Chef Amninder Sandhu has a new bar in Bandra, and here's all you need to know about it

From Pirates of the Caribbean to The Great Gatsby and Bridgerton the punch is a favourite with onscreen period dramas College and house parties hit closer home Punch was the easytofix OG cocktail because all ingredients went into one big community bowl Celebrating the drink chefrestaurateur Amninder Sandhu along with bar stars Jeet Rana and Chirag Pal open Punchline in the same spot where IBar once stood in the ONGC Colony lane at Bandra ReclamationToday the lane is abuzz with eclectic eateries and nightspots Punchlinersquos cursive neon orange sign with an artsy faccedilade mural of punch bowl and ladle renditions in orange polka dot patterns is eyecatching The cosy space is decorated with wall murals inspired by punch bowls a wooden almirah with silver filigree work The bar wears earthy pop colours of rust and deep orange that continues on the acrylic tablesldquoWhile punches existed since the 17th century the East India Company played a part in spreading its fame across its colonies including erstwhile Bombay where the lsquoPanchrsquo a community serve was created with five elements Alcohol originally arrack and later rum along with citrus sugar and spices and fruits It travelled to Europe including the UK which made its version with ginrdquo Rana explainsIberici Ice CreamEvery guest is welcomed with a taster of the OG punch Rs 845 single serve Rs 3095 community serve It comes in a wine glass with an Olive stuffed with Smoked Blue Cheese also available to order for Rs 620 It follows the recipe of how Bombay made it Spiced fruit and rumforward it is in the flamboyant company of spiced rum apple apricot cinnamon bay leaf saffron clove green cardamomRana explains the craft of gravity filtration where all ingredients come together for a clear juice ldquoThis juice gets an infusion of lime and spices to extract the flavour No stir or shake the punches get a buildup which is throwing ribbons for aeration making it lighterrdquoJeet Rana Amninder Sandhu and Chirag PalT Root Bomb Rs 845 has a stiff vodka sip made fragrant with bergamot first flush tea and akarkara root Verjus unripe grape juice gives it a sharp tart The refreshing highball establishes the barrsquos craftforward approachLike the server promised that lsquoThe Punchline wings donrsquot fly they disappearrsquo our palate is enamoured by Made Wings Great Again Rs 710 Chicken wings glazed with lemongrass and Thai ginger come coated with black rice pops We dunk a wing into a dollop of orange crema and red chilliThe Punchline Paradise Rs 845 single serve Rs 3095 community serve is a tropical getaway blending dry gin with milk oolong tea and five juices mdash mango coconut litchi passion fruit and pineapple A celery leaf swims in the glass for an aesthetic fresh appeal After a long day this is the drink to unwind withOur favourite is Funk You Rs 1095 a pungent lowball cocktail made with a strawberry ferment and spiked with tequila and smoky Mezcal Creyente Herby notes of tisane tea and angelica root interact with umami of Japanese fermented rice seasoning shio kojiSandhu ensures our stomachs are lined as we dig into Hot Puppies Rs 800 housemade milk brioche buns packed with onion relish and pork sausage and garnished with mustard tobiko and chilli The Too Good Lamb Ribs Rs 1655 is buttery medium rare and served with a buff marrow made zesty with parsley lemon and garlic gremolata The Naga Pork Belly Rs 1250 with fermented bamboo shoot with spiky sawtooth coriander is served with compressed layers of potato sheets topped with green apple sauce The gutti aloo of the North East adds a comforting crunchy textureFor chocolate fanatics the Sparkling Mamma Rs 620 is a decadent slab of Namma chocolate with popping candies that leave a tingle on the palate Flaky feuilletine made of crispy crepes is folded into chocolate shards Oldschool nostalgia comes alive in the Black Forest Trifle Rs 620 laden with cherry brandy mascarpone cherries and chocolate ganache A revelation is the Iberici Ice Cream Rs 575 a savoury cold and chunky dessert of creamy vanilla scoop topped with mango pieces ham bits and a garnish of Bhavnagri chilli AT Punchline Geliki Building ONGC Colony Reclamation Bandra WestTIME 5 pm to 130 amCALL 8591186885On home turfChef Amninder Sandhu is no stranger to Mumbai where she started her career at the Taj Landrsquos End later joining standalone eateries with Coast and Mumbai Times Cafeacute in Bandra With Arth she introduced gasless cookingAmninder SandhuldquoBandra is the coolest neighbourhood in the city where guests are open to experiment I love that we see an ageless demographic ndash from grandparents to youngsters frequenting the same spots Punchline is our ode to the cityrdquo she sharesldquoWhile my cooking always embraces northeastern ingredients I donrsquot follow a food philosophy except that it should have a hearty bite Irsquove put dishes I feel should be in a bar and I enjoy eating All my favourite food is on this menurdquo admits Sandhu reminding us that ldquoPunchline is a result of our love for Bombayrdquo