Pune has a new bar, and here's why its flavours are Asian yet different

Punersquos bar scene has never looked better Over the past few years the city has evolved into one of Indiarsquos most exciting places to drink with bars that rival those in Mumbai Bengaluru and Delhi The cityrsquos best watering holes have set a high benchmark making every new opening a tough act to followThe Kowloon Tiger rises to that challenge effortlessly Instead of trying to outdo whatrsquos already out there it carves its own niche as an easygoing neighbourhood bar The idea comes from secondgeneration restaurateur Ilvika Chandawarkar who hails from the family behind Malaka Spice the iconic restaurant thatrsquos shaped Punersquos culinary landscape for 29 yearsSister PingNew chapterldquoMy journey in the bar space began in 2022 when we reimagined the cocktail programme at Malaka Spice with Countertop Indiarsquos Arijit Bose and Pankaj Balachandranrdquo says Chandawarkar ldquoAs cocktail culture started evolving in Pune I knew I wanted to build my own bar but I kept asking myself what kind of bar would genuinely feel like usrdquo she addsPics courtesyKowloon Tiger Suprita MitterThe drinks and food draw from her travels along with those of beverage operations and innovation head Prantik Haldar exHunger Inc exploring the bar cultures of Hong Kong Taiwan and Japan ldquoWhile Malaka Spice celebrates Southeast Asia Kowloon Tiger is our take on the drinks and bar food of North East AsiardquoThe Baner effectLocated beside Malaka Spicersquos Baner outpost Kowloon Tiger arrives at the right time Baner has evolved into one of Punersquos liveliest dining neighbourhoods with residents increasingly choosing local favourites over driving across the city for an evening out ldquoBaner has its own community now People donrsquot want to travel 40 minutes to reach a restaurant anymore Every neighbourhood needs its own places to go outrdquo says ChandawarkarThe Bang Bang Cucumbers and Pork Sausage Chilli FryKowloon Tiger feels built for exactly that audience Itrsquos the kind of place yoursquoll visit for a midweek drink return to on a Friday night and slowly become a regular without quite realising it Walking into the bar feels like stepping into a neonlit alley somewhere in East Asia Rich reds moody lighting graphic artwork and an intimate Omakasestyle counter immediately shift the mood from restaurant to barCocktails with coolthThe drinks are creative without becoming complicated Asian ingredients such as oolong tea lychee citrus sesame and spice appear throughout the menu but flavour always takes precedence over gimmicks ldquoThe cocktail world has become slightly complex We wanted a fun place where you can have a good drink good food and catch up with friends Maybe even make new onesrdquo Chandawarkar saysWe sipped on four cocktails each with a distinct personality The Black Myth Rs 700 paired Scotch whisky with black sesame orgeat ginger honey and lemon resulting in a nutty citrusforward drink that was smooth without being overly sweet Sister Ping Rs 700 was perhaps the most intriguing of the lot combining gin with cheese liqueur strawberry sweet basil and citrus for a creamy savoury cocktail that somehow remained light and refreshingThe White Fox Rs 675 brought together Scotch whisky smoked lychee and coldbrewed oolong tea finished with carbonation to create an elegant highball that was smoky floral and incredibly easy to drink Our favourite however was the Dragon Breath Rs 650 a playful blend of tequila blanco black bean sauce pineapple chilli and soy clarified with oat milk Bold savoury and spicy enoughFood worth sharingThe food menu conceptualised by Rohan Mahabal follows the same philosophymdash bold comforting and designed for sharing ldquoI show our chefs photographs from my travels and say lsquoI donrsquot know the recipe but letrsquos recreate the feelingrdquo Chandawarkar laughs ldquoWersquove taken plenty of creative liberties with the menu because thatrsquos the fun partrdquoWe began with the Chilli Oil Wontons Rs 350 their silky wrappers coated in fragrant chilli oil delivering heat without overwhelming the filling The Bang Bang Cucumbers Rs 150 offered a crisp cooling contrast with a punchy sesame dressing while the Pork Sausage Chilli Fry Rs 275 was smoky succulent and fiery enough to make us reach for another sip of our cocktails The Dry Mapo Tofu Rs 225 melted in the mouth The surprise star however was the airy and addictive Taiwanese Taro Popcorn Rs 150 mdash crisp on the outside fluffy within and lightlyseasonedA dish wersquore still dreaming of is the Breakfast Pork Fried Rice Rs 400 Comforting and layered with flavour itrsquos exactly what you need after a couple of cocktails Its origin story is wonderfully unpretentious ldquoA friend once asked me to make buff fried rice because he couldnrsquot find a good version in Pune We made it and he kept ordering it When we decided to add it to the menu we thought wersquoll try it with porkrdquo Chandawarkar saysWe loved the energy the warmth of the team behind the bar and the fact that every recommendation hit the mark Between the thoughtfully crafted cocktails and food wersquod happily return for it delivers an experience that feels genuineAT Lower Ground floor S16 One Place PLOT A Pancard Club Road Baner Gaon PuneTIME 4 pm to 1 am Tuesday to SundayCALL 7769975755