Hotel Sea Princess, Juhu Tara Road, Juhu Beach Juhu
Wed to Mon 8pm-late.
The lipstick red sheen on Trilogy’s staircase gives it the feel of a fashion runway with steps. A bevy of stiletto-heeled women parade up its walkway, pause a fleeting moment for dramatic effect, and then make their grand entrance onto the dance floor – the hotspot in the nightclub-lounge. Trilogy’s striking staircase and decor radiate exclusivity. The effect is clearly deliberate. Managers Ryan and Keenan Tham want the venue to be the place that Mumbai’s social butterflies come to be seen. They also work hard to back up this glitzy image with comfy lounging areas and tasty cocktails. The Thams should also consider raising the tempo of the dance floor music. Only a handful of dancers broke into anything more than a glorified shuffle during our visit. This meant most clubbers stood awkwardly crowded together like strangers in an elevator. Still, with a style that one female patron called “chic ostentation, but not trashy”, Trilogy will keep attracting attention as the Lady Gaga of Mumbai’s club world. Ben Leahy
Escobar has as much in common with the coke-head criminal as penguins do with pineapples. Despite its sizeable square footage, the terrace’s mood is tempered with flickering candles, comfy white sofas and wood-panelled flooring, all of which add considerable warmth to an otherwise frill-free area. The view
isn’t great (it’s on the fourth floor) but there’s something oddly calming about seeing the generally traffic-heavy junction between Linking and SV Road all but empty. "It’s sort of like having a drink sitting on a hoarding," someone said. There’s no dearth of watering holes in the area but thanks to Poison shutting down a few months ago and Zenzi’s recent licensing-issues, the suburb’s punters haven’t had too many places to party at. Escobar’s wallet-friendly prices (cocktails cost as much as at Bonobo), China House-like house and hip-hop track list and swanky interiors have got Bandra’s finest queuing to get in. NS
Wink : 6665-0808
Taj President, 90 Cuffe Parade
6.00pm- 1.30am
It’s not uncommon to see patrons at Wink chatting about sport over imported beers or talking high finance as they nurse a single-malt whisky. But the bar’s real charmers are its cocktails. Wink’s bartenders (and its international consultant, who flies in from abroad to develop cocktail menus and appraise quality standards) serve some of the tastiest and most original cocktails in town. There are more than 101 variations on offer and a glance around the bar shows that most tables sprout one-or-other of the bartenders’ colourful cocktail creations. Wink backs-up its boutique beverages with sushi, quality service and comfy seating lit by dimmed lampshades. The bar retains its intimate feel even on weekends, when a DJ plays house music and the crowd and conversation decibels grow. At an average Rs. 500 per cocktail, Wink is not overpriced compared to similar bars. But it does mean that most patrons pack enough coin to be able to afford a hotel room at the five-star Vivanta by Taj – President or arrive at the bar in their own Mercedes or Beamer. Ben Leahy
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