Come November and you'll fancy beers of all sorts — blame it on the post-Octoberfest mania. However, if craft beer is your thing, HyLo Taproom by Igloo at Jio World Drive, Bandra Kurla Complex, should be your adda.
Post COVID, now that drinks after work are a sure-shot occurrence, this place will make you reconsider your relationship with Mumbai's favourite neighbourhood, BKC. Expertly crafted brews with hyperlocal plates will let you eat and drink to your heart's content without feeling heavy or bloated.
Also, it is not your quintessential bar — your family (kids included) will feel welcome here, and they allow pets in the alfresco area. You can call it a family-friendly taproom. Parents can enjoy their beer without guilt as their kids sip on freshly-made pineapple juice or fresh lime soda. Make sure you get them to sip on the homemade lemonade with interesting ingredients like lemon, grapefruit, pandan, pepper and yuzu.
It's family time at HyLo Taproom: Fresh Lime Soda, freshly squeezed pineapple juice and a pint of Igloo beer |
The Igloo craft beers are exhaustive — there's Blonde Ale with light citrusy notes, lager brewed with locally sourced aromatic rice, wheat beer with hints of coriander, Imperial Stout with warm notes of roast malt, coffee and chocolate.
There's also Apple Cider that's sweet and tart, Rice Radler with spiced grapefruit soda and a HyLo Citrus Radler with Gondhoraj lemonade. Can't make up your mind on which beer to choose? Opt for the taster of five 150 ml pours that will let you sample the best. The beer is meant to be "uncomplicated" and is not aimed at getting you drunk. It's incredibly smooth, contains no added sugar and doesn't leave you feeling bloated.
For non-beer lovers, there are some exclusive cocktails to keep your spirits high. Bombay 51 and Kala Nagar are an ode to the city of Mumbai. Bombay 51 pays homage to the pin code of BKC and uses house-made aam panna. The blackish coloured Kala Nagar 'nods to a world of charcoal sketches and ink-stained fingers'.
"There is no tokenism at HyLo Taproom By Igloo, and everyone who has put the bar and food menu together is a gangster in their own field," says Chaitanya Khanapure, founder of Igloo Craft Beers. "When people unwind they do it usually with a glass of beer. It is a drink of the masses and you can't have beer that nobody likes."
Lemon and Pepper Wings with Chicken Sekua |
There is a reason the bar menu is called 'Taproom Legends', because it goes well with a pint of beer. The idea is to bring India's regional flavours to the table, thoughtfully adapted for a taproom setting.
The chicken wings (fried and tossed) are a knockout and best paired with your alcohol. You'll be spoilt for choice with their Aam Aur Mircha Wings, which have the bold flavours of mango and chili, Lemon and Pepper Wings, a scene-stealer with Gondhoraj limbu and Malabar pepper, and the khatta-meetha Imli Aur Nolen Gur Wings. My top favourite was the Lemon and Pepper Wings. The chicken drumsticks were cooked to perfection; crunchy on the outside and juicy inside.
In the small plates, the Baiguni will leave you feeling pleasantly surprised. Extremely simple, the crispy eggplant cubes with the hung curd make a dream team.
Another must-have is the Kerala Mutton Pepper Fry made with pan-tossed boneless mutton, served on a Malabar parotta and topped with a half-fried egg. Hot Lava Fish is presented on a sizzling plate, with the pieces dunked in a spicy red chili and coconut masala.
The Indian Smash Burgers are served with crisps and jalapeno |
Their Curry Dogs are basically reinvented hot dogs with a desi twist. You can either go with the Chicken Ghee Roast (with Mangalorean stir-fry masala), Goan Chorizo Chilli Fry, or opt for the vegetarian favourites like Bombay Masala (it's pav bhaji reimagined as a hot dog) and Paneer Bhuna. The bread is freshly baked every morning.
In Indian Smash Burgers, their Lakhnavi Tawa Chicken Fry had a nice smoky char. The chicken is sandwiched in an in-house brioche bun, and combined with the goodness of caramelized onions, Indian masalas and mature cheddar cheese. It was juicy and best eaten with your hands, because what's a burger if your hands and clothes don't get messy?
Their kebab plates also go well with your beer. Vegetarians can pick Achari Mushroom, Paneer Tikka Gulistan or the top favourite Kaaley Channa Ke Shammi. There's also Malai Broccoli that's served with cream and cheese.
The non-vegetarian menu has something for every mood. Feeling a little stately? Try the Mutton Galouti and Pathar Ka Ghosht. Don't want to settle for the ordinary? Go for Chicken Sekua or Kacha Amba. Satisfied with the classics? Opt for Mutton Seekh and Lehsuni Prawn.
In the main plates, the HyLo Dum Chicken Biryani is highly recommended, as is the Guntur Chicken Curry. Given my Malayalee roots, I opted for the Malabar Fish Curry, which was served with a steamed Vella Pola (a soft, spongy fermented rice cake usually served with coconut milk, sugar and banana), which didn't quite live up to my expectations. However, the chef decided to surprise me with a plate of steaming hot idiyappams (steamed rice noodles also known as nool puttu or string hoppers), and there was nothing to fault about it.
Puran poli inspired baklava served with creamy ice cream |
The best way to end the meal here is with some more beer. But if you've had your fill and want something delectable, opt for their perfectly crisp in-house Chocolate Toast. The crisp toast dunked in chocolate is sinfully good.
A HyLo original, the Puranpoli (a dish inspired by the baklava but with flavours of the Indian sweet flatbread) served with a dollop of ice cream garnished generously with chopped pista is also good.
Address: HyLo Taproom by Igloo, Ground Floor, JIO World Drive, Maker Maxity, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai
Cost: ₹3,500 for two people (approx.)
