8ish, a new neighbourhood bar in South Mumbai, wants you to unwind

South Mumbai has ever felt a small ceremonial to maine — polite eating rooms, reasonably predictable drinks, and a inclination to instrumentality to what already works. It is not the portion of the metropolis that surprises you often, and it is not wholly known for loosening up aft hours. Which is wherefore 8ish, Rachel Goenka’s newest project, feels similar a tiny but noticeable displacement successful mood. It wants radical to dilatory down, sip astatine their ain pace, and dainty the evening arsenic thing different than different assignment connected the calendar.

Rachel, known for The Sassy Spoon, House of Mandarin, Baraza and Sassy Teaspoon, describes 8ish arsenic a spot built astir the “in-between moments” of the time — that clip erstwhile you are not rather finished with enactment but not afloat committed to a nighttime retired either. “We didn’t privation to instrumentality ourselves excessively seriously,” she says, and the abstraction reflects that intention. Set successful the mediate of Nariman Point, a neighbourhood that usually prioritises urgency implicit ease, 8ish positions itself arsenic a barroom that wants to go a wont alternatively than an event.

The palette is calm — textured grey walls, wood, leather — giving the country a grounded feeling. The bar, successful heavy maroon marble edged with copper, is the ocular anchor without trying to predominate the space. Lighting is lukewarm but not dramatically dim, and the seating works for some a speedy portion oregon a longer, much relaxed evening. The al fresco country offers an outdoor alternative, keeping the wide abstraction accessible and unfussy.

The cocktail programme

Where 8ish does propulsion beyond the neighbourhood’s accustomed comfortableness portion is astatine the bar. The cocktail programme is built astir ingredients sourced from crossed India — including Goa, the North East, and coastal farms — arsenic good arsenic from markets successful Bangkok, China and Australia. Many of these are foraged oregon preserved done techniques similar distillation, pickling, lacto-fermentation and hydrosol extraction. It is not innovation for the involvement of it; the thought is to enactment with ingredients thoughtfully alternatively than relying connected modular formulas.

Leading the barroom is Jishnu AJ, whose acquisition astatine Ekaa, KOKO, the Four Seasons and Marriott Kochi shows successful the operation and consistency of the drinks. He describes the paper arsenic being built astir moods alternatively than styles, and portion that sounds conceptual, the cocktails themselves stay approachable.

We tried a fewer crossed these moods, and they each had their ain rhythm. Familiar Stranger, a premix of rum, smoked agave, calamansi, coriander and tonic, opened agleam with a gentle smoky note, leaning refreshing but with an borderline that mightiness divided preferences. Nearly Misbehaved, made with gin, chingfing, mint and pome juice, felt casual and acquainted — pleasant to drink, though not peculiarly distinctive. Liquid Sand, combining gin with mugwort, smoked agave and Lillet Blanc, had a grounded, somewhat earthy illustration that immoderate volition find calming portion others whitethorn privation a clearer flavour direction. The standout among the ones we tried was Parallel Mood, a reposado-based portion with plum lacto, pome foodstuff and mixed-spice hydrosol; it held its layers good without pushing excessively hard for attention.

The nutrient continues the aforesaid steady, comfort-driven approach. Rachel calls it “elevated mundane comfortableness food,” which feels accurate: the dishes are built to share, to snack on, and to brace with drinks without overwhelming the experience. The cheesy bread, with smoked scamorza and a herb chilli jam, is elemental and satisfying, though the jam could payment from a spot much sharpness. The buff and bony marrow sliders connection bully flavour, though the richness makes it much of a two-bite point than thing you would repeat. The pulled lamb toastie with salsa verde is 1 of the much balanced plates — hearty without being heavy.

8ish seats astir 120 guests, but the country does not consciousness overbearing. It maintains a steady, relaxed energy, which seems to beryllium the point. “I wanted to physique the benignant of spot I’d privation to spell myself,” Rachel says. “Somewhere acquainted and comfortable. You don’t person to formal up — conscionable travel arsenic you are.” It is simply a straightforward intention, and for the astir part, 8ish stays existent to it.

A repast for 2 costs ₹3,000 positive taxes