The BTS Of Opening A Bar In Bombay Creating a new experience in a city like Mumbai can be a daunting task. For Pankaj Gupta however, it was his next project. CIRQA is the latest passion project by Pankaj Gupta and Avinash Gupta; the brothers behind Taftoon, Oye Kake, and Café Haqq Se.
By Kavya Pillai
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Creating a new experience in a city like Mumbai can be a daunting task. For Pankaj Gupta however, it was his next project. CIRQA is the latest passion project by Pankaj Gupta and Avinash Gupta; the brothers behind Taftoon, Oye Kake, and Café Haqq Se. This stylish two-storey cocktail bar in Lower Parel, a cool nightlife spot like Mumbai, is absorbed, adopted, and adapted to the people's history and attitude. We recently had a chance to chat with Pankaj Gupta about what goes on behind the scenes of opening a new joint in Mumbai.
We first were curious to understand where the idea of Cirqa came from. Pankaj answered, "As the bar is a fine balance between history and contemporary, CIRQA alludes to that sense of approximation in history, as one derives from the word 'circa', to times that have left an impact but are not necessarily bound by dates and details. We are also throwing back to Mumbai's history, paying homage to it, and also giving it our very own twist. Hence, the Q in CIRQA is a modern twist to the history and cosmopolitan soul of Mumbai."
Coming to the business side of things, Gupta spoke about the challenges in the space. He said, "The most important challenge is that you and your team can put in your best, but you will still fall 10 per cent short. Everything does not happen according to your plans." He further added, "You can train the staff in advance, but their actual learnings will always be on the job. Just make sure the basics are right."
As for what the place offers and what its significant relation to the city, he said, "CIRQA brings you stunningly-crafted cocktails, complimented by global bites, inspired by the exciting amalgamation of culinary cultures. But that's not all. There is also an "anti-speakeasy" bar on the second floor called 1960, a sophisticated venue for curated parties, launches, supper clubs, and events. Why the name 1960? It is a homage to the year Mumbai became the capital of Maharashtra, and the year the first international Air India flight took off from the city. " To conclude, Gupta shared his advice for people joining the restaurant space, "Always have a Plan B and a Plan C and have an open mind to adopt them and run with them if needed. And be open to surprises."
