Let's socialise

It becomes a monumental task to write about a place which has been extensively covered and much-talked about for the vision of its owners who believe in setting trends rather than following.

For those living in the city, even the mention of Mocha would trigger nostalgia and sheer happiness. Much before coffee culture found audience among youngsters, Impresario, an entertainment and hospitality brand, connected with aspirations of youngsters who wanted innovative, yet reasonably-priced food and a cosy and cool environment that would ensure full paisa wasool.

If Mocha is a memory of past, Social is the beginning of a new era. It won’t be wrong to say the group heralded a new chapter of ‘work-cum-fun’ place when they opened their first property of Social in Hauz Khas. The response was phenomenal and so were reviews. The concept was much talked about for its freshness. The ambiance they created was rooted in nostalgia, yet showcased the blending of cultures and most importantly, shared aspirations of youth.

So, when they launched their third property in the heart of the city, a visit to the place was definitely on the cards. The place retains the old school theme and has memorabilia and trophies hoisted on the walls and in cupboards. What is surprising is that even though this new space is around 6,000 sq feet, it looks spacious compared to 7,000 sq feet Hauz Khan one. The addition in this place is the typewriters and vintage phones on the tables; they bring in a new element to this popular place.

As Metrolife settled in one of the wooden tables, the first thing we looked at was the drinks menu. Since the city knows about the USP of the place, its great cocktail concoctions and presentations, we ordered The Lantern and Schizophrenia. The former is a mix of smoked orange and whiskey whereas the latter is a mix of vodka and lavender. Both drinks were refreshing, considering the sun was setting in creating a perfect mood for a long weekend.

For starters we opted for Old School Chicken Tikka which was succulent and the tamarind accompaniment was perfectly complementing the dish. Next we tried was Hash Brown Chaat a modern take on the classic aloo tikki which reminded us of street food. While the presentation and package was decent, it would be better to serve extra chutney along with the dish so that one add more, if required.

Our drinks were over by now and we decided to order their signature The Longest Long Island Iced Tea and settled for the one with cranberry juice. It goes beyond any doubt why the place is so popular. The quantity of alcohol in the cocktail isn’t restrained and hence the slow, mindful buzzing of the head begins at a slow pace.

The drink was worth the try! So to keep the conversation going we opted for Disco Fried Egg which is eggs sandwiched in a bun. It was a ‘tres ordinaire’ item and failed to impress us. After this, we straight went to their signature dishes and were served Black Label Butter Chicken that involved a bit of theatre as the whisky was first poured in the dish and set alight The drama was all good, but again the taste was average.

As the evening had descended into night, we decided to experiment with their banta drink which they serve on the terrace of Hauz Khas cafe. What got us first excited was the thought of mixing popular, street drinks like jal jeera, kala khatta and pulpy narangi with gin, whisky and vodka. This idea is truly a clever ode to find inspiration from local things and elevate them to aspirational sentiments. So, do find time to socialise over a few drinks.