Mumbai enjoys making big statements, but Paradox is here to persuade in a subtle style. Nestled within the old Shree Laxmi Woollen Mills courtyard, the area has the sensation of a sharp and elegant private conversation. I’ve known Aditya and Aditi Dugar long enough to assume that their brilliance rests in completely rewriting the rules rather than adhering to trends. Here, the design exudes confidence rather than cliché. Ashiesh Shah highlights the legacy with raw silk zardozi walls that celebrate grandeur without going overboard, while Peter d’Ascoli’s Mughal inspired fumoir embraces it fearlessly.
Alchemy Meets Elegance
Sitting beneath Shah’s dhokra chandelier on a Saturday night, I enjoy a Spice Merchant cocktail while observing Mumbai’s artistically minded elite move through the space like characters in an R.K. Narayan book, radiating perfect tailoring and worldly restraint. Paradox is difficult to define, it’s neither strictly a bar nor a social club, but it appeals to those who desire both. The entire bar is like entering Ankush Gamre’s (Masque’s Head Mixologist) chaotic playground, where art, science, and a dash of theatricality all come together. You can hold the zine style menu comfortably, but it doesn’t stay there for long, I promise. As you put together the technical magic underlying the available cocktails, you’ll find yourself scrolling through its pages compulsively. Foam blooming over pulverized pekoe tea? Check. Himachali peach slices undergoing some otherworldly metamorphosis in an ultrasonic extractor? Double check. Ankush isn’t here for your predictable cosmopolitans, he’s designing cocktails that straddle alchemy and art. For those who tread the lighter side of life, or at least the ABV spectrum, start with the Tap #1. It gracefully pirouettes between muskmelon, orange, and osmanthus blossom in a way that feels both sunny and elegant. Still, the showstopper is ‘Spirited Away,’ a silent drink that makes sense with every sip. But believe me, you’ll want to know more.
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Flavours Transcend Borders
When Chef Varun Totlani cooks, it comes across in dulcet, carefully orchestrated tones that resonate with the modern Indian palate while nodding to global curiosities. Intrigued by his small plates philosophy, I find myself trying a menu replete in creativity but never losing sight of comfort. Every bite here feels like a ticket on a transcontinental taste train. Take the Halloumi and Poha, a playful riff on bar food that would make even the most wary eater lean in, like a wry reminder, yes, you’re nibbling something fun, but don’t take it lightly. Then there’s the Bone Marrow, a charred over embers masterpiece. The black garlic chutney trickled tableside? Oh, it’s a closing flourish worthy of theatre applause. And let’s not forget the bread, the glutinous glory of pao de queijo, a triumph somewhere between Brazil and Bandra. That pecorino lacquer cracks like the best sort of millionaire’s brittle, unapologetically rich, while I let the Lao Gan Mastyle chili oil do the heavy lifting over the sour cream because customization here is encouraged ( and not frowned upon). All in all, Paradox is not a bar with gimmicks, it’s a magnetic culmination of personalities, passions, and a profoundly Indian soul.
Fact Box
Where: Bar Paradox, G17, opposite Twenty-seven Pizza & Bakes, Shree Laxmi Woollen Mills, off E Moses Road, Shakti Mills Lane, Mahalakshmi, Mumbai – 400011
Call: 8484846660
Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 6 PM to 1:30 AM
