What if there was a place where you could go eat world cuisines, order craft cocktails and enjoy all that over internationally acclaimed board games? I would be there all the time and that's exactly what I have been doing on weekends lately, welcome to Unlocked. An Ahmedabad import, now buzzing at G Town's tony 32nd Avenue.
Forget Monopoly and Scrabble, this is the time for designer board games and Unlocked has a roster of over 130 board games, from the usual Uno, Quoridor or Dominoes to strategy games like Settlers of Catan, Puerto Rico or the notoriously complex Terra Mystica. The gaming bit doesn’t end there, they also have state of the art Escape Rooms, a concept on which this brand is developed. The theme of the escape room borrows from Alexandra Lionheart’s adventures and tells the tale of an explorer who made her way to India back in 1897. Her story revolves around revenge, black magic and an Indian Prince. A group of 2-8 people have to find her necklace, and unlock themselves! You have to attempt it to believe it and believe me, this is not child’s play by any means, it can get quite freaky in there!
The restaurant doesn’t only host these games, the interior décor itself is inspired by MC Escher, with geometric shapes adorning each wall and featuring as partitions to effortlessly segregate spaces. There is a smattering of iconic elements that all fold into the experience of being in an actual game. The colours are trendy and the bar is flowing with craft cocktails complete with house-made vermouths and more. With cocktails named after games and new age concepts, we especially loved the Dominoe Effect with rum and sauvignon blanc wine and the Muddlers of Catan with whisky and fresh watermelon. For those of you who prefer to go more old school, they have the standard classics and they make a mean Whisky Sour but it's the gin bar that is the star with combinations like cucumber, kaffir lime and kombucha or the more familiar, pomegranate and mint.
The food is inspired by world cuisines so there is something for everyone. You can choose from small plates large plates, extravagant main meals or if you're there for game night, then there is a host of salads, sandwiches, pasta and pizzas to nibble on while you concentrate. We love their Mezze Platter, by far the best hummus, that side of town. Don't miss the Savoury French Crepes, especially the chicken and pesto, the Irish Lamb Stew in large plates and the beautifully done Honey Garlic Pork Chops. The main meals also include Indian food because sometimes all you need is the comfort of good biryani or a platter of BBQ Paneer Tikka. The menu is huge so you can have a whole new meal every time you visit and if you get hooked to the games then you will be visiting rather often. Finish your meal with a classic Creme Brulee or an indulgent Tiramisu. Here comes the best part, if you choose the patio seating, you can bring your doggo, they have a Pooch menu complete with a dog-friendly latte, muffins and a Chicken Pie too! What more can you ask for?!
Forget Monopoly and Scrabble, this is the time for designer board games and Unlocked has a roster of over 130 board games, from the usual Uno, Quoridor or Dominoes to strategy games like Settlers of Catan, Puerto Rico or the notoriously complex Terra Mystica. The gaming bit doesn’t end there, they also have state of the art Escape Rooms, a concept on which this brand is developed. The theme of the escape room borrows from Alexandra Lionheart’s adventures and tells the tale of an explorer who made her way to India back in 1897. Her story revolves around revenge, black magic and an Indian Prince. A group of 2-8 people have to find her necklace, and unlock themselves! You have to attempt it to believe it and believe me, this is not child’s play by any means, it can get quite freaky in there!
The restaurant doesn’t only host these games, the interior décor itself is inspired by MC Escher, with geometric shapes adorning each wall and featuring as partitions to effortlessly segregate spaces. There is a smattering of iconic elements that all fold into the experience of being in an actual game. The colours are trendy and the bar is flowing with craft cocktails complete with house-made vermouths and more. With cocktails named after games and new age concepts, we especially loved the Dominoe Effect with rum and sauvignon blanc wine and the Muddlers of Catan with whisky and fresh watermelon. For those of you who prefer to go more old school, they have the standard classics and they make a mean Whisky Sour but it's the gin bar that is the star with combinations like cucumber, kaffir lime and kombucha or the more familiar, pomegranate and mint.
The food is inspired by world cuisines so there is something for everyone. You can choose from small plates large plates, extravagant main meals or if you're there for game night, then there is a host of salads, sandwiches, pasta and pizzas to nibble on while you concentrate. We love their Mezze Platter, by far the best hummus, that side of town. Don't miss the Savoury French Crepes, especially the chicken and pesto, the Irish Lamb Stew in large plates and the beautifully done Honey Garlic Pork Chops. The main meals also include Indian food because sometimes all you need is the comfort of good biryani or a platter of BBQ Paneer Tikka. The menu is huge so you can have a whole new meal every time you visit and if you get hooked to the games then you will be visiting rather often. Finish your meal with a classic Creme Brulee or an indulgent Tiramisu. Here comes the best part, if you choose the patio seating, you can bring your doggo, they have a Pooch menu complete with a dog-friendly latte, muffins and a Chicken Pie too! What more can you ask for?!