Bar Sama Is The Kind Of Neighbourhood Bar You'll Wish Was Closer To Home

Ulsoor probably is the last place you’ll think of when we say there’s a cocktail bar doing Thai plates, and that it’s one of the go-to cocktail bars in the city. It’s true, Bar Sama in Ulsoor does all that without pretence, but with all the makings of a cool neighbourhood bar that you’d love to be a regular at. 

We popped by Bar Sama on a weeknight with a friend and were ushered into the bar seating area. The highlight is the bar, of course, and we love the cosy, curved booth seating dotted throughout the space, which has this reddish glow all around. We love to see a bar with regulars. Grey, blues, and metallic accents add so much character to the space. The lighting is moody, the conversations all around lively, and we spotted a few patrons who were at the bar side having animated conversations with the bartenders. We love to see a bar with regulars.

The outside seating features large windows that overlook the street below, and afternoons, the space feels like a palatial balcony that is done up in this old-school manner — think wooden shutters and rattan light fixtures. It’s all very pretty to the eye, and when you shift between these two sections, you’ll find that each has a mood of its own. Sunday florals for the outdoor section, while that Zara midi dress for the indoors on Friday night. 

Drinks at Sama are co-created in partnership with Singapore’s CatBiteClub, and Chef Vichita, who’s the chef partner at Sama, has put together a menu that we so much enjoyed. It’s probably one of the best bar food out there and that’s also maybe because we are very biased towards Thai food. Yes, the lean yet meaty menu features some interesting small plates and large plates that work for both dinner and lunch.

On the drinks front, we ordered R.M.P and Soft Launch. The R.M.P, a cognac-run forward drink, has notes of saffron and cardamom, and is milk-washed, so much so that our friend found it to be such a spiced dessert-like drink. The Soft Launch, a zero-proof drink, is clean and refreshing with notes of kiwi. While we were sipping on our drinks, small plates in the form of Panaeng Chicken Skewers, Kra-Pao Potatoes Chips, and Night Market Moo Ping arrived. The chips had an option of adding Parma ham and we did so, and it’s such a finger food that goes along with your drinks. The chicken skewers pack a punch, while the Moo Ping has a rather coconutty flavour that we enjoyed. We debated on getting more of the chips, but then decided to get the Basil Gra Pow Chicken Wings — stuffed chicken that tastes like the famous Thai dish. We were recommended to try the Asparagus & Tofu, and Isan-style Mushroom, but we weren’t particularly feeling vegetarian.

In between the food and sips, we ordered Cashew Later, which our friend best described as a villainous Pina Colada with plenty of rum notes for those who like their rum. For mains, the Fish Raweang was polished off in a matter of minutes. It’s a breakaway from the traditional Thai curries, yet still so familiar with its spicy broth.  

For those of us who stay in and around Central Bengaluru, this is such a good spot to be a regular at. And for everyone else, it’s a cocktail bar that needs to be on your go-to list.

Timings: 7 PM to 1 AM, Tuesday to Friday, and 12 noon to 3 PM and 7 PM to 1 AM, Saturday and Sunday

Cost For Two: INR 2,200

Rating: 4.4/5 on Google

Instagram Handle: @sama_blr