What Malaika Arora drinks when she's at her Juhu restaurant: No-fuss infused waters and cold-pressed juices for immunity, healthy hair

Malaya Nagpal and Arhaan Khan. (Image: Moneycontrol)

Malaika Arora, who prefers tequila, mezcals and fiery picante cocktails for "the very occasional drink", adds she's "somebody who's more into stuff that is a lot more healthy and organic... I am not somebody who's very hot on juicing. I feel you kind of lose the essence of actually eating the fruit or the veggie (when you juice it). This (the hydration bar menu at Scarlett House Juhu) is not just about juicing. This is actually infusing our waters with good ingredients. Whether it's celery or aloe vera or chia seeds, or a hint of chili... there's cayenne pepper (in the Immunity Booster drink).

(Image credit: Rohit Mendiratta / The Matter Studio via Scarlett House)

(Non) Drinking culture

What do you drink when you are out with friends but want to avoid alcohol and sugary beverages?

"Water is fine," says Arhaan Khan when asked about the way his generation—he's 22, and squarely in the Gen Z bracket—approaches this quandary. This, of course, is also a generation that is popularizing zero-alcohol and hard seltzers with ABVs comparable to a beer or a wine (4 to 12 percent, depending on the brand) globally. (Compare this with times when nursing the same glass—of whatever hard liquor or cocktail you prefer—through the evening could feel more socially acceptable and less tedious than explaining why you would rather not drink.)

Perhaps the hydration bar is an interesting addition for this use case, though it would be a mistake to expect big or bold flavours on the menu here.

Consider, from the Scarlett House Hydration Bar menu: Calm Before the Storm, made with Aparajita or blue pea flowers, Veen water, lavender and Italian lemons. Aparajita flowers have been used in Ayurvedic infusions for purported benefits like memory enhancement, reducing anxiety and improving digestion. The tropical flowers—and their infusions—get their bright blue colour from anthocyanins or flavonoids that have antioxidant properties. Veen water is Himalayan mineral water collected in Bhutan. Lavender flowers grow in colder climate, and are known for their calming properties. And Italian lemons— sweeter and more fragrant than the typical nimbu you get from your regular vegetable vendor—are a source of vitamin C. Or, The Healer, a fragrant, if mild-tasting, infusion of Ossoro jasmine with tiny slivers of mango, pineapple and lime in Veen water.

Malaika Arora at Scarlett House Juhu. (Image: Moneycontrol)

Among the juice-based drinks, Soothe Bloating is a blend of cucumbers and celery with basil leaves, green apple, ginger, lime and—if all this didn't make it green enough for you—a bit of Moringa powder. There's also Healthy Hair, made with beetroot, kokum, pomegranate, watermelon, curry leaves and lime. Most of these ingredients are said to contain vitamins and antioxidants that can protect hair and promote hair growth. But without getting into the veracity of these—studies proving or disproving these claims are still few and far between—the drink itself feels wholesome. There's no added sugar, but the beetroot, pomegranate and watermelon make it palatable without making it heavy or clawing. Similarly, Immunity Booster—made with orange, black pepper, cayenne pepper, alma, carrots, ginger and black salt—feels satisfying without being sweet or too filling.

To be sure, you can whip these drinks up at home without difficulty—like Malaika says she does every single day. And the hydration bar here is not the first to offer infused waters in a restaurant setting—some restaurants put mint, orange roundels or cucumbers in the water they serve to all guests. These infused waters and juice mixes are also not the yummiest things you'll ever have. But where they stand out is in terms of context. For offering a choice when you want to hang out with friends but pass-up on drinking alcohol, sugary mocktails, or feel like you're denying yourself (not to mention having to explain yourself) by sticking to a glass of water.

If smoothies or coolers are more your jam, the hydration bar has a Malaika Arora-approved version of each. "Malaika's Short and Sexy Smoothie" is made with almond milk, vanilla extract, vegan protein powder, mixed berries, a home-made berry glaze, collagen, dates, cacao nibs, and chia seeds. "Malaika's Short and Slim Cooler" contains coconut water, pineapple juice, blue spirulina, chia seeds, ashwagandha honey and Himalayan pink salt.

Scarlett House Juhu seats 35. The 1570 sq ft ground floor space was designed by Nyishi Parekh of Splendour Living. (Image: Moneycontrol)

The hydration bar is also on-brand for Scarlett House, with its emphasis on a particular kind of lifestyle. "Scarlett House was a clothing brand initially and our clothing brand transformed into a wellness centre and then we said let's just make it a restaurant. We started like that but it's not a restaurant or a coffee bar. It's a way of living for us where there's a lot of attention to detail, whether it's the menus on your table, crockery, to the walls, to the music playing... everything has a purpose," says Malaya Nagpal, 25.

One last thing: If you can make room for one alcoholic drink, ask to see the 'Wishful Thinking' cocktail programme developed by Fay Barretto. The server will show you a board filled with letter, tell them the first word you see on the board, and they'll bring you a corresponding drink. Barretto, a Mumbai-based beverages consultant who also founded Mr. Bartender & The Crew, says the board is about evoking memories. Most of the cocktails err on the side of sweet and mild, some are served with Indian pickles, and at least one comes with a generous amount of chilli - a crowd favourite, from what this reviewer could see.