Restaurateur Dhiraj Arora settles comfortably on a low sofa and says, “Peace is always going to be in demand.” Arora is referring to his successful lounge bar, Shalom, that espouses the philosophy of peace and brotherhood. He continues, “In 2001 when I was running No Escape in Connaught Place, the vibe was more aggressive. In most bars and nightclubs there would always be a fight on Saturday night. That was the norm. That is no longer the case. The younger generation understands that peace is good and Shalom has contributed to that.”
Before the terror attacks in Mumbai last month, this kind of talk would sound like glib marketing spiel from a promoter in love with his own product. But suddenly this peace talk resonates, and touches. Arora says, “We want to create a one point stop for peace in Delhi with this brand and associated products.” And then adds, “People are understanding our message and are now looking for peace in everything and anything.”
For Arora, giving peace a chance was a business decision. Says Arora, “At No Escape, we used to get a clientele who came to just chill and they were also high spenders. So we thought that this was the market that was likely to grow.” Arora’s perception was proven right when Shalom opened its doors five years ago.
Says Arora, “Some people said that a name like Shalom, which did not play Hindi music, and the whole peace message for a bar would not work in a market like Delhi.” The capital’s partygoers back then preferred to patronise smoky clubs that played loud Hindi film music and served men who displayed a high levels of machismo. Peace was a word not easily understood in that segment.
But Arora’s formula of peace goes down even better with a glass of sangria, which we are sipping as we continue to ponder the same subject. Recalls Arora, “I used to enjoy sitting with a glass of sangria after the day was over at Shalom when it opened.” And Arora, who isn’t a frequent visitor to the kitchen, has decided to share with us the recipes for a mojito and sangria in keeping with the festive spirit of the year-end season.
Says Arora, “You get the best mojito in Shalom. We have a secret ingredient that no one has.” And then adds, “We make it with love.” About the sangria, Arora says, “You need to make it at least 12 hours before serving because that’s when its flavour really comes out.”
Love and peace may sound very 1960s, but with terror attacks becoming a grim reality for urban Indians, this message is gaining currency even among the hip set. With a glass each of sangria and mojito by our sides, the team at this paper wishes everyone a very happy, peaceful and liquid new year.
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FAVOURITE RECIPES
ORIGINAL SHALOM MOJITO
60 ml Bacardi
1 tbsp brown sugar
10 mint leaves
3 lemon chunks
5 ml mint syrup (Monin)
Crushed ice
Limca topup
Old fashioned glass
Pour the mint syrup first in an old-fashioned glass. Add the mint leaves, brown sugar and lemon chunks. With a pestle crush this mix well. Be careful to keep the glass on a table top, because the glass can break during this process if it is held in the hands. Add the crushed ice and Limca to this mix. Top up with the Bacardi.
SANGRIA
100 ml cherry brandy
10ml peach schnapps
10 ml triple sec
10 ml orange juice
10 ml sugar syrup
150 ml chilled red wine
Chopped red apple
Mix all the ingredients except for the chopped red apple in a jug. And then stir till it’s properly mixed. Add the chopped red apple right at the end. Keep for 12 hours before serving in a wine glass.
