Cheri

Critic´s Review

• Food: 3.5 / 5
• Service: 0/5
• Decor: 3.5 / 5

-By Marryam H Reshii

Cheri is part of the musical re-awakening of the Mehrauli strip led by its next-door neighbour blueFROG. A wonderfully decked out multi-fold space that goes from a courtyard with live music programming to a white-curtained rooftop as well as an indoor bar and restaurant, Cheri is a blend of warmth and vibrancy. Pitched as a European garden bistro with a 'tree house stage', the iron cage in their logo and on their entrance does throw me off a bit, but I'll write it off as playful. Follow your mood and pick your seating accordingly, though my vote goes to their lovely garden setting that is conducive to repeat orders and long nights. Don't go expecting French fare because the bar snacks are a mix of everything from the oddly named but memorable Ngor Mai Gai (chicken and rice balls) to the underwhelming Thai Scented Satay. Stick to the well-heaped Mozzarella and Tomato Bruschetta platter and drink your way down the beverage list. Their signature cocktails are smashing and I'm a fan of their seasonal fruity concoctions. The Vodka Kiwi Martini is tart and sweet with chunky pieces of kiwi, while the Mango Daiquiri has a wonderful colour, texture and flavour that seduced us, but the Smoky Bloody Mary might be a tad too adventurous. I maintain that this classic cocktail is the perfect hangover drink and see no other reason to drink spiked tomato juice, but the smoking bit intrigued me. Sadly, while the presentation was fun, they were a little too trigger happy with the smoking gun leaving a charred fire in the woods aftertaste that is unbecoming. A one-off is forgivable especially considering the mood boosters they offer by way of gigs ranging from deep techno evenings to something called desi disco dhamaka, all under the star-specked evening sky of the Qutub complex. The fact that they serve much better priced offerings, whether it be Budweiser or Ketel One, than most spaces in that area doesn't hurt either, nor does the afterglow of feeling like you're far from the concrete jungle of Delhi.