By Payel Majumdar Upreti
While the cricket World Cup rages on, we thought it would be a good idea to go and celebrate India’s smashing entry into the semi-finals with a visit to the recently opened One8 Commune in Gurugram.
Done up in a similar style to the One8 Commune that opened in Juhu, Mumbai last year, this one situated in Gurugram’s M3M Financial Centre has more of a sports bar feel to it, even featuring Virat Kohli’s original jersey as a memorabilia hanging prominently at the entrance. The seating is the kind that can easily translate from a day scene to a sundowner, and even a happening nightbar. Done up in dusty pink, the space is designed to let in a lot of light inside.
The area upstairs is open-air, with its own bar and service kitchen. It is possible to book the space out for a private kitchen if so needed. Currently, the place hosts one live night a week. It is really new, just over a month old, but has already got a decent traction thanks to the brand name.
We started our meal with a side of avocado quinoa salad (the ratio of avocado was really generous!) and black chicken, one of their bestsellers as was informed to us.
The black chicken was made in a very interesting fashion with black sesame seeds, a recipe inspired by Assamese black chicken. We ordered another side of soya chaap tikka, a Delhi favourite, a good pairing with beer.
The menu was delicious, and we ended up finishing our plates clean! The venue has launched with an entirely new menu, and we were eager to move on to some of the additions to the main course.
Since the starters were heavy, we decided to order one pot meals for main course. While I ordered a khao suey, my partner went ahead and ordered the moradabadi chaat. While usually the moradabadi chaat is served as a snack, this one was served on a bed of basmati rice, making it a full meal. The khao suey had a good selection of different kinds of mushrooms, and the moradabaadi chaat had different toppings such as pomegranate pearls, chutneys and peanuts, making it a super fun meal.
The restaurant has stayed true to its inspiration’s diet, just like the captain Virat Kohli himself, the menu caters to vegetarians, with a lot of inventive options on the cards. That doesn’t mean however, that it’s unusual to expect a robust non-vegetarian meal on the cards if you’re looking for one. The menu consists of some of Virat’s top picks as well as a whole new menu consisting of 40+ dishes like Spaghetti Cherry Tomato Stew, Tomato Barley Risotto, Zucchini Croquettes, Nasi Goreng, Green Mac n Cheese, Mushroom Galouti, along with a dedicated section called ‘Virat’s Favourites,’ featuring our favourite from the list — Avocado Tartare as well as Pearl Barley Risotto.
Address: 2nd Floor Unit Number- R, M3M International Financial Centre, One8 Commune, 3209 & 3210, Badshahpur, Sector 66, Gurugram, Haryana 122002
Meal for two: Rs 5,000 plus taxes, inclusive of alcohol
