Barbet & Pals: Cocktails And Stories Go Hand In Hand At This New Bar

In the summer of 1999, I was dancing to Vengaboys’ ‘Boom Boom Boom Boom, I want you in my room’ at every party I attended with my pals. When I pushed open the blue door that marks the entrance to Barbet & Pals, the very same song being played aloud on the speaker transported me right back to those carefree days spent in the company of some of my closest buddies. Perhaps that is the feeling the buzziest new bar in Greater Kailash II hopes to capture.

As much as it is an ode to friendship, Barbet & Pals also tips its hat to nostalgia, travels, flavours, memories, and milestones. Founded by two friends – Jeet Rana and Chirag Pal – the 38-seater cocktail nest could not be a more personal journey for them. Right from the name of the bar to the design elements and, of course, the drinks, there is a personal story to every aspect of the space the duo has so lovingly created along with Chef Amninder Sandhu.

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With more than two decades of collective experience behind the bar, Jeet and Chirag wanted to open a space together – a dream they have nurtured since they met and worked together at the Westin, Gurgaon, almost 13 years ago. The Barbet in the name comes from the colourful bird found in the Himalayan belt, a nod to Jeet’s Garhwal roots. 

Jeet further shared with a laugh: “I wanted to make sure that the name reminds me of where I’m from, so it keeps me rooted and humble. Pals comes from Chirag’s last name, and also, because we are pals for life. He is the only shoulder I can cry on when I am drunk!”

Come Into Our Home!

The aforementioned blue entrance door also harks back to Jeet’s hometown, where almost all doors are painted blue – a symbol of warmth and hospitality. Claw marks painted on the floor could well be of a tipsy Barbet trying to fly, while the ones on the wooden bar top lead to the birds, graffiti, and abstract art painted on the walls. The bar itself takes inspiration from the cheery and energetic Barbet, and if you are not already swaying to the upbeat music as you collect your drink from the friendly bartender, you will soon, the owners promise. “We want it to be a place where people don’t think twice before coming. If they were not our pals earlier, they become so once they enter this place,” says Chirag.

Cocktails And Connections

The cocktails at Barbet & Pals soar high on the duo’s personal journey, and celebrate where they have been, what they have learned, and how far they hope to fly. The menu is divided into two parts. The Bird’s Eye View is their rotating travel menu, which looks at the Indian story through the lens of different regions – the debut edition being from Kumaon. The Nest Menu is full of cocktails that have shaped them, each drink a throwback to some moment or memory – the first seven being Jeet’s and the other seven by Chirag.

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I don’t need to be asked twice, as I proceed to order from the first menu with an eye on the Kumaon region. Madua is inspired by lugdi, Himachal Pradesh’s popular fermented rice brew, and blows hot and cold, with hot lugdi foam adding a touch of whimsy to the cooler whiskey drink with banana gur. The much drier-on-the-palate Myol has the woodiness of pine leaves vermouth, while Gundriyani makes for a savoury sojourn with Jose Cuervo Reposado. Gundriyani is an angelica root found in the Himalayas, and dehydrated salt mixed with chilli, mint, and coriander.

The Nest Menu also has its share of interesting concoctions, and I place my bet on Cherry on Top with Bombay Sapphire gin and Palo Santo mint soda, the coffee spice cordial giving it just the right kick of caffeine. Pals’ Lugdi is a reminder of Chirag’s days at IHM, Shimla, where he tasted lugdi for the first time. His take on the fermented rice brew is floral, fruity, with a hint of spice and vodka, passionfruit, mulberry, and red pepper corn. Jeet’s learnings about the pickling heritage of the country take shape in Tickle My Pickle, a gin-based cocktail with pickle brine using blueberry, carrot, and grape, with a tangy aftertaste.

Elevated Comfort

The bar bites and small plates created by Chef Amninder Sandhu are not just comfort. Every bite is meant to be relished. Never have potatoes looked dreamier than they do in Creamy Dreamy Potatoes, a stunning dish with three types of potatoes, bacon, parmesan, and rosemary butter. Everything tastes better with butter, and I mop up the addictive chilli fennel butter and nolen gur butter with the soft Gol Gol Bread in between a round of drinks.

Mrs Barbet is a succulent chicken skewer with a peppery chimichurri sauce served with caramelised onion foam, while the Lobster and Guava Toast combines the goodness of Maharashtrian thecha and guava jelly for a mouthful of deliciousness. And if you are really hungry, go ahead and make a mess (the chef told us so!) with the Flock Fried Chicken, a stacked dish with fried chicken, Korean barbeque sauce, avocados, prosciutto, poached egg. and parmesan.

This is elevated comfort food at its best, for those of us who cherish memories of savouring the chocolatey bal mithai, a popular sweet up North, the Warm Rum Bal Mithai Sundae feels like a hug in a bowl, with burnt butter ice cream, toasted hazelnuts, and mini marshmallows.    

ELLE Gourmet’s Verdict

Storytelling plays an immense role in cocktails, and a genuine story elevates the drink to another level. At Barbet & Pals, the stories connect and come together to create an experience far beyond the glass. Every ingredient, from the house-made tinctures to the spirits chosen, carries a piece of history or a personal anecdote from the bartenders, turning a simple night out into a truly engaging and communal event.