Rooms with a View

It’s not just the steaming cup of coffee and nibbles that gets city-based author Khushwant Singh head for Backpackers in Sector 9 every time he faces a writer’s block. Singh enjoys sitting in the narrow strip of the eatery,soaking in the brightly-painted walls,decorated with quirky photographs and movie-posters. “I’ve penned many works sitting there. The ambience works well for me,” says Singh. In a city plateaued with straight-line architecture and over-the-top interiors,restaurants and cafes are breaking the monotony with some quirky interiors. It’s also a far cry from the usual dimly-lit restaurants with their non-descript interiors and live ghazal singers. New restaurants in the city are well-lit,airy with thematic interiors and matching artwork and comfortable furniture to boot.

Take for instance,the Willow Cafe in Sector 10. If you feels like visiting the American countryside,this is where you should head to. With its light blue furniture,a terrace lounge that overlooks a park,comfortable upholstered furniture and prints of American countryside on the walls,it is the perfect place to head for for an informal meal. Likewise,Cafe Nomad in Sector 34 gives you a taste of the Middle-east with a Meditarranean dcor . For a European feel,check out Flamme Bois in Sector 35. “Ambience plays a very important role in determining the kind of crowd a café draws,” comments restaurateur Priya Jagat who owns the Willow,Backpacker and Orchid Lounge. Despite having a mixed cuisine menu,with emphasis on Indian food,the American interiors at the Willow Cafe,she says,appeals to the well-travelled crowd. “First impressions count,for they set the tenor of a place. So interiors are mood elevators,” reflects Karan Deep Singh Suri,owner of Flamme Bois,which has European fare to go with its cafe-like décor. “We never wanted a 100-150 seater,where only 50 guests would come eventually. The idea is to give people a personal touch,and not hurry them through their meals,” he says. With jazz and piano music in the background and personalised attention to details,you can while away time here munching on their wood-oven pizzas.

Architect Siddharth Gaind of Charged Voids,a Mansa Devi-based architecture firm,who has designed joints like Mirchi Kum,Hotel Pallavi’s contemporary lounge Lamhe in Panchkula and Sundaram’s in Sector 26,says,“There is a spurt in restaurants in town,and to stand out one has to rank high on the novelty quotient. This means you will have to bring something fresh to the table.” It’s also a reason why many restaurants are introducing merchandise on sale,including quirky posters,coasters and artwork by upcoming artists. “At a restaurant you not only pay for the food,but for the entire experience. So the ambience contributes a lot to it. One has to justify the expensive menu and the only way you do it is to ensure that the customer has a great experience,” he adds.

Interior decorator Annu Bains,who has worked on the looks of Wah Dilli and Yellow Chilli in Panchkula,feels that the new interiors are comfortable and not intimidating. Monica Singh,a housewife and a frequent diner agrees. “The yuppie college crowd is absent from these cafes and bistros,and it’s perfect for the 30 or the 40-somethings to hang out at these places with their friends without feeling uneasy,” she says.

Upcoming restaurants too are jumping on to the bandwagon. Cafe Oz in Sector 9,slated to open soon in the city,will reportedly have kitschy art on the walls like their Delhi outlet .

The newly-opened The Lobby in Sector 26 is designed like a posh lounge lobby with an exclusive private dining area,a Las Vegas themed fine dining area and an exposed brick-and-mortar effect in the lounge area. Managing Director Ashish Manchanda and his team has retained Le Corbusier’s signature style to draw in the discerning crowd. “An eatery has to be fluid in nature,it has to cater to the mood before the needs,and that’s why the interior design becomes paramount,” he says. Dig that in.