The Dark Barrel – rooftop lounge, winter chill, barbecue and live bands!!

Often busy weekdays lead to a tiring Saturday, at the end of which we simply search for a classy hideout to immerse in some western classics, soothing lighting, warm wooden interiors, soul-pleasing food and some amazing cocktails! And of course, we tend to find that option pretty close to the area where we are after our work finishes on a Saturday evening. So if you are in the Saltlake area on a Saturday evening, there is some good news for you people. Besides the sector-5 area, Saltlake never had any noteworthy buzzing nightlife options. But now we have got ‘The Dark Barrel’, which has opened its doors in the Saltlake sector-2 area.

The place is situated right above the Haveli restaurant near the CK Market in the Saltlake CK block. The Dark Barrel is a rooftop lounge that has semi open-air barbecue option which is definitely a star attraction of this place. You don’t have any other place in the vicinity with such features. And I must tell you that you can also park your car right outside the Haveli building that houses this rooftop lounge, so no worries with the parking.

As soon as you step into this place you feel you have been transported to some European countryside beer bar or maybe to some French Vineyard!! It’s a place that has got wooden finish flooring and ceiling, wooden lamp shades and rustic solid wood furniture. And yes, there is one more thing. There are loads of barrels and cascades everywhere. The tables are set up on barrels standing one after the other. In the open air area, you have small tables placed on standing barrels where you can stand and enjoy some barbeque! The place transports you to the charm and comfort of the countryside while still being in that city environment. It’s a place where you should definitely bring in your loved ones!

Also, The Dark Barrel has got a dedicated stage for live performances near the dining area. I was there on a Saturday night and was fortunate enough to enjoy a live band gig while having my dinner! The bar counter is very classy, artsy and definitely well stocked. The best part is definitely the lighting at the bar, which I found pretty favourable for food photography!! Don’t forget to click some crazy mirror selfies at the ceiling mirror near that bar. The bartenders were pretty knowledgeable and warm and produced some amazing cocktails which I will certainly remember for a long time!

This place has a unique combination of features which I didn’t come across in recent times – it is pure vegetarian and serves alcohol paired with live music (on Fridays and Saturdays) and an open-air barbecue! So, let’s quickly check out the food and beverages which I had tried at this place. The Virgin Mojito was very well prepared; though it was a bit minty but was not overtly sweet.

Strawberry Delight was the best mocktail that I tried at this place; it had the perfect balance of flavours and density. I was fascinated to spot Mulled Wine on the menu and tasted the same; it was again pretty awesome with the right flavours and balance of spices. The aroma of cinnamon and cloves were hitting the right spot.

So, you city dwellers now know where to go when you wanna have some mulled wine! Paan Masala Cocktail which I tried next was pretty nice and well-presented in a martini glass with a nice kick coming from the vodka!

The Vegetable Yakitori was put on the barbecue while we were having a good conversation going on in the open-air lounge area. These are vegetable skewers which had some amazing mushrooms, bell peppers and broccoli in there! It came along with three sauces – green mango salsa, red chilly mayo, smoky BBQ sauce.

Next, I tried the Mezze platter which was beautifully presented and surely tasted pretty nice, the way it should be. The pita pockets were pretty soft and I quite liked the falafels. The Bhune Bhutte aur Tulsi ke Kebab had grilled corn and basil tikkis that tasted really nice; they were going well with the spicy mint chutney mayo!

The Desi Quesadilla was presented very well in a basket, these were basically corn and spinach stuffed Quesadillas and tasted quite good! Next, I was served the pizza, which was surely the star of the evening according to me.

This was a thin crust veg pizza with grilled vegetables, cherry tomato, and feta marinated. The Caprese Panini with Pesto & Mozzarella Cheese was really delicious with that dip which came along with it, liked that filling with the pesto flavour.

Caramelized Mushrooms & Shallots Wrap was again pretty heavenly for that mushroom in there and that subtle dip. For the desserts, we had the Warm apple pie with vanilla fried ice cream. That was one awesome way to end the meal! The apple pies were perfect to taste and very mushy and aromatic!

That concluded our meal and we were happy souls after that awesome spread. It left everyone satisfied and gleeful! The hospitality was top notch and the service was prompt and warm, in general. I would certainly recommend this place and it’s a must-visit spot if you are near this Saltlake Korunamoyee area.

So, plan your next weekend at this rooftop lounge to sink in some premium drinks and global cuisine that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you in a blissful state of mind!

Cheers!

 

P.S. The writer was invited to this place by the PR and management for review purpose.