There are some places where the food makes up for the décor, and they survive. There are others where the décor is the star attraction and the food is a disappointment — they die despite the often high investment made.
And then there are those where the vibe and the buzz of the place ensure that nothing else matters, and they are successful. Blaq: A Coqtail Affair is definitely in the last category.
Spread over the top two floors of a building on the Defence Colony main road (opposite Lajpat Nagar), the lower level has an art deco club type energy and the top floor has a relaxed but upmarket green house feel, with a retractable glass roof and lovely terrace area with high table seating.
The cocktail list is excellent but fails in execution — a lot of effort is put into the presentation but the balance of the drinks we ordered was all off. The food menu is extensive and reminded me of Townhall, Khan Market. A long selection of soups, salads, sushi, dumplings, pizza, pasta, small and large plates from around the world, but as is the case with most restaurants that attempt to do this, there was nothing memorable on the menu. However, don’t get me wrong, I will still go back to Blaq for the vibe and ambience.
The vibe: Warm, inviting, stylish and upmarket without being pretentious. A place where you can sit for hours, sipping your drinks and chatting with friends, listening to great house music. A place to unwind and as the night progresses, party.
Do try: The Chicken Veloute soup was delicious (although it was meant to have orecchiette pasta which is shaped like a small ear, but none was to be found). The Cheese and Gold dumpling was melt in mouth and the sushi was definitely snack worthy, though a purist would frown.
Skip: Definitely the Rolled Tenderloin, supposedly “Classic Blaq”, but it was tough and inedible. Also save calories and skip the desserts – simply not worth it.
Go with: A date, with friends and even work colleagues. A great place to host a private party too
Space bar: 80 covers across 2,500 sq. ft.
How much: ₹3,000 for two, sans alcohol
Getting there: D 21 Defence Colony. As the reason you’d go to Blaq is to drink, a ride sharing service or chauffeur driven car is best
