All-Day Nightclubs

However,once the sun sets,the restaurant sees a dramatic change in clientele. Sober men in business suits and happy families give way to fashionistas in high heels and short numbers and guys in Ed Hardy T-shirts. The music,which is quiet rock during the day,goes up a few decibel levels,with a different genre being played each night. Welcome to Delhi’s latest trend in hospitality entertainment: the all-day club.

“We were looking to open a space which is great to hang around and also offers a holistic experience,” says Arfin Zukof,project partner at Rhino,who came up with the entire concept of Rhino and firmly refers to his “baby” as just a club,no night in sight. He adds,“We wanted a place which wasn’t intrusive or exclusive. We’ve worked on all the facets of entertainment — from the wining and dining to music and the general ambience. Right now,we only have live music during the night,but within three months,we want to have it during the day as well. This is to assure visitors the same experience,whether they are coming for lunch during the day or to party during the night.”

Rhino is one among several such spaces that have taken the night out of the nightclub. Sura Vie in Connaught Place enjoys business throughout the day and night. This is not only due to the fact that India’s favourite chef,Sanjeev Kapoor,co-owns the place and has designed its formidable menu,but also because of it’s lively music scene and decadent ambience. Club Czar in Saket,which offers India’s first fully automated bar system,is another such place. Despite its decidedly nightclub interiors,it continues to dispense food by day and parties by night.

Harem,a club-cum-lounge in the Garden of Five Senses,was recently relaunched as Harem Meeza,a dining and lounge space. “Food is something that is taken with great seriousness in Delhi and we felt the need to cater to that demand. So,we set up a la carte lunch and dinner menus. The response has been good. Interestingly,the lunch demographics are dominated by women who come in for lazy lunches or kitty parties,while at night,the ratio of men-to-women is pretty equal,” says says Ankur Sachdeva,co-owner of Harem Meeza. “People in the city are becoming very well-versed in culinary knowledge and want exciting new experiences,something different from the run-of-the-mill restaurants,” he concludes.