Tuscan Verve

Description: There was a time in Bangalore when Taika was the last word on coolness. No more. Tuscan Verve has a very urban, boutique-ish decor. The furniture is stylish and varied: iMac-style chairs, compfy couches, etc. The lighting changes over time -- red, pink, blue -- and it's perfect. There is no dance floor (it's a lounge bar, yo!), but as the night sets in you can find people grooving in the area close to the DJ console. They have a cover of 1000 bucks per couple on select days. You can use that for two drinks. Long Island Iced Teas are priced at INR 350, as are most other cocktails. INR 150 for a pint of beer. INR 150 for a pack of cigarettes (no Marlboro lights here; my fallback, Davidoff classic, was available). One gripe about the place: you have to pay as soon as you order anything. It's a PITA to sign every half hour or so. (Apparently, lot of people run away without paying.) The music's very good. Popular lounge music, and lots of hip-hop.