Cocktails and Dreams Speakeasy — Restaurant in Gurugram District

Cocktails and Dreams, Speakeasy is a place class apart, as you enter it gives you the feel of an underground secret society. It’s located in a regular Gurgaon market, which isn’t known for restaurants rather amidst a residential area almost impossible to spot unless you know about its existence. This place is typically on the lines of American Speakeasy bars where you start at the bar then get a table all the while with live music. American bar nibbles, dead drop gorgeous bar, happy hours & special nights have the potential to elate your mood. The concept of Speakeasy bars was in 1920 and this place definitely lives upto this, what I love about this place is that it’s away from the hustle & bustle of Sec-29 & Cyber hub or other hotspots. It’s like a perfect place for a retreat!

We started at the bar with an Appletini and a Lemondrop martini, really strong preparations both having the right amount of flavors & alcohol! After some time we headed to our seat right in the front of the live band, it was just ecstatic. Sitting there having our drinks we ordered Pigs in a Blanket & Flaky fried chicken. Pigs in the blanket is something which isn’t loved by all, Sausages wrapped in crispy bacon and topped over with mustard. The crispy bacon wrapped around like a blanket was encompassing the whole sausage, a delectable preparation.

Flaky fried chicken, Soft & Succulent Chicken breasts coated with cornflakes and bread crumbs and deep fried. They are crunchy from the outside and soft from inside, A must try!

Next up was the Meat fest flatbread, we are meat lovers’ yes, Bacon bits and Pork sausage topped with melted cheese brown onions on a perfect flat bread. The flatbread was baked to perfection but the cheese could have been a little more the onions a little less, they both were off balancing the flavors of the flat bread!

This place tucked away, maybe the owners like it that way but this is one hell of a...

This is the Best cocktail bar I've been to in the NCR (dare I say, anywhere in India?). Decor: The place has a warm cozy atmosphere, but everything emenates quality. Set in the basement with an inconspicuous entry, it has comfortable seating with high tables and regular dining tables, but the bar is where you want to be if you like watching mixology at it's best.

The staff is polite, friendly and service is top notch, dressed in modernised prohibition era Uniforms, complete with beret caps and suspenders. It tends to be a bit loud, but that's part of the charm.

Food: You have the option of ordering from the set menu that is a mix of American, continental and some Tibetan cuisine. You can also order from the Lungta cafe upstairs which serves some of the best Pahari food I've had at a restaurant.

Drinks: This is where it gets really interesting. Yangdup is one of the humble gods of mixology and you can often see him joining in behind the bar. This hands-on approach to quality is immediately apparent. The bartenders/mixologists know their art and always manage to leave you in awe. Honestly, I have yet to have a drink I haven't fallen in love with.

Music and events: Every Friday is trivia night, so lots of free drinks up for grabs. The music is always jazz, as it should be for a prohibition era Speakeasy. They do have live bands often which are typically jazz too, though you might find some Nepalese and North Eastern performances. They have other events like the mixology classes where, guided by Yangdup, you'll learn to make your own drinks and drink them too. I've never attended one, but given his reputation and the few handcrafted ones I've had, this must be great too.

To summarise, you can find me there most Friday nights because I just can't get enough...

The first thing that'll get your attention here is the ambience. Walk down the flight of stairs and find yourself teleported to a cozy place exuding good vibes. The bartending staff is dressed up rather gentlemanly, and act like one too. The second thing that will steal your attention is the cocktail menu here. They have all your favorites, and more, even with a twist if you ask. But the best way to order your drink is to talk to bartender themselves, tell your base poison, and what your taste buds fancy. You will not be disappointed. We tried the whiskey sour with a twist of kafir lime and ginger, and the white wine mojito. Coming to the food, some things are a hit, some slight miss. We tried the ol fish and chips, which were on point. The daily special chicken however was a bit dry for our taste. The portion sizes are not too less and not too much for the price. Just adequate. For the teetotalers, and yes we had one, the mocktails are limited but nice. You could even request a twist of Kafir lime to your mojito, for example. The seating is comfortable, and the place adequately lit. We liked the music that covered a variety of genres, without being too loud for our conversation. What more is that we found out they also give lessons in mixology, which we sure are looking forward to! Overall on the yay or nay scale, it is far...