but were pleasantly surprised by the interesting mix of food infused with spirits. From prawns that are marinated in vodka and orange juice (the screwdriver) to the garlic and white wine tossed mushrooms, we had some great options to choose from.
We opted for the Chicken Skewers marinated in dark rum with aioli dip and it was absolutely perfect. The meat was just right and the dark rum added an appealing taste to the chicken. The baked nachos with barbeque chicken cubes are another must-try. The creamy option makes for a great meal for one, if you like to have more drinks than food. We followed this with a Cubano style sandwich, which is a specialty of the place. A combination of jerk marinated grilled chicken breast, stewed mushrooms, crunchy veggies all cooked in butter and served with mojo sauce, the sandwich perfectly complements that glass of rum. Another must-have for sure.
We were pretty happy with the portion sizes and the prices fall in a reasonable category too. Priced between Rs.300-Rs.350 for each potion, we found it to be great value for money. A good idea would be to visit when you are in the mood for experimenting with your drinks. And just in case if you are in the city on a dry day weekend, worry not, the place serves alcohol 365 days a year.
