Back To The Future

Neo-Gothic Walls And Windows With Colonial-Style Furniture Recreate The Old-World Charm Of Yore At Gymkhana 91.

- Maria Louis

When your father has been catering for a gymkhana since you were three years old, you know how this institution could be like a home for its members. Bearing that in mind, owner Aditya Hegde always wanted to create a space that people could relate to on a daily basis. What else could he think of as a name for his first venture into the restaurant business? “I have seen how gymkhanas have evolved over the years – hence the name has always been close to my heart,” admits Hegde. Since +91 is the ISD code of India, Gymkhana 91 was born. A contemporary take on the charm of colonial gymkhanas, the restobar serves an eclectic mix of gymkhana favourites and global cuisine, including chopstick favourites from Japan and China as well as some American standards.

As soon as the interior designers saw the space, they realised it has a great frontage. “The site had all that it needed to be a forever-been-here gymkhana,” recalls Keith Menon, co-founder of Spiro Spero SA Private Limited. “It was rickety and there was a lot of work cut out for us, whether it was restoring the wooden roof or cutting out the skylight – but the potential was exhilarating.”