Sup(p)er-dooper: Know more about the supper club pop-ups in Bengaluru
At Apartment (a supper club priced around ₹3,000 per person), curated by designer Anurag Arora, the meticulously-crafted menus transport guests to a world of flavours with a surprise menu. 'There is a seven-course menu which is pre-decided – you would not know the menu at all until you walk in,' he says. For Arora, beyond food, a supper club is about a sense of community that comes with sharing a meal. 'I just want to create a safe environment for people to eat honestly. A space with good food and an approachable and comfortable environment, he says adding, 'I always wish for the food to do the talking and then, what I say. My menus are, very much, things I want to eat.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Bengaluru's Beku brings together books, bakes and beverages
Prarthana Prasad says that her founding of Beku, a café, bakery, and bookstore, which just opened its doors to the public, came from a very 'selfish place of creating the kind of space that I would have loved to go to.' The Bengaluru-based queer influencer says there are not many experiential places in the city, especially in South Bengaluru, where Beku is located. 'It is a common complaint that people make about Bengaluru: that there is nothing to do, only restaurants and pubs to go to,' says Prarthana. Beku, which is all set to host a day-long launch event on August 17, hopes to change this, 'taking the best of both worlds, an independent bookshop and a café, and bringing it together,' says Prarthana, who was inspired by independent bookshops in Delhi as well as Champaca, back home. 'I just love the feeling of walking into these spaces, and wanted to have something like that closer to me.' Beku, which means want in Kannada, is both a pun on the word bake ('because the bakery is a large part of what we are doing at Beku') as well as a nod to Kannada, which is close to her heart. A true-blue Bengalurean, Prarthana, whose mother is a Kannada author, conjured up this name at a traffic signal in the city. 'Most of us Bengalureans get our best ideas when we are stuck in traffic,' she quips. 'I thought Beku would be a really fun name because it is the kind of space that people want, that I definitely want as well.' The cottage-core-themed café , which is housed in a 40-year-old bungalow 'that used to be a veterinary hospital', is located on one of the main roads in JP Nagar. 'We have been sprucing it up for the eight months or so, using very exciting Bengaluru-based elements to do so.' For instance, much of the space's furniture and decorative elements have come second-hand from small shops in Shivajinagar, such as 'a lot of old chairs from government offices with a little desk on the side and original rattan patchwork at the back,' she says. 'They look like they have come from a different age.' Other highlights: brick accents, moss-green wooden windows and wood panelling, created out of upcycled sal wood and other 'quirky, cute elements like that,' she says. Three of the front rooms of the bungalow have been converted into the bookstore, the main hall downstairs has been turned into a café, the garage into a bakery, the kitchen has been upgraded to create food for the café, and the upstairs space will be used for events, explains Prarthana. 'The most beautiful part is the massive tree right up in front, my favourite part of this property,' she says. 'It is something featured in our logo as well.' Prarthana envisions Beku as a place where a visitor can spend some time, buying a book or attending an event, as well as enjoying coffee, a snack or even a full meal. 'We will be taking the F&B element to another level as we are going to have pizzas, pastas, rice bowls etc and serve specialty coffees,' she says. Also, having a space like this, where one can bond over books or a shared love of art, is a great way to connect with people, something many adults struggle with once they finish college, she adds. 'I just want it to be a space that explores the concept of connecting socially with people more than a regular café would,' says Prarthana, who also wants Beku to be a space that nurtures different communities, including the queer community. 'I identify as queer myself, and I found that it is really limited ― the kind of places we can go to feel welcome, feel normal walking in, just exist.' She says that she has tried to make Beku feel warm and welcoming to all sorts of guests as well as to offer a workplace environment that is encouraging to people from different backgrounds. Her inclusive philosophy is also reflected the hiring process. 'It would be considered maybe unconventional in the hospitality industry — a lot of women, young people, folks from the queer community,' she says, pointing out that it is not by design but simply by removing the bias that many people might have. 'It was a deep desire of mine to see a workspace in this industry that feels like you could just exist, do your job and leave, and you would not be judged for who you are or how you look. That has been a large part of what I have done with my hiring and the kind of people who are working at Beku right now.'
