Entertainment in Delhi
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Shalom Med Lounge Bar
This lounge-style bar-restaurant, with its rustic wooden furniture and whitewashed walls, dares you to down an 'Angry Fijian' (crème de banana, Baileys & Malibu) or other similarly-exotic beverages. The 'happiness comes when you feed your soul first' menu is true to its word, with blissful Mediterranean fare like shish taouk (spiced chargilled chicken). Entry is via a back lane.
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Sound & Light Show
Each evening (except Monday) this one-hour show gives Red Fort history the coloured-spotlight and portentous-voice-over treatment. It’s great, if only to see the red fort by night. Tickets are available from the fort’s ticket kiosk. Bring mosquito repellent.
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@Live
Intimate and smart without being formal, @live has a cool gimmick: a live jukebox. The Malaysian band plays from 8.30pm, and there’s a song menu, so you choose the songs, from a list including the Beejees, Bob Dylan and Sir Cliff. The band mightn’t be the most dynamic you’ve seen, but they’re great, and it’s a fun, chilled night out (food’s good too). A Kingfisher costs Rs175.
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All Sports Bar
An ideal hangout for avid sports fans. The only way you could be sportier is by competing. There are disorienting multiscreens, table football (Rs50), a pool table (Rs100), a canoe, and shiny trophies. It’s all cheery and bright, with a cheesy soundtrack, and possibly Connaught Place’s cheapest beers (Kingfisher Rs125).
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Kylin
Mega-stylish, Kylin is ideal for an unhurried drink and Cuban cigar. Twenty single-malt whiskies feature on its extensive beverage list. There's also an appealing Oriental-inspired menu, with dim sum and sushi as well as more substantial dishes - the burnt-chilli-and-orange-liqueur sliced duck is a Delhi first.
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Ego Lounge
Adjoining the Ego Thai restaurant and crammed with couches, you really can't get much loungier than this. Apart from the usual beer and spirits, there's French, Italian, Californian and Aussie wine. Ego's music glides between salsa, eighties pop, hip hop and World, depending on the clientele.
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Q’BA
Connaught Place’s swishest watering hole has a Q-shaped bar, dim lighting, leather chairs and inviting Chesterfield sofas. Upstairs is the fine dining restaurant (from 7pm), and there’s a roof terrace, ideal on sultry evenings. Cocktails cost around Rs350.
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Regent’s Blues
A dark den with reasonably priced beers (Kingfisher Rs155). With brick walls plastered with the likes of Jimi Hendrix and other less-recognisable figures, and a cheerily unhip soundtrack (think Sonny and Cher) gritty RB is a lively, snob-free zone.
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Urban Pind
Three-floored, this has cushy flocked sofas, mock-Khajuraho carvings, and nightly DJs (Kingfisher Rs200). Nab a roof-terrace table. Tuesday is Salsa night, with free lessons from 9pm, while expats and diplomats flock here on a Thursday.
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Shalom
This loungey bar-restaurant, with wooden furniture and whitewashed walls, is one of the doyennes of the Delhi loungebar scene. As well as wine, beers, cocktails (around Rs400), and nightly DJs, there’s top-notch Mediterranean fare.
reviewed
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Rick's
An intimate bar at the Taj Mahal Hotel where you can quaff all manner of spirits and beers as well as Singapore Slings and in-house concoctions like woo woo (cranberry juice & peach schnapps. Pan-Asian snack menu.
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PVR Anupam 4
Most cinemas in Delhi feature Bollywood films but you can also catch a Hollywood blockbuster at one of the PVR cineplexes. The PVR cinemas also have details online and you can make bookings from their website.
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Gem
In this dark, wood-panelled dive, a Kingfisher costs a bargain Rs78 (including tax).Downstairs you can catch a cricket match on the wide-screen TV, while upstairs has more atmosphere. The snacks are good too.
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F Bar & Lounge
All black, with a light-studded bar: if you’ve cash to splash, dust off your Manolos and get in with the fash-pack – this of-the-moment place is owned by Fashion TV (ubiquitous on the LCD screens).
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Club India
With plate-glass windows overlooking the mayhem of the chowk, plus a little roof terrace upstairs it’s perfect for lingering over a drink or a snack, including Japanese tempura and noodles.
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Spirit
Up a flight of stairs, this dimly-lit bar-restaurant has a cosmopolitan flavour, amicable staff and a good Lebanese-speciality food menu. A glass of domestic/imported wine is around Rs250.
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1911
Named after the year in which Delhi was proclaimed British India’s capital, this is the ultimate neo-colonial treat. Sip cocktails overlooked by oil-painted Maharajas (drinks Rs600 plus).
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Hookah Bar & Lounge
A trendy lounge-bar (adjacent to the Standard Chartered Bank) where you can drink a decent G&T, snack on Greek vine leaves and puff on a fruit-flavoured sheesha pipe.
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Geoffrey's
If you're in the area, English pub-themed Geoffrey's is recommended for a languid Long Island Iced tea or beer on tap - perfect with lemongrass prawns or chicken tikka.
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Lizard Lounge
If you’re in South Extension, slither down to Lizard for a revitalising drink and an apple-scented sheesha. There’s hip hop, Bollywood, rock and retro on the decks.
reviewed
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Rodeo
In the mood for saloon doors, tequila (Rs225), saddle barstools and staff in cowboy hats? Then easygoing Rodeo is for you, partner. But give the nachos a miss.
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Open Hand Cafe
Bringing a rare touch of class to Paharganj, this South African–owned cafe has a chic, arty feel, sculptural chairs, good coffee and yummy cheesecake.
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Habitat World
Check out the Visual Arts Gallery’s excellent temporary exhibitions.
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Café Turtle
The Turtle is expat heaven for its fine fare, slinky background jazz and little terrace. This bookish, boho cafe ticks all the boxes when you’re in the mood for coffee and gateau (the ‘gooey chocolate cake’ is a triumph). Food ranges from Lucknow mint wraps to bucatini with arrabiata.
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Haze
A hip yet unpretentious haunt, this moody, intimate, inexpensive jazz bar has real soul and is the place to see live Indian blues and jazz at weekends.
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