Fly To Birdie Num Num For Coastal Fare & Well-Mixed Cocktails

A cocktail bar with coastal food? Yes please! Apart from the totally adorable name, Birdie Num Num is Gurgaon’s first coastal kitchen serving regional cuisine you’ll find only if you’ve visited half a dozen different restaurants, so it’s pretty much an all-in-one kind of  a place.

The interiors are sparse and bistro-like, and we like that it’s minimal. The hive backdrop of the bar makes for a nice mural, but the AC vents could do with some height, especially if you’re accompanied by tall friends.

To keep your girth with all that drinking, there has to be a worthy spread. The food is a mix of family and friends’ recipes, with chef’s own twists thrown in. For a small bite, try the Magic Mushrooms {ya ya we get it!}; stuffed and grilled mushroom caps,  they’re simple, home stuff.

The game changes with the main course. Must-haves include the Banana Leaf Fish served with a rather nice curry aioli, Veena Aunty’s Mutton Pulao with a spot-on finish of ghee and the Kerala Ishtew which you can have in veggie, chicken, mutton, fish and prawn variants. There’s a bit of Assam in there, Malwani and Mopla, so there’s a whole lot of coastal stuff going on.

The sippables score over the eatables. The food is good, but the cocktails are excellent. Designed around an avian theme, don’t miss Liquid Bread, a drink meant for pre-gaming, {though we could have it pretty much anytime} this was a blend of bourbon, in-house toasted bread syrup and ginger that was very refreshing. Skip the Sedative made of gin infused hibiscus tea unless it’s noon and go straight for the stiff stuff; the Split Personality {white rum, lychee juice and gondhoraj lime and sugar}.

But if we had to pick one winner, it would have to be The Magic Egg; a signature cocktail at Birdie {with whisky, roasted almonds, banana syrup, lime and egg} that’s totally worth it.

Given that the cocktails and food are put together with so much thought, the desserts need the same treatment.

Go for the drinks, and stay for the food!