Please Don’t Talk: 2019; Jalsa: 2021; Soba Sassy: 2022. Harsh Sonthalia, Aman Chitlangia and Apurva Salarpuria are on a roll and the trio have come up yet again with a swank new F&B outlet — Soba Sassy, at the heart of the city, on Ho Chi Minh Sarani. Spread across approx 7,000sq ft space, Soba (pronounced sober) Sassy is located on the first floor of the same building that houses PDT and Jalsa.
Divided into three sections, each zone has a charm of its own and the decor is pretty as a picture postcard, with every nook and corner being Instagrammable! Large and vibrant floral installations, cool panda heads, shades of pink make it a balance of girlie, flirty and fun.
We asked Harsh how the idea of Soba Sassy came up, and he said: “I felt there was a need to do something with modern Asian cuisine here. There’s so much happening all around the country with this but here we do not have too many options. And the idea was to stand out, hence we wanted a high-energy vibe with mind-blowing crafted cocktails because we are still used to having classic cocktails and not explore more. So I wanted to bridge that gap with Soba Sassy in our own way”. Talking of the vibe, the place offers commercial and retro music and the pace and mood of the place changes as the day progresses in such a way that you don’t need to hop to a party place after dinner here. The food is simply a riot of flavours. Salads, soups, dim sums, sushis, mains to desserts, there’s so much on the offer. The dishes stick to authentic cooking techniques but offer plethora of fresh presentation and twists that we simply loved! The cocktail range is mind-blowing too, giving Asian twists to classics and presenting flavours you’ve never tried before.
The bar section is interactive and has a beautiful cherry blossom tree at the centre. The space oozes energy and the up-tempo music adds to the vibe.
The first thing that caught our eye on entering the restaurant are these large vivid floral frames on the walls. This is the ‘Soba’ or sober section, a 60-seater zone. The decor will set the tone for the rest of the place, with trending terrazzo flooring and a classy look-and-feel.
Pink Sexy Suite: Done up in pretty hues of pink, this sunken seating section screams sass and can pack about 20 people. If you have a GNO in mind, grab the spot! It’s also a great den for a ladies brunch, with sunlight streaming in from the glass windows.
Harsh Sonthalia gave us a walkthrough of Soba Sassy. Don’t miss the funky panda heads on the wall opposite the bar, that adds to the Oriental theme.
t2 PICKS
Asian Burrata Salad: A fine balance of fresh burrata with spicy fried crispy corn with a delish Thai dressing, makes this a yum salad.
We pigged out on Coriander, Celery Stick and Water Chestnut-filled Charcoal Dim Sum that comes in a yum Thai Red Curry and Thai Chicken Dim Sum in Tom Yum soup that blends dim sums with soup seamlessly.
Rockin & Ramen Chicken bowl is a brothy bowl with minced spicy chicken, eggs, corn, sprouts and greens. Slurp!
Katsu Curry: The classic dish has found its way into the menu. The steamed rice and thick coconut gravy makes it a soulful dish.
In the mains section, Blue Pea Deluxe Fried Rice and Haricot Beans in Black Bean Sauce are a match you would swipe right!
Philadelphia Salmon Roll served in an eye-catching plate will get you click-click at once. The sushis are a perfect bite of salmon, Philadelphia cream cheese, asparagus and Japanese mayo.
Nutella, strawberry, caramel, desi moori on top makes Nutella Sushi a palate pleaser!
Pink Paradise is a bartender special gin cocktail with orange blossom and mixed berries and garnished with edible berry leather.
Miso Sassy: An acidulated miso and tahini butter fat-washed whisky with an unconventional Umami Cordial makes this cocktail hatke.
We loved the House Special Colas that are crafted by their mixologist and have zero preservatives. There’s sodas and tonic water too!
Pictures: B. Halder
What: Soba Sassy
Where: 8 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, Harrington Mansion,1st floor
Timings: Noon to midnight
Meal for two: Rs 2,900 (with alcohol)
