Ahoy, Matey!

Fresh off its reinvention of high-calibre seafood, Marcy's turns its sights to the seven seas of mixology with head bartender Divakaran as its daring captain.

- INDRAN PARAMASIVAM

DEAR READER, believe me when I tell you that it was love at first sight.

For years, I was told that Marcy's, the first opening by The PleasureCraft Group that also presides over two other establishments Parliament and Maggie's, was my kind of place. But life kept wedging into my schedule and my first experience there.

But on the occasion of its new signature drinks menu—Seven Sips for Seven Seas—I made the time to be present at and for it, and was greeted by the non-proverbial feeling of knowing that something is for you when you first encounter it.

Nothing is purely mise-en-scène here; the barnacle-encrusted chandelier that hangs above the bar; the maroon, rust, and green walls glowing richer beneath sepia-toned lamps, their vividity unlocked by low, sultry light; curtains and drapery of such welcoming lushness that it feels criminal to not reach out and feel the secrets they conceal in their folds; a melodically deluxe swell unspools from the speakers; an immaculately framed assortment of photographs, paintings, and trinkets that testify to a curatorial approach, gently compelling you towards an understanding that this is a space where life is lived fully and unapologetically.

Even before I take a seat, sip, or bite, I'm gently drawn into its rhythm.

Then, Divakaran, or Diva, as he's affectionally known at Marcy's, readies me for my seven-drink voyage through the bar's new cocktail menu.