The party is back at Tote bar

Somnath Bhattacharya chief operating officer deGustibus Hospitality is one of the handful of people who have seen the iconic Tote Bar at Mahalaxmi Racecourse minus the blackout shades on the windows The tints were installed to block the beaming disco lights from drawing unwanted attention Recently when we lifted the blinds my staff was surprised to see sunshine streaming in he saysThey had never seen the place so bright One of the citys oldest and most pulsating nightclubs Tote Bar has seen party goers mainly wellheeled working professionals make a beeline to the leafy outpost on weekendsMumbai MargaritaAfter a decade the venue is set to shed its exclusive avatar in favour of something more for lack of a better word millenial The last party that Tote Bar hosted was in October 2018 Traditionally weve attracted the 35plus crowd We want to lower the age bar and stay relevantAfter close to a year its not only been rechristened Tote Talli but has also been revamped to appear more relaxed and welcoming with its polished teak wood veneer and tall glass windowsKerala chicken wingsBeing a club the acoustics were already in order What was needed was to amp up our offerings and offer reasonable prices to draw in crowds on a daily basis as opposed to only on weekends he says of Tote From a largely barren space where you could dance until sunrise the mezzanine floor now has seating space suited for everyonemdashbooths bar stools sofas chairs and tables The space is oddly elongated which was a challenge Bhattacharya admits It helped to have a high cathredralesque ceiling so it doesnt get overwhelmingStepping into the already overcrowded market segment of restobars required a great amount of confidence in the product he adds The team spent a year gleaning customer inputs while hosting banquets on the ground floor We wanted to know what youngsters want and accordingly build a flavour profile he says The research reinforced the famous Indian penchant for spice and all things khatta meethaPaneer shammiSo Bhattacharya and his team of chefs are placing their bets on an exhaustive array of cocktails Beside conventional wines spirits liqueurs and beers its the folktails section that the kitchen crew has heavily invested inThe drinks have been crafted using a gamut of Indian ingredients such as tamarind kokum jaggery kala khatta and spices to give that additional edge to the drinks The standout element in most of the cocktails are the chilliesChakna bento boxWe use a lot of it while cooking so we thought why not extend the same flavours to our cocktails says Bhattacharya If the Khatta Meetha contains spiced rum tamarind ginger honey the Mirchi Seth is a vodkabased cocktail with Bhavnagiri chillies and fresh mintWe had to be careful about ensuring that dominant flavours do not overshadow other elements The key was balance he says We sampled the spiced cocktails and its in the aftertaste that the flavour of chillies is most pronounced Its more of a warm soothing sensation than wanting to reach for the tissuesTote Talli opens to public on Sept 9With the aim of making it a neighbourhood bar chakna has been given its due Here Tote has you covered Theres an entire bento box dedicated to chakna comprising a range of papads peanuts and chaklisNowadays in bars the major focus is on making and presenting things for the gram with very little emphasis given to taste and quality The chefs have really worked on the food menu From basil pesto chicken flatbread and mutton baida roti to burrata with spinach crisps and rataloo sweet potato kasundi theres something for everyoneSomnath Bhattacharya chief operating officer deGustibus Hospitality and chef Sanjay Sutare PicSuresh KarkeraCuriously the spice trail doesnt stop at cocktails and starters but extends to the desserts as well At Bhattacharyas insistence we try the chocolate jalapentildeo ganache which is decadent earthy with a slightly spiced flavour We want people to be talli but also to fondly remember what they hadCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates