If you’re a fan of beer and enjoy the culture of both a brewery and a pub under one roof, then Barrel & Co. is the place to be, says Sunny Rodricks
Located amidst the busy suburbs of Andheri, in an area that also houses Fun Republic, is Barrel & Co., which prepares interesting brews. The pub scores highly in many departments and any beer aficionado will fall in love with the place. The intricately designed (and dimly lit) interiors will leave you mesmerized. Upon entering we were greeted by Mehul Thakker, head of operations, who led us to our table Where: we were attended to by the head chef, who gave us a glimpse of their elaborate menu. With the DJ spinning some great tracks on his console and the bartenders concocting drink after drink, it was time for us to get started.
BEER, BEER & MORE BEER
Barrel & Co. brew their own beer, and with over 200 varieties of drink to choose from, we were spoilt for choice. To our relief, we were brought four freshly brewed options from the barrel to taste, and after sipping on each one of them, we settled for the Bavarian Bouquet (Rs 325), the highest selling beer here, we’re told. We also ordered the Mango & Jalapeno Martini (Rs 400), which was pleasing to the eye, but not so much on our palate. However the Bavarian Bouquet, was a drink to cherish. It was light and had a tinge of hibiscus. We also tried the Belgian Wit (Rs 300), a citrusy, mild in-house craft beer.
BUILDING AN APPETITE
As we sipped on the freshly brewed beer, we patiently awaited the arrival of our starters. We ordered the Crispy Chicken Katsu with Tonkatsu Sauce and Pickled Veggies (Rs 225) from their Baos section, and the Prawns Siu Mai (Rs 325) from their Dim Sums section. The Crispy Chicken Bao was the perfect appetizer to start with. The Vietnamese steamed bread was baked to perfection, while the crispy chicken was marinated with barbeque sauce and pickled veggies. The Prawns Sui Mai was however a big disappointment, and failed to live up to our expectations. As the night went on, we ordered another set of starters, and this time we went for the Southern Fried Chicken with In House Barbeque Sauce (Rs 270) and the Paprika Fish and Chips (Rs 450) from their Grills and Fries section. The Paprika Fish And Chips arrived in a mini truck and was served hot and fresh. The crispy golden brown fish was fried perfectly and complemented the fried chips. The Southern Chicken, on the other hand, was crispy and crunchy, but the coating was too oily for our liking.
MORE CHICKEN
We decided to try a few more appetizers, and this time we went for the Mediterranean Chicken Tikka with Pita Strips on a Bed of Roasted Cumin Hummus (Rs 280) from the Tandoor section and we ordered the Beer Infused Chicken Supreme with Dukkah Spice and Honey Mustard Mayo (Rs 275). Although we loved the beer-infused Dukkah spice chicken, which is the chef’s speciality, we couldn’t hold ourselves back from munching on the hot and perfectly grilled Chicken Tikka, which we gulped down.
THE PERFECT SHOT
While our tummies were nearly full, our hearts weren’t. And, the end of the night is When: the shots are brought out. On the recommendation of Aayan — in charge of guest relations, who was skating through the small lanes at Barrel & Co. on roller skates, looking after patrons — we tried the powerful Jager Bomb (Rs 500) and found ourselves craving for more. It was the perfect amalgamation of the Jagermeister and Red Bull.
THE MAIN MEAL
For our mains, we chose the Spaghetti Lamb Bolognese With Pomodoro Sauce Served With Crostini (Rs 400). The spaghetti was served piping hot and paired well with the garlic cheese bread. We savoured every bit of the colourful spaghetti dish oozing with goodness of lamb. We wanted to end the night on a sweet note, but much to our dismay, nothing that we picked from the menu was available.
WINDING IT UP
With scrumptious food on offer and a variety of freshly brewed beer, Barrel & Co. has a lot to offer! It’s always buzzing with youngsters and large groups, and is even good for celebrity spotting. To sum it up, we were amazed by the grandeur and the great hospitality on offer at this brewpub.
Where: Ground Floor, Kotia Nirman, Near Fun Republic, New Link Road, Veera Desai Area, Andheri (w)
Meal for two: Rs 1,800
Alcohol served: Yes (a pint of beer from Rs 250 onwards)
Contact: 26364000/ 26365000