B-Bar, Delhi: In Its All New Avatar

The one thing that strikes you as soon as you step out from the lift Into the B-Bar is the very Asian décor-from the huge waiting area outside to the interiors inside. The restaurant is spread over 16000 square foot, with a 160 cover giving one a feeling of luxurious space. We were greeted at the entrance by a dominating 4 meter high Samurai statue though it is the central dome framed by Samurais standing guard that are the true highlights of the décor. Dim lighting, interiors in black, gold and red add to the whole drama.

What has changed in the refurbished B-Bar – from a clubbing zone earlier, they have converted it into a family dining place with kids allowed now. So one can come for the excellent food and stay on to party. After 11pm, the B Bar is taken over by the DJ. They have one of the most extensive projection systems to further accentuate your mood as it turns into a night club. They have a theme night planned for almost all days of the week.

But the best is yet to come – this would be the only restaurant that I have heard of which has dropped their prices considerably from before.

The extensive pan Asian menu has live counters for Sushi, Teppanyaki and Robayataki and is actually a feast for all the senses. So without further adieu, we start our gastronomic journey with appetizers. Grilled Chicken Salad, one of their signature dishes, has grilled chicken, fried flat noodles, Dijon mustard, Chinese cabbage and 5 spices. It is difficult to put the fork down once you bite into it as there is an interplay of textures – the soft grilled chicken and the crunchy flat noodles and Chinese cabbage. The Lobster Dumpling –soft juicy lobster (double cooked) first steamed and then encased in a fried dumpling – is a delicate handling of the lobster and can be easily ruined if lobster is over done or dumpling over fried but it was a perfectly done dumpling, complimented by the most amazing crab sauce.

The Japanese appetizers simply blow you over the top too. The Tai (red snapper) Sashimi comes pre seasoned and is simply melt in the mouth – definitely a treat for the taste buds. Salmon and Avocado Make Rolls with Crabstick was again brilliantly done. Rice did not over power the taste of the fish and crab maintaining the balance of flavours. In fact, this was the first time that no accompaniment (soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger) was required at all. The Chicken Black Pepper Sui Mui had a nice black pepper punch in the juicy chicken filling.

B Bar has a lot of infused (kesar, chili, etc.) cocktails to choose from. Devil wears Prada (presented in a glass with two red chillies attached in a manner reepresenting the devils horns) gives a chili kick at the back of the throat which I enjoyed. Kesar infused Kesartini had the yellow colour of kesar, Laphroaig’s smokiness and Bourbon’s sweetness all rolled into one. One can just go for the Pineapple Spiced Martini (chili infused vodka with pineapple juice) which was less spicy than Prada or the Bubble Wrap-champagne with apricot liqueur. One cocktail that can be avoided is the USA meets Thailand with a overpowering bitterness from kaffir lime.

Now we start with the main course. Chicken tossed with ginger and dry chili – a dish available everywhere but executed so well that it’s worth a mention. The Roasted Mizoyaki (black cod with miso yuzu sauce) was a beautifully cooked, flaky fish but a disappointment because of an excess of the miso sauce which made it too sweet. Salmon Rabatayaki was a grilled to perfection, soft salmon. When you see the next dish, you know it’s the Angry Chicken as a whole red chili sitting on top of the chicken is staring right back at you. The spiciness of the chicken is complimented with cream to give it a rich taste. Pad Thai Prawns have the perfect balance of sweet and spicy enhanced with the addition of fresh lemon juice.

A definite not to miss dessert is the Floating Coconut Custard. There is this frothy foam swimming on top of a sweet coconut cream. When you scoop from the top to the bottom of the dish and put in your mouth, it’s just heaven.

B Bar is definitely worth a visit. The lovely interiors, their signature cocktails, the hummable relaxing music and really exquisite food all put together take your evening from a nice evening to a notch above.

Rating out of 5

Food: 4.5 | Ambience: 4.5 | Service: 4.5 | Overall: 4.5
Meal for two: Rs. 4000 | Alcohol: Yes | Credit Card: Yes | Timings: 12 PM to 1 AM |

Address: b-bar, level 4, lift lobby “D”, Select Citywalk, Saket, New Delhi | Telephone: (+91) 11 46098989/85

Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant. Due judgement and care has been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review, but readers need to consider this review keeping this fact in mind.