Lahore’s Oxygen Bar and Green Tea Lounge promises not just one but quite a few breaths of fresh air. The brainchild of M. Irfan Khan, a bio-medical engineer by profession, the bar is a welcome addition to the few places in Lahore where people can go to unwind without indulging in food. Khan got the idea of opening an Oxygen Bar while he was in Singapore, where “it is a very popular concept,” he says.
As soon as you enter the lounge, the first thing that hits you is the different aromas. The next thing that catches your attention is the blue bar with different beakers containing coloured bubbling liquids, with three very comfortable-looking chairs in front. For a minute you wonder whether you are in a science lab, yet the aromas in the air will definitely dispel that doubt. The place, from the curtains to the lamps is tastefully decorated in earthy tones. With subtle lighting and soothing music playing, the ambience created is a comfortable one and guarantees ‘relaxation, restoration and refreshment’. Even though the place is small, it’s cozy not suffocating, like most of the retreats popping up in the city these days.
If you decide to try oxygen at the bar, you have 12 different flavours to choose from, including peppermint, spearmint, lemongrass, dewberry, apple, grapefruit and cinnamon. The only uncomfortable part is having the nasal cannula placed in your nose. The rest is easy: just breathe normally. Even though, it seems hard to believe that you can get a kick out of inhaling oxygen, it is true. You can almost trace the oxygen’s path in your body and feel the relaxation. Along with taking oxygen you can have your eyes and feet massaged while listening to soothing music.
Irfan Khan is flooded with requests to open oxygen bars in Karachi and Islamabad, something which he is working on these days. With the idea gaining popularity in the city and attracting the attention of other cities, we might see a positive change in the way that recreation is perceived.
i mean all it takes is a “oh o” and no more chinese laundry..
yes i’ve tried it.. its VERY soothing and refreshing.. but would rather have the early morning walk near trees.. see there isnt any replacement for the nature..
comparision with sheesha? hmmmmmmm.. i dunno. .. u cant really compare the sheesha with oxