As the monsoon drizzles turn Bengaluru into a lush green escape, CAHOOTS steps in to elevate your rainy day experience. Nestled in the heart of the city, this chic cocktail bar and hidden speakeasy brings you a handpicked monsoon menu that pairs warm, flavourful bites with inventive cocktails—just the cozy indulgence you need this season.

1. Masala Mirage (Cocktail)

Kick off your monsoon unwind with the Masala Mirage, a bold concoction that mixes vodka with jamun, gondhoraj, green chilli, kappu uppu, and a sprinkle of Indian chat masala. Spicy, tangy, and utterly refreshing, it’s monsoon in a glass.

2. Masala Vada (Food)

What’s a rainy evening without a crunchy snack? The Masala Vada at CAHOOTS hits just the right note—crispy lentil cakes fried to perfection and bursting with traditional South Indian flavours.

3. Brigade Signal (Cocktail)

For something light yet zesty, try the Brigade Signal. This gin-based cocktail features jackfruit puree, citrus juice, gomme syrup, and vegan foamer, creating a sweet-tangy balance that’s perfect as you watch the rain roll in.

4. Motte Pakoda (Food)

For a bite that brings nostalgia with every crunch, go for the Motte Pakoda. Boiled eggs get a spicy chickpea and chilli batter coating, then deep-fried to golden brown delight. It’s warmth in every bite.

5. Crispy Silver Fish (Food)

If seafood’s your thing, the Crispy Silver Fish won’t disappoint. Battered with rawa and fried till crunchy, it’s served with a zesty thousand island dressing—flavour-packed and addictive.

With this thoughtfully curated monsoon spread, CAHOOTS invites you to sip, snack, and savour the season in style. Whether you're looking to curl up with a cocktail or share comforting bites with friends, this hidden gem in Bengaluru is the place to be when the rains come calling.

Bengaluru welcomes RIKO, the city's first true Peruvian-Latin restaurant, which opened its doors on June 27, 2025. Located in UB City, RIKO brings Peru’s vibrant culinary traditions into the Indian context with a fiery, focused, and flavour-driven experience.

Guided by fire, heritage, and native ingredients, RIKO’s menu is entirely à la carte, divided into seven curated categories. It highlights bold ceviches, soulful open-flame grills, and modern reimaginings of regional staples. Each dish is crafted with intention, deliberate, expressive, and unforgettable.

RIKO (Spanish for delicious or rich) is rooted in Peru's diverse geography, from the Andes to the Pacific and shaped by Indigenous, Spanish, African, and Asian influences. Dishes feature authentic ingredients like ají amarillo, choclo, and lucuma, not as embellishments, but as the heart of each plate.

The concept is brought to life by The Kofteci Group, the team behind Oz by Kebapci, Kebapci, and Klava. Founders Aasim and Adeeb Shah share, "RIKO is not about mimicry, it’s about memory. We wanted to honour Peruvian and Latin food without dilution, with fire, soul, and story in every element."

Menu highlights include Bomba de Choclo, corn custard with aged cheese in a crisp shell, Ceviche de Mango y Maracuyá, shrimp with mango, passion fruit, and lime, and Pollo a la Brasa, Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken. The Arroz Bomba del Mar features saffron rice and seabass, while desserts like Cachapa con Miel, a traditional corn pancake, close the experience with nostalgic sweetness.

RIKO also introduces a no-pour, alcohol-free drinks programme focused on clarity and balance. Refreshing pairings like Brazilian Lemonade, Granada y Kion, and Agua du Fresco are designed to elevate the food without overwhelming it.

Interiors echo Peru’s natural landscapes through a palette of microcement, hand-laid stone, and terracotta. Highlights include a sculptural clay wall, red-hued booths under mirrored ceilings, and hand-painted murals of Peruvian leaves. A discreet library shelf filled with cultural objects further deepens the storytelling.

RIKO is more than a restaurant, it’s a sensory and cultural journey, grounded in authenticity and crafted for memory.

Fact Sheet

• Address: 2nd Floor, UB City, Bengaluru 560001
• Timings: Dinner Only – 7:30 PM & 9:00 PM (slots)

In a bold new chapter for Mumbai’s bar culture, Maikada, nestled inside The Shalimar Hotel at Kemps Corner has launched a narrative-driven cocktail experience titled ‘City on the Rocks’. This concept reimagines the classic cocktail menu, paying tribute to the pulse and personality of Mumbai through flavour, emotion, and storytelling.

Curated in collaboration with Good Times & Co., the menu celebrates six legendary neighbourhoods: Dadar Market, Chor Bazaar, Kala Ghoda, Juhu Beach, Bandra-Worli Sea Link, and Kemps Corner. Each cocktail isn’t just a drink, it’s a story in a glass, introduced through an experience card that blends emotion (like nostalgia, chaos, and comfort) with flavour cues (such as floral, citrusy, and spiced), and even a blind tasting element for added surprise.

Signature drinks like ‘Horn Ok Please’ (vodka with a ghati masala-honey cordial) and ‘Aam-chi 36’ (a tequila-based mix with mango, agave, and tajin) reflect Maikada’s commitment to authentic, spirit-forward concoctions that let bold local ingredients shine.

Complementing the cocktails is a thoughtful menu of small plates that remix regional favourites, from Mini Vada Pav with zingy pudina chutney to Chicken Tikka with mango-mustard glaze and Beetroot Sliders topped with candied orange.

Yash Advani, Founder of Maikada and the third-generation owner of The Shalimar Hotel, shared, “I’ve always wanted a bar that felt like Mumbai, loud in flavour, soft in the right corners, and never boring. City on the Rocks captures the city as we know it, not filtered or polished, but complex and full of soul. It’s chaotic. It’s home, just served with better ice.”

With ‘City on the Rocks’, Maikada has stirred up more than cocktails, it’s serving a fresh cultural experience rooted in the city’s flavour and spirit.