Step into Koko, a new Asian gastropub in Kamala Mills, and you instantly spot a beautiful, yellow high-back chair. It acts as a time machine bringing back fond memories of Henry Tham's, Colaba's popular restaurant, known as much for these iconic chairs as its Chinese fare, which shut down a few years ago. "When you sit on something like that, you feel royal," smiles Keenan, as elder brother Ryan makes himself comfortable in the two-seater cushy seating. The Chinese-Indian Tham brothers, who began their career in 2005 at their father's eponymous fine-dine after completing studies in Australia, and have left an indelible mark on the city's food and nightlife scene with Trilogy and The Good Wife, will launch their latest venture this weekend under Pebble Street Hospitality. The 3,500 sq-ft, 80-seater KOKO, which means elder brother in Cantonese ("That's what I call Ryan," says Keenan), largely offers Cantonese fare with Japanese varieties too. "While many offer Asian fare, much of it is for the mass market. The idea is to present premium offerings in a stand-alone space, though we don't want to be overly fancy. The gastropub is a lifestyle outlet more than just a dine-in, because today, guests are keen to savour the entire night-out experience, mixed with drinking and music," observes Keenan.

Ryan (left) and Keenan Tham seated on the high-back chairs at the soon-to-be launched KOKO. Pics/Shadab Khan