Cahoots is located on Brigade Road
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
What happens when the best mixologist in the country designs a cocktail menu for a Bengaluru bar? Well, you get a sambar inspired cocktail. Cahoots, the latest opening on Brigade Road, has a cocktail programme by Yangdup Lama, an award-winning mixologist who is the co-owner of Delhi’s Sidecar. Sidecar frequently tops the list of the country’s best bars. Now Bangaloreans can also get a peek into the creative mind of Yangdup. “Cahoots’ cocktails programme is inspired by what Bengaluru as a city has to offer. From the nooks and corners of the streets, to the flavours… everything that makes it such a vibrant city,” he says.
Being on Brigade Road, the bar gets brownie points for location. I walk through the small door on the busy street and am surprised by how big Cahoots is inside. With a retro feel, the space features teal walls, warm lights, and chequered tiles. My partner and I take a seat and pore over the menu.
Scandal in the south, a cocktail with sambar cordial
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement
Experimental cocktails
The cocktail menu is interesting. Yangdup has taken inspiration from local flavours, and the bar uses them in unique ways. A drink called smoke and mirrors is made with ragi sous vide vodka. To sous vide a spirit with a flavour, you combine both in a bag and heat it low and slow in a sous vide cooker. This ensures the flavours are melded. Cahoots is making their cordials and spirits in house, like burnt caramel cordial.
We start with scandal in the south. The drink is made with moringa sous vide white rum, in house made sambar cordial and lime juice. As scandalous as it sounds, the drink has a pleasing mix of flavours. The cordial lends a spicy and sour taste to the drink. The tomato and tamarind notes stand out. It is topped with a tapioca chip. This one is a best seller, the server informs us, and I can see why. Another drink I like is the Orient express, made with schezwan tequila, hints of vanilla and sesame. It packs a punch.
The food menu at Cahoots has something for everyone
A global menu
The food menu at Cahoots has something for everyone: pan Asian, Indian, Chinese and Italian. We start with their signature starters. Vegan tofu puliyogare arancini are tamarind rice balls, deep fried until crunchy. One of my favourites, the tofu stuffing takes it up a notch. The Malnad chicken kababs are nothing special, we find the chicken to be dry. The chicken ghee roast, slathered with Byadgi chillies, fenugreek, and ghee, makes up for it. Also try the Kodava pork roast, bhut jolokia chicken tacos and Mysore masala kulchette with mutton kheema masala.
We keep it simple for mains and go for a pizza. We try the Hawaiian pizza, and while I am not a pineapple pizza hater, I do wish the pineapple is more charred, and not soggy. Fortunately, the crust and sauce are delicious.
We end the meal with a Basque cheesecake. The cake has a creamy inside and a burnt outside, just how it should be.
Cost for two ₹3,000. At Brigade Road. For more details, call 8884440794
Published – June 18, 2025 12:57 pm IST