Bar Palladio

I was searching for places to go in Jaipur and this Bar came up as one of the places to visit for drinks because of its Instagram worthy decoration so being a foodie, I definitely had to pay a visit to this restaurant cum bar. We finished our day tour in Jaipur before asking our driver to get us to this place. Our driver had a hard time locating the bar and google maps did not work very well within Jaipur.

When we finally arrived, we realised that it is actually housed within the historic Narain Niwas Palace Hotel so if you were getting a local transport, it would have been easier to give the hotel name to the driver. The hotel entrance was very grand resembling those old colonial mansions with a long drive-through and from the carpark, we accessed the Bar which was nestled within the hotel’s restored garden with wandering peacocks, mature mango trees and tented canopies. The entire garden was lit up with these beautiful Christmas lights and the canopies added to the romantic atmosphere

As you enter the main restaurant cum bar area, you immediately feel like you have been transported to a cafe in Italy. Inspired by the iconic Caffé Florian and Harry’s Bar in Venice, Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio designed and styled Bar Palladio with an Italian flare.

The centre of the restaurant is the main bar counter and some lounge seating for customers who are here only for drinks. The white flower motifs correspond to the white lounge sofas having a soothing contrast to the blue walls. The bar counter sits on a marble countertop with intricate designs and carving. This is totally an Insta-backdrop for social media addicts.

The main bar is flanked by 3 dining halls, 2 to the side and one long one just behind the bar. The one behind and the right has the same blue and white design but you can still see a slight Mughal architecture influence with the arched mirrors. The rooms are furnished with dining tables which is suitable for proper meals.

There is a smaller room on the left which is more like a private room as it is only able to sit a smaller group. This room is inversed in colours with white walls and blue flower motifs instead. This room is very refreshing and it was a pity I could not get a picture as there was a family dining in the room.

The restaurant served various Italian cuisine from the different regions of Italy and the menu is grouped according to regions so you can see pasta which is cooked quite differently between each region.

We were served by a senior staff and he was absolutely professional yet warm. It somehow brings us back to those old colonial times where customers were properly served and treated. Cutlery and utensils were placed with care and precision for a perfect dining experience.

We had the Venetian pumpkin soup which is very light in colour and in taste. It was not as creamy as the usual pumpkin soup we are used to but tasted more like a hearty pumpkin consomme. The flavours are light yet very delicious.

We had the Mediterranean salad which was very fresh with sweet cherry tomatoes, onions and cucumber. The salad was lightly dressed in olive oil and some vinaigrette so the overall taste was quite refreshing and natural.

The risotto Funghi had great consistency but it is also very light in flavours. There were a generous amount of button mushrooms which gave the rice an earthy taste.

The carbonara pasta was totally different from what we have expected as we thought it was supposed to be a cream-based pasta. Instead, the pasta was more of a soupy bacon spaghetti which was still savoury but somewhat disappointing. It felt like something you would cook at home when you ran out of the cream sauce.

The best dish we had was this roasted balsamic chicken with mashed potatoes. The chicken was very tender and the sauce was savoury and sourish from the vinegar but that made the meat extremely succulent. The mash was also soft and fluffy with a side of lightly blanched broccoli.

The washroom is located outside the restaurant on the right side of the building. The same chic design is extended to the washroom as well with a colonial feel to it.

Overall, the food is not super fabulous and just passable but the entire atmosphere of the restaurant is great as they have created a wonderful backdrop for beautiful pictures as well as a relaxing time where you can imagine yourself in Europe. They have a cafe under the same name which is decorated differently to give you different vibes while you have your afternoon tea.

Address: Narain Niwas Palace Hotel, Kanota Bagh, Narain Singh Road, Jaipur – RJ 302004 India

Operating hours: 6 pm to 12 midnight