I don’t often do reviews, although I do eat out a lot (anyone who has seen my Instagram feed knows that), but I was invited to try out a new bar in Juhu this week. I don’t often visit Juhu, not because I don’t like it, but because I am a little bit lazy to leave my neighbourhood. So when the folks at Copa asked me to check out their new bar and test out some cocktails I thought it was a good excuse to get out of my comfort zone.
The bar itself looks lovely; the outdoor area is relaxed, roomy and has the feel of a tropical courtyard. The novelty swings actually fit in well, rather than looking tacky. In terms of ambience, I really liked the feel of the bar. What was even more surprising, was that at 9pm it was already quite busy with a few large groups who looked like they were having a nice, relaxing night out. There is also an indoor area which is set up more for dining, but it too was pumping with people dancing and having a ball by the time I left.
As we were being hosted, I asked the manager to choose the house specialties to try. That way, I figured I would get a good feel for the bar. They first brought out a Red Velvet Cocktail, named after the ubiquitous cake that seems to be all the rage here at the moment. The cocktail was a gorgeous red colour, but rather heavy and sweet for the drink of the day.
Next up was a lovely fresh orange and peach margarita. It could have done with a touch less sugar, but was otherwise a nice little taster. From their “Molecular Cocktail” range came the Cotton Candy Cocktail. This was lined in cotton candy and designed to be “theatrical”, which just felt rather out of place in this casual bar. The cocktail itself tasted like a cross between saccharine and cough medicine, not something I would order again.
To be honest, I felt they were trying to be something they are not with the cocktails that were served. In my opinion, sticking to well done classics and focusing on serving good basic drinks would better suit this bar’s relaxed ambience. My best drink of the day was a simple vodka soda that went down just nicely thank you.
Thankfully drinks are priced reasonably with house cocktails starting at Rs295, making it a good option for a big night out on the town.
The food was not bad, with more hits than misses. The Old Monk and Coke Glaze Chilli Chicken was surprisingly tasty, and small bites of chicken tikka were succulent and well spiced. The hummus and tzatziki was also lovely and smooth, but the foccaccia fingers were soggy and looked out of place on the plate. The Double OH Tartine looked lovely (see the photo below), but it wasn’t to my taste. The spicy, cheesy sauce was tasty but the sweet donut-like bread it was served on didn’t really work for me, but my companion quite enjoyed it.
Overall though I felt the food was acceptable “pub grub” (as we would call it in Australia), snacks that work well with some drinks on a warm night.
The Verdict: I would definitely go back to Copa for the atmosphere. It’s a great place to hang out with a group of friends, enjoy some drinks and have a bite to eat. I would steer away from the cocktails though and stick to simple mixed drinks. I expect this venue will find its niche over time and become a great venue in Juhu to hang out.
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