Slink & Bardot

Slink & Bardot’s the prime choice for sliding, rather than smashing, into the weekend. Upon arrival, the naval docks greet you with slow, turgid waters. There’s no line yet at Slink – it’s a mere 7pm, and the crowds are, so far, mercifully at bay. 

A walk down a corridor and through a pair of tavern doors takes you inside. Your table’s ready. Since we’re playing it safe (for now), first orders of business must, of course, be the Meloma and Paanch – their signature variations of a paloma and punch. The Meloma arrives clear as quartz, while the Paanch, a body of citrine, works a flush across your skin that makes you order a third. Koli Echoes: a tribute to Mumbai’s fishing settlements in the form of a lychee-sake concoction. 

A tour around Slink reveals an oak-walled cigar room, the lounge red of the hallways, and the stately emerald and sapphires of the other seating areas. A round of snacks – crispy potato-laced okra, salmon mi-cuit in a smokey cream reduction, and a black-peppered mushroom kebab – later, you’re thinking it’s time for another round of cocktails before the dance floor is packed to the brim. The raspberry twist of the Bar-Do Mule is fizzy, but did we remember it coming with so much ice?

The only way to cap this off is by returning to our openers – the Meloma and Paanch. The dance floor gyrates to the pulsating soundtrack of the night, drinking as much as us. The weekend is here, my friends. 

Time Out tip: It isn’t always this chaotic. Weekdays are the epitome of peace and the perfect chance to grab a family or work supper.