SHIRO

Japanese, Chinese, Balinese these are the flavours in Bangalore` new talk of the town bar – SHIRO. It’s rare to find a bar as high ceilinged, gilded, spacious and gracious as the venerable SHIRO, a fixture on the Bangalore gastro bar scene. I tried SHIRO by chance last Wednesday while waiting for a table at a Rajasthani Restaurant in the UB city`s food court. My report – Excellent.

Shiro is the extension of Shiro Mumbai`s foot print into Bangalore. After Hard Rock Café, this is the newest welcome sign for Bangalore brought by JSM Corporation Pvt Ltd. If your expat friends came to visit and wanted to go to a nice bar, this would be where to take them.

Shiro welcomes you into their lounge cum restaurant with a giant statue of Buddha. Divided into several zones and rooms, the main attraction is the outdoor bar big enough to justify smoking seating. There is great feeling of luxury and opulence with eclectic objects, low seating, high quality furniture, a great mix of mature and young colours with magenta and purple overtones here. The vibe of the crowd if very different than your regular page 3 bars, though I am afraid it might turn into one soon. Just 4 months old after all.

For a Wednesday evening the place was totaly taken. There were two seats available though for un-announced guests like me and at a place I like the best – the bar stool. The bar has a few 100 small magenta smooth lights above it, giving a very bling look. The look and feel is a bit like as at HRC – long bar with only a few bottles placed at regular distances. This is what I do not like about a lot of bars. Hoards and hoards of bottles at the bar is what I like. That`s what makes it an embracing tap zone. Thankfully the stools are tall enough for me to grape for the floor.

Alcohol specialities here are named SHIRO Specials and the mixtures are named very Asian. Velvet Kimono ( more like Melon Martini), Balinese Beach (3 Rums with Guvava & Lychee juice), Oriental Spicy (Vodka with Guvava). Try the Fig Mojito – an Old Monk based Mojito with Figs crushed with mint. No soda, no sprite. Garnished with a sugarcane stick. Barman Siddesh was very nice mixing a Long Island for me. When I said , it was very cokish – he did not flinch to add a generous vodka shot.

Shooters section is also very delightful – Nan Ban & Spice (Iced vodka shot), Flame of Raymond (Vodka topped with Old Monk), Spicy Kamakaze etc.

Tried a sushi dish for starters, liked it very well. Unfortunately can`t comment about food as that is not my forte, yet. The staff was extremely polite, well mannered. Siddesh was very insightful about Shiro. Apparently it has already won the Lounge of the year award for Bangalore. Most of its crowd happens to be the Blue Bar crowd.

Prices – like most decent places. Beer – Rs.250 (650 ml), cocktails (Rs.275,325, 475). Straight drinks Rs.175 upwards for 30 ml. Music – Soft & Popular music, no DJ, no dance floor.