JOIN USWhen music channel MTV India was launched in mid-90s, they were miles away from connecting with Indian listeners. Their music was centred on international bands and had very little to offer in terms of local music.
However, they changed their strategies in a year and started focusing on India. Ever since then, the channel has evolved as a “youth entertainment channel” and has popular shows like Roadies, Splitsvilla and Bakra to its credit. They have managed to strike a chord with younger generation by altering strategies to suit their preferences.
So it is no surprise to see them apply similar approach to their flagship cafe FLYP@MTV which is pushing boundaries to create a destination for ‘work, chill and play’. Located in the heart of the city, where in recent times a lot of new restaurants have opened, this cafe occupies a strategic outpost that occupies the carpet area of 9,000 sq ft of space.
A scarcity in today’s time when found in abundance is overwhelming. Needless to say, this place offers it in plenty. The seating arrangement is divided into smoking and non-smoking zone. The interiors and decor are subtle yet chic, and most importantly, comfortable.
The cafe is opened in association with Fun Hospitality pvt ltd, whose director, Neeren Tewari says the core philosophy of the cafe is to “understand the aspirations of the youth” and give them an environment that offers a perfect blend of technology and setting.
However, he admits that for everyone on the board, “food” was of the utmost importance since the customer would be loyal to any place only if it delivers not only in terms of hospitality and ambiance, but food as well.
Hence they roped in celebrity chef Ranveer Brar who, from his global travel experiences, curated a menu that marries global cuisines with very own local food. While the menu is extensive and elaborate, Metrolife opted for chef-recommended dishes.
For starters we were served Biryani Arancini which is veggie basmati rice balls stuffed with soy keema and served with salan aioli. The idea to create non-messy and pop up balls as starters was fun to begin with. Then we tried Black Miso Chicken Tikka, scented with miso and spiced with Japanese togarashi, this was a flavoursome delight.
In between, Nitin Tewari, head bar and beverages, introduced us to the cocktail menu which takes inspiration from globetrotting Indians adventures and combines global and local ingredients to create a heady mix of drinks that are excellent in presentation.
Terimaki from Japan was one such drink. An interesting mix of watermelon and vodka, this drink is refreshing and fresh, and are served along with wasabi peas for that extra zing. Another quirky drink is Boom Boom Thailand. As the name suggests it is all about fun and frolic that comes with the mention of Thailand. But how it is served is innovative. It comes in a portable sipper that can be carried around the neck like an I-card.
“People often struggle on the dance floor when they have a drink in hand. So we thought ‘why to carry a glass’, just hang it around your neck and hit the dance floor,” Nitin tells Metrolife.
Coming back to food, from The Chicken Tikka Bazaar section we were served Galauti Kebab with Ulta Tava Parantha – easy to hold, they melted in our mouth and the balance of flavours was perfect in it.
Then came their Caesar Tray – a DIY classic Caesar, with multiple options of toppings and sauces to create your own healthy paradise. “People always want something or the other to be changed in the salad, so we thought it would be a good idea to allow them to create their own salad,” says Neeren.
The list of food offerings is endless and it would take many visits to try out each one of them. Hence we decided to end our food journey with Bruleed Gulab Jamun Cheese Cake which is a strange mix of blueberry cheese cake and gulab jamun, but the combination works well on.
The cafe hasn’t formally opened for the public yet because the founders want to bring in technology that would have many firsts in the capital. And once everything gets rolling, the cafe will aim to evolve with changing times, because they feel stagnant is boring.