Getting Down and Dirty
Speakeasy bars were nothing but illegal drinking dens for the elite; mainly the elite because the men had to flaunt their ‘staches’ and the ladies had to wear their pearls somewhere! So back in the 1920s United States, when the prohibition was in full force, if you had the right connections, the right passwords, you could well be dancing the night away with a martini in hand. That is exactly the aura Olive has created with their new offering, The Dirty Martini. A quaint and rather romantic bar in the same premises, Dirty Martini winds up a tree and onto a rooftop that’s ideal for the weather, a vintage cigar and beautiful company. Olive as a brand has always put out the good stuff and with the Dirty Martini, it only gets better. Like a watering hole of yore, this nostalgia inducing hotspot is likely to see many a crazy nights, like the one we had at the Launch party last month.
So there you are, all dolled up, balancing a hottie on one arm and a cigarette holder in your gloved hand, you reach Olive and someone whispers, “the password is, “its dirty” and that’s when the intrigue begins. There is no sign upfront, no board, no name, just a nondescript, scrappy door with a man in a bowler hat and when he asks you what the password is, you say “its dirty” and he replies “it usually is”! Gobsmacked!
Damn, if it’s not the food, there is always drama to stop you in your tracks at the Olive. In you go, through a back alley, into the kitchen, a dozen commis hard at work, through a dingy corridor and into the ‘maha’ opulence of all things Olive; a gorgeous, elegant bar with a delicate blonde perched on a stool by a grand piano. Mirrored bar, service staff who are complete gentlemen and Chef Saby’s signature yummies, I love the Dirty Martini and I just got here! We go up a winding staircase, winding around a tree, the rooftop is perfect for Dilli winters, thread-work chandeliers, martinis in Shalimar patterned tea cups… how much more quaint can this get? Well considering I loved the girl with the bob cut, the European Gentlemen in 007 bow tie tux, the middle aged lady with the panache of a teen and all those fabulously preserved lovelies; this is a place I could certainly get used to.
Apart from all the dripping compliments, this is likely to be the kind of bar where people of a certain age will find actual peace – no teeny boppers, no DINK’s as such, just a bunch of people who want good liquor, good food and a fantastic place to enjoy them. We loved the Pork Belly, it was stupendous; in retrospect I wish we had kept a few portions stationed on our table. Loved the idea of hot dogs and burgers to reinforce real ‘Americana’ and to be honest despite the massive crowd that gathered as the evening gained momentum, neither the Chefs, the wait staff or the management showed even a smidgen of stress, which adds to the appeal, simply because everyone is in it for a good time. So the next time you are in the vicinity or grabbing a bite at Olive, take a look beyond and have your drinks at The Dirty Martini!
Congratulations and all the best team Olive!