THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC - Ministry of Beer: Review

MINISTRY OF BEER, GURGAON

They say magic isn't real. They say it's only fables that have kept us believing in this fantasy. I say, you haven't been to Ministry of Beer in Sector 29, Gurgaon yet. It was just the two of us again, my cousin and I, and the next spot on our venture-list was indeed, the biggest property in Gurgaon, Ministry of Beer. Their branch in Connaught Place, the biggest there, hosts a human-sized Bumblebee (the Transformer) which was enough to get me excited about my visit to the one at Gurgaon! But it was a complete overhaul in the experience. From a ravage party based ambience to the one in Connaught Place, the one here had the best of both worlds. A delicate balance between the hip and the heavenly.

THE AMBIENCE

As soon as you enter the commercial complex at Sector 29, you're in complete awe of the establishments in the vicinity. From My Bar HQ, Molecule Air Bar to the towering Ministry of Beer. There is an aura about the place that shouts out grandeur. The indoor area is lit. A stage for the in-house DJ to play from, a central bar around which bar stools and tables are always occupied. There is also a balcony area which overlooks Leisure Valley of Sector 29. A reminiscent of that one time you went to the Hills with your family, and you'd wake up to look over the clouds in the valley. I can't wait to visit the place again sometime in the winter and look over the railing and stand there for hours while having a hot beverage.

Now, if you don't love the dark, party atmosphere, like me, Ministry of Beer offers you the most beautiful courtyard you'll ever see in a 'restaurant' (if I may dare call MoB that). A summery tone to the outside, with wood-finished chairs and couches, a gazebo-esque bar and a stage with a u-trust (the metal thing where the concert-lights are placed). The ground is covered in pebbles and stones to add to the ambience. It doesn't feel anything like a restro bar at all. You'll feel like you've left behind the havoc of Delhi NCR and entered the living recreation of Nostalgia. The times as a kid where everything seemed massive and magical.

But that isn't where the magic ended. The magic had just begun. As I panned across the area, I saw these rooms at the periphery of the courtyard, each with its own unique name. Those, my dear friends, were the Personal Cabins for further escape from reality. Every cabin housed about 20 people and there were 6 of those. A wooden-blue color to the room, equipped with sofas, blinds, a 40 inch TV and RETRACTABLE ROOFS. The sliding glass doors that opened up the the courtyard had a perfect view of the stage where the band was to perform. If you didn't like the music outside, you could also connect to the dedicated music system of the Cabin itself. The cabin is where we had our meal. A beautiful experience in itself.

But wait! There's more! Ministry of Beer also has their own wood-fired oven AND a smoker to smoke their meats. All this and an open kitchen so you can see what you're eating being made. An overall interactive experience. There is also a buffet zone, which we couldn't really try because we were full!

THE FOOD

The menu at MoB is vast. It covers every spectrum of the culinary space. Lebanese, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French and American! Some places focus and strengthen one aspect, but MoB works on everything and makes a 10/10 dish every time.

THE DRINKS

• Watermelon Mojito: A classic drink with hefty chunks of watermelon to give it a nice summery twist. Very refreshing to start the meal with!
• Coco Loco: An amalgamation of Coconut, Chocolate and a bit of tang in this Hawaiian concoction. Served with  wedge of Watermelon.
• Chilli Flamenco: Now, this drink is something that I really liked. Not everywhere do you see a carbonated beverage spiced up using chilli! A brilliant contrast to the apple flavour it possessed, this drink had a nice spicy kick to it. FUSION DONE RIGHT!

THE APPETISERS

• Wasabi Chaat: I was introduced to Palak Patta Chaat only a couple of months back at Triveni Terrace Cafe in Mandi House. Whole spinach leaves, battered up and deep fried to a crisp along with a serving of dahi, tamarind chutney and mint chutney. At MoB, they pair this Palak Patta Chaat with a Yogurt based Panna cotta and a papdi chaat with WASABI. YES! The Japanese spicy paste. Usually, when served along with Sushi, it is used as a contrast to blow your nose off. But in the Wasabi Chaat, it brilliantly balanced out the sweetness of the chaat. The Panna Cotta, too, was perfectly sweetened to level with the savoury chaat.

• Pull It Out Garlic Bread: The spectacle and amazement of watching strings of cheese being pulled out with perfectly toasted bread is enough to make your mouth water. Garlic Bread isn't something you'd want to explicitly order at any place if it isn't something special. Here at MoB, the Pull It Out Garlic Bread delivered on its name. Crisp and warm garlic bread, along with rich cheese baked right into it. Served with a salsa and what seemed to be a peppery-cheese dip.

• MOBun Tikki: The trip down memory lane continued with the MOBun Tikki. But their version, instead of a regular tikki, had a potato mash with cheese that oozed out of the lightly fried buns. Served with chhole and pickled onions, the dish hit you right in the nostalgia zone.

• Fully Loaded Veg Nachos: A college kid's favourite thing to order off the menu, Crisp Nachos loaded with different types of cheese, presumably cheddar and creme cheese, with salsa and soya chunks!

• Borek- Turkish Pizza with a Twist: Another dish to take you around the world. As the name suggests, the Borek (Börek) is a baked pastry, which is filled and then spiralled up. At MoB, the Borek is filled with roasted veggies and cheese to give it the familiar pizza flavour. But there isn't the usual issue of the toppings being tasty and the base being dull, the flavour is spread throughout the dish. NO LEAVING THE CRUST! :'D

THE DESSERTS

• Ghevar Mille-feuille: Aah. A trip to France with their classic pastry, the mille-feuille. A layered dessert consisting of a pastry dough, then cream, then more pastry and topped off with royal icing. But the experimenting madmen at MoB decided to fuse a French classic with an Indian classic, the ghevar! PRAISE THE LORDS THAT THEY DID! The Ghevar, in layers, was served with a blueberry compote. The rich, creamy ghevar flavour cut beautifully by the tang of the berries. 

• GoldDust: What is more magical than gold? Probably the GoldDust dessert! Flour less Chocolate Cake, Banana Pudding paired with a chilli ice-cream. The warm cakes topped with honeycomb and the chilli ice-cream could have been a dessert on its own! A magical end to a fantastic meal.

THE VERDICT

Before the night ended, we were politely asked by the management to stay around for the band performance. After spending 4 hours at Ministry of Beer, we just didn't want to leave. The place in the morning was good, at night it transformed into something great. The u-trust went up to light up the place in colors and the band started to play. Serenaded by the music and the mist being sprayed by the fans in the courtyard, we stayed late for a performance.

Ministry of Beer is probably the perfect all-round experience. I believe if you entered at noon, you'll probably stick around for lunch and then dinner as well. Spending a good 6-7 hours is easily possible when in good company. Whenever you have a day off, do visit Ministry of Beer in Sector 29, Gurgaon for a magical experience.