Brigade Road is now home to a new gaming bar, called Loco Lane. If you are wondering what a gaming bar is, it is one with bowling alleys, dart boards and axe-throwing booths. Sounds like fun, so we visit on a weekday afternoon to beat the crowds and try our hand at the games.

Loco Lane is expansive and sports a carnival theme. Old-school Edison bulbs, neon signs and a 1920s-style decor bring it all together. At the centre is the bowling area, with seating on both sides and a well-stocked bar. Their mascot is a zebra, whose stripes you will see as a motif peppered through the place.

I take a seat by the darts table. As it is afternoon the place is not too full. Groups of college students and young adults are trying their hand at the bowling alley. We are told we should go axe throwing before we order our cocktails, because you cannot do that after drinking. Safety first!

I head to the booth, and one of the staff members shows how it works. The wooden board is at the end of the booth and your aim is to hit as close to bullseye as possible, simple right? It was not. I swing the axe with all my might, but it does not even reach the board. After a few tries, I get better, and it is time to head back to my table.

Menu talk

A selection of appetisers is brought to the table. I assume since it is a gaming bar, the food might not be their focus, but I am happily proved wrong. The pistachio brie baklava is interesting. It may sound like a dessert, but it is a surprise. Pockets of flakey pastry are stuffed with brie cheese, and topped with hot honey, parmesan shavings and truffle oil. We end up having two portions of the TNT prawns, that is served with a fiery housemade dynamite sauce. Think P.F. Chang’s famous dynamite shrimp, minus the copyright infringement.

To go with these, I opt for a drink called Bowling Blue. A mocktail this has fresh pineapple, kaffir lime leaves, coconut soda and blue pea tea. The coconut and pineapple combination is always refreshing, though the drink is quite sweet. If you want a cocktail, go for the Watermelon Wipeout, a vodka creation, or the Tantrik Tonic, a gin and coffee concoction.

Main course is rice bowls and their signature naanlets (baby stuffed naans). The former is nothing to write home about. The naan bites are served with daal makhani, and you can choose your stuffing, I try the spinach and feta ones. An interesting format for a familiar dish.

We go for a fun round of darts. The digital interface makes it fun to customise the game and play. I end the afternoon with a dark chocolate and hazelnut mousse. Served on an elaborate plate that has a built-in lamp, this one is decadent.

Loco Lane is ideal for group hangouts or first dates. The focus they have paid on food adds to the appeal of the place.

₹2,500 for two. At Brigade Road. For more details, call 9036053321