Gypsy Turtle is the hippest pub to be spotted at right now for innovative cocktails and delicious food
By Namita Gupta
Aptly named with an interesting story behind it – that of a Little Turtle who wished to escape the slow living reality and desired to run or even perhaps fly! He dreamt of extreme adventures, happy and naughty gang of friends, hearty laughter and being a part of wonderful celebrations! On one windy sunny day as the coconut trees swung from left to right, a message in a bottle swam towards the Little Turtle. “Want to experience something extraordinary?” it read. Thus began his journey. Wild, free and super excited, out of his shell he came to fulfill his wanderlust. Driven by his thirst for adventure, the Little Turtle travelled across the seven seas and met all sorts of men and women – hippies to wise. Somewhere along the way, he picked up the art of potion making and became a master of mixing unusual concoctions. His legend grew and he became known for his exotic dishes, which fed not just the belly but the heart as well. His supersecret playlist was full of songs that lifted peopleʼs spirits and made them groove to his beats and so the story goes. Head to Gypsy Turtle to experience his wild spirit, as you unwind with your gang.
Ambience: Every corner has its own distinct look and feel, with hues of aqua and green that add a touch of cool comfort to the interiors. In sync with the interior trends across the world, you’ll find distressed furniture that adds to the chic, contemporary feel of the spacious bar and restaruant.
Sit at the long bar area or get cozy at any of the tables in this large space and soak up some fun vibes. A blend of rustic and contemporary touch with red mud seats, Instaworthy cycle tables, long community tables and myriad green plants lend the place a trendy, chic yet warm touch.
Men behind the making: Jayakannan Perumalsamy, CEO of EKA Hospitality Private Limited says, “At Gypsy Turtle we want to give an all-new experience. We have created an ambience which is rustic yet elegant. Our bar is very unique with its special cocktails and mocktails and you can experience the best draft and craft beers in the city, with nine taps of fresh beer. Our music is revolutionary too. With DJ Paps, V Channel featured DJ from Mumbai holding the fort and lining up some great live singers, Gypsy Turtle will be the go-to place for real music and food lovers.”
Gypsy Turtle is manned by three of the best industry icons – Barman Pankaj Kamble, DJ Paps and Chef Pramod.
Expect exquisite food, creative concoctions, earthy ambience and soulful music. The bar is conceptualised and managed by Barman Pankaj Kamble, world record holder in flair bartending and a renowned mixologist from Mumbai and the music is crafted by Celebrity DJ Paps, Channel V featured DJ, Producer and Remixer from Mumbai. The staff is extremely hospitable, well informed and friendly and the service is quick and efficient.
Food & Drinks: Chef Pramod brings in amazing food experiences with variety of cuisines ranging from American, European, Mediterranean, Oriental and Indian. Although the menu is exhaustive, yet each of the dishes are cooked to perfection. Tawa Surmai came in the form of large slices cooked in coastal spices and grilled to perfection. The menu indicated that it would be spicy and spicy it was and flavourful too. Vegetarians will love the Celebrity Mushrooms that are farm fresh mushrooms stuffed with cheese and Asian spices, tossed in signature peanut butter sauce. Also try the Malai Brocolli and Paneer Duet. The brocolli florets and cottage cheese marinated with interesting spices, cheese and curd cooked over charcoal are quite a mouthful, slightly crunchy on the bite, yet oozing with melt-in-the-mouth freshness.
There are plenty of soups, salads, baos and burgers also on the menu. For mains I tried the Mexican Chipotle Chicken Pizza, topped with chicken, onion, jalapenos, tomatoes, olives and cheese, but the best part was the pizza’s melting crust with the base of a flaky puff pastry. The Stir Fried Hot Peppers Chicken was juicy and delicious too. The dishes in the Oriental and the Indian section seemed very tempting with lots of options that I would love to try on my next visit. I ended my hearty meal on a sweet note with a Rasberry Cheese Cake.
From mixologists reviving old-school spirits to creating something completely innovative, there’s a drink and a dish to suit your mood and your palate here. We loved the exclusive range of perfectly crafted cocktails and mocktails presented with equal panache. The bar also features craft and draft beers on taps, bottled beers, wines and straight drinks. My Perfume Cocktail of rose, litchi and gin, served in a perfume bottle was smooth and indulgent, yet potent and textured with natural litchi flavours. A few must-have cocktails include the Blue Pea Tea, a tea cocktail with gin, lavender, lime and pineapple juice, and the Bournvita Alexander, a Bournvita and double cream brandy on Bournvita crust. Even if you’re not around Whitefield, once you’re at Gypsy Turtle, the drive will be worth it and you’re sure to find your groove.
GYPSY TURTLE,
120-A3, Ground floor, Santosh Towers,
EPIP Zone, Near KTPO,
ITPL Main Road, No-2, Whitefield,
Bangalore.
Call: +91 8884 454 454.
