Shisha closed doors on November 28 with the promise to regulars that it would be back soon as a ‘pub with a unique concept’. And it has kept its word. A month after the music died at the popular nightclub on 22 Camac Street, t2 got the first look of Shisha Bar Stock Exchange — a ‘technological tie-up’ with Bar Stock Exchange Mumbai.
A brainchild of Nikhil Bhambani, director of Shenaz Hotels Pvt Ltd, the parent company of Shisha BSE, the 4,000sq ft swag spot is completely delinked from the look and feel of the Shisha we knew. Cemented flooring, black ceiling, undulating brick walls, table fans used as lights to quirky graffiti — the all-day drinking place (open from noon to midnight on weekdays and noon to 2am on Friday and Saturday) boasts of a rustic and raw industrial look.
“I was at BSE in Mumbai when it struck me that we could get BSE in Calcutta. A lot of places here have tried introducing this unique concept but we were determined that if we get this we would get the exact format and technology,” said Nikhil.
What is the BSE concept?
The concept is primarily all about this software where the price of a drink that is being ordered the most shoots up and the one with less demand, drops. Just like a stock market works on demand and supply, the rise and fall of the price tag can be traced on the LED board, where there are 70 brands of liquor displaying the current price, the lowest price of the day and the highest price of the day. “The cool concept can also be availed via our app called Shisha Bar Stock Exchange that gives a live view of the BSE board. One needs to put in his table number while ordering for a drink and you will get a confirmation of your order with a summation of the drink price. Once that is done, our waiter equipped with a phone will get a notification about the table that placed the order. He will come to the person and re-confirm the order on his phone,” explained Nikhil. The app is now active on Google Play and very soon it will be available on Apple Store. The most exciting part is the Market Crash when “all prices crash” and the sound of a siren rocks Shisha Bar Stock Exchange.
The lowest price of Old Monk is Rs 30 (yes, you read that right),that can go up to a max of around Rs 120.
Pro tip: Place bulk orders to make the maximum use of the fickle rate.
Besides a foosball table, the place boasts of drinking games. Think Beer Pong, Jenga, table drinking games like Shots and Ladder, Chess and Battleships. “We are trying to build more involvement between our guests,”said Nikhil.
From high-raised chairs at the bar to swings and stools — sitting arrangements have been played with. “We have added a spurt of colour with colourful chairs and have kept enough leg space to move around,” added Nikhil.
Alcohol bottles hanging from the bar top to bottles fixed on one of the walls, the decor is consciously quirky, while the lighting is very soft.
Although the prime focus is on straight drinks, cocktails like 1lt LIIT, mojito and Martini are also available.
The DJ console will be manned by Bhavesh and Puneet. Expect hip hop, R&B, commercial, rock and retro to go with the ups and downs of the Stock Exchange.
The food menu is “very basic and minimalist”, focusing on filling fried finger food, wraps and rolls. Try the Curd Rice Fritters (above) and the Pyaare Mutton Seekh Kebab Roomali Wrap.
Text: Pramita Ghosh
Pictures: Rashbehari Das
