It is not every day that a restaurant manager urges you to watch a film before you come to drink or dine with them. But Anushka Bagchi, the Manager at Rick’s had asked me to watch Hollywood classic Casablanca before coming to drink at her bar. And not without reason.
The newly relaunched Rick’s at the iconic Taj Mahal, New Delhi, draws its inspiration from the Academy Award-winning classic. Like in the film, where the protagonist Rick Blaine creates a sanctuary offering respite from the chaos of the Second World War, Rick’s aims to be a refuge for its patrons, where they can unwind with great music, signature cocktails and comforting food. Everything at Rick’s is inspired by the movie.
The deco is very 1940s, though with a modern touch; the furniture transports you to the bygone era, the bar (counter) is fashioned out of marble with dainty lamps on the tables. The place is as modern as it is classic, in its decor, the take on cocktails and treatment of food.
The cocktails are nuanced, layered and offer a unique twist with global influences and artisanal ingredients. The Umami Ugate, for example, is a clarified cocktail made with fresh tomatoes, miso, strawberry and tequila, which is served with homemade dark chocolate. Cognac-based Cantonese Sidecar is made with red grape saccharum (which is made in-house ) and a strong smokey Chinese tea, lapsang souchong; saccharum makes the cognac sweeter and palatable for those who find it too strong and the tea brings in flavour notes you would not expect in a cocktail. But my favourite is Blaine’s Brew, a version of espresso martini made with gold rum that boasts of unusual ingredients such as sesame, honey, fresh pineapple juice and soy — every sip you take offers a new flavour, every flavour has intense notes.
“We have designed the cocktails with attention to techniques and ingredients ; we have retained many classics but with modern twists to them. And there’s a certain amount of flair with which they are presented,” says Chef Arun Sundararaj, Director of Culinary Operations, over a drink.
Rick’s is not just about cocktails. There is great food and music too.
In its food menu, Rick’s offers a blend of flavours from across the world and caters both to Delhi’s local crowd and in-house guests, many of whom are expats. Like the cocktail programme, the focus is on ingredients and techniques. “The food here is a balance between carbs, proteins, fried and baked and we have brought in the essence of many international flavours to create a well-rounded menu,” explains Sundararaj. And so, there are small plates, salads, and meal bowls, where dishes such as duck roll and currywurst sausages sit next to prawn balchao naan, ceviche and texan burger.
The music binds everything together beautifully. Whether it’s the mellow ‘loungey’ tunes played in the early evening that changes to high-tempo numbers as the night progresses, the live DJ on weekends or the pianist who reminds you of Sam in Casablanca — Rick’s has it all.
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