FTV’s F Bar in Chennai combines chic vibes, innovative cocktails, and global flair

Experience the high-energy allure of a nightclub intertwined with the sophistication of a luxury lounge at F Bar, Anna Nagar.

In the up-and-coming party central of Chennai, Anna Nagar, a new racehorse has entered. With a touch of global glamour, FTV’s F Bar brings an experience that intertwines the high-energy allure of a nightclub with the sophistication of a luxury lounge.

Upon entering the first floor of the bar, oneplunges straight into a high-energy nightclub. Two bartenders are busy mixing, shaking, and pouring drinks at request. The seating areas are decorated in black and gold with red accent lights. Golden Oscar-like statues are dotted across the restaurant, and Fashion TV is streaming on every screen. The second floor has a similar, yet relaxed setting with a pool table.

“When we got the franchise, we wanted to go above and beyond their expectations, so we got them to agree to the food and drink menus curated by us instead of going with the ones they suggested,” says Remus Yuvraj, head of operations. Their attention to detail comes through on the bar menu. The first drink we try is the signature cocktail Purple Heart, made with blue pea gin and a pandan-infused cordial. The fruity and floral notes are well-balanced with the bitters. “We make all our cordials in-house from scratch on a regular basis and batch the cocktails so we can be quick with service,” says head mixologist, Joseph Praveen.

After sampling a few cordials like fig and cinnamon, green apple, plum, and apricot, we move on to the F-tinis, which are the bar’s take on martinis. The Ruffle, made with gin, three-citrus cordial, and Thai bitters is strong and punchy. The menu is filled with quotes by fashion icons such as Rachel Zoe, Coco Chanel, Lauren Hutton, and more, offering inspiration for your next Instagram caption.

The food menu, at first glance, appears simple and straightforward, featuring the usual suspects like chicken tikka, malai broccoli, beer-battered calamari, paneer tikka, fries, and wontons. Upon closer inspection, however, we find intriguing dishes like the cream of popcorn soup, corn ribs, gochujang shrimp, nandu puttu, dan dan paneer, and more.

We try the cream of popcorn soup, mimicking the buttery, cheesy popcorn of every multiplex. It is also served with a chicken roulade. The Korean cauliflower, crispy and spicy, and pineapple sticks make for perfect bar snacks in bite-sized pieces. However, the chicken tikka bites served for the launch lacked flavour and depth. The bar also has a wide array of freshly baked thin-crust pizzas and main course options from multiple cuisines to choose from.

“The food might look regular on the menu, but we try to put a small twist on all dishes by using unique ingredients and flavour combinations,” says head chef, Siva Kumar.