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Want to start a supper club? Here's what to bring to the table
It has all the elements of a stylish indie movie. The setting: Someone's living room. The characters: Cool strangers gathering for dinner. The food: Exotic, multi-course, served over a leisurely two-three hours. Conversations crackle and pop around a candle-lit table. There's an air of exclusivity that makes both the host and the diners feel like they're partaking in a special secret. Do a trial run with friends to see how they respond to your dishes and if your menu needs any tweaks. (SHUTTERSTOCK) Only, it's not so secret now. Supper clubs have been popping up in every big city. But before you quit your job and add chef to your bio, see what works and what doesn't, and how clubs in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi have cracked the code. Build the hype. Before setting up, pre-empt the response, says Anurag Arora, founder of the two-year-old Bengaluru supper club, Apartment. Arora had been hosting food pop-ups and dining experiences for years before he started. He had an audience ready. His posts were about recipe experiments, food travels and cooking hacks, through his day job as a designer. He was viewed as an in-the-know culinary expert. 'People need to believe that you have an eye for food and a sense of what makes a good meal.' Do a trial run. Gather friends and family and make them your critics. It's what husband-wife duo Manish Malhotra and Capthi Ly did before they opened up the Mumbai-based Vietnamese supper club, The Studio, last year. 'You get your first honest feedback from them,' says Malhotra. 'And you realise whether you're cut out for hosting.' In their trial sessions, they learnt that the public had a set idea of what Vietnamese food was. Some meat and fish preparations would put people off. A great way to build hype is by teasing the menu and pictures of a few standout dishes. (SHUTTERSTOCK) Get professional. The food has to be good, of course. But Arora finds that paying attention to the table linen, the flatware, even the way the kitchen is run is what makes diner feel they're part of an elevated experience. 'We run a very silent kitchen; we treat our guests like diners in an upscale restaurant who have no idea what's happening behind-the-scenes.' Apartment's dinners are set up to deliver a New York bistro feel. There is jazz music, two- and four-seater tables, and black-clad servers (usually Arora's family and friends, or aspiring culinary students). 'The dish has to be plated the same way every time, and has to taste the same no matter how many times diners come back and try it.' Leave them wanting. Most supper clubs find that repeat bookings are easy, but convincing new diners to sign up is tough. Archit Agarwal, who runs The Lost Table in Delhi with his wife Natasha Ratti Kapoor, posts menu teasers on his socials. They do theme-based menus — featuring citrus menu, dill, Latin-American food. So, the experience feels fresh even for a returning diner. Arora from Apartment, on the other hand, keeps the menu under wraps until it's time to sit down to dine. The suspense works. 'People eat out so frequently today, and yet, there are one or two food experiences that they remember distinctly afterwards. We strive to achieve that.' Scale up slowly. The pricing must work both for you and the customer. The Lost Table's four-course menu was initially priced at ₹4,500, but Agarwal brought it down to ₹3,250 for a vegetarian option and ₹3,500 for meat and fish. Don't expect it to be profitable right away. 'There will be days when you're at full capacity, and days when there will be unbooked seats. It's like throwing darts at a board, blindfolded, and hoping one lands.' Do it full-time (one dinner a week) and it's possible to stay afloat, for the moment. 'If you have your own space, that's 30% of expenses saved right there,' says Arora. Be open to hosting sessions in partnership with restaurants and private dining experiences for birthdays and anniversaries. 'That way, you're not just restricting yourself to one format.' From HT Brunch, Aug 16, 2025 Follow us on
Mint
3 days ago
- Mint
Weekend food plan: Banng comes to Mumbai plus the newest spots to try in August
Uppu, Mumbai A plate of pillowy idlis and a corner table at his favourite south Indian breakfast joint in Matunga — that's how founder Aaliya Ahuja shares the inspiration behind Uppu, a restaurant serving home-style vegetarian south Indian food in Mumbai. Known for their famed Oleander Farms and its Saltt Karjat restaurant, the new venture is a reflection of her father's fond Sunday morning ritual complete with dosas, idlis and filter coffee. The 36-seater is situated in a quiet lane in Bandra, and has a mix of usual favourites and new dishes. The mains feature some lesser-known curries and spiced vegetables including a rare hyperlocal berry from Tamil Nadu and classics such as ghee roast from Karnataka. The idlis are definitely hot, and the kaapi is sweet. Who doesn't love hot breakfast on a Sunday? Where: Shop no. 2, ONGC Quarters Ankleshwar Towers, near Lilavati Hospital, Reclamation, Bandra, Mumbai - 400050 Lento, Goa. Lento, Goa Lento is where chef Jyoti Singh, the showrunner of Second House at Saligao, plans to cook from scratch. The breads will be made in-house with the same precision as French patisseries. There are comforting bowls inspired by his travels and good old memories — from Indonesian rice congee and Naga chicken soup to McPav made with Goan poee and sweet bakes that take you back to your childhood — everything prepared without any shortcuts. The coffee is consciously treated and is sourced from the Salawara Estate in Karnataka. Where: Next to The Second House, Muddavaddi, Saligao, Goa - 403511 Green curry at Banng. Banng, MumbaiThe Mumbai outpost of Banng, the renowned Thai restaurant from Gurugram helmed by chef Garima Arora, is much like her homecoming. Arora was born in Mumbai, and is the force behind the modern Indian restaurant Gaa in Bangkok, which also received a second Michelin star in the 2024 guide. The new space is divided into two levels — a bar on the ground floor and a sophisticated dining area above it. When it comes to the food, Arora offers a fresh perspective to the cuisine, by bringing in her flair to Thai classics including a selection of Bangkok street food and the country's regional specialities. Start with a Tom Kha Paani Puri, followed by a delicious sea bass ceviche, and heirloom tomatoes doused in an addictive tamarind dressing, plus a range of punchy curries to mop off with sticky rice. Where: Banng, Pinnacle House, 604, 15th Rd, PD Hinduja Rd, Mumbai - 400050. Drift, Mumbai. Drift, MumbaiDrift is an all-day cafe and bar in Mumbai, and is the latest addition from EHV International after the launch of the newest outposts of Comorin and Fireback in the city. The food bends towards European sensibilities and features breakfast favourites like sandwiches and burgers. For the main meals, the Tender Gourd, Beetroot & Fennel Salad, Blue & Goats Cheese Mille Feuille, Sunchoke & Truffle Agnolotti, and Smoked Chilli Prawns are recommended. The dessert menu boasts of a range of pâtisserie and viennoiseries such as Basque Cheesecake, Chocolate Fudge Cake and Tiramisu, apart from fresh breads. Where: Drift, rntrance through Comorin @ Nilaya Anthology, Peninsula Corporate Park, Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai - 400013.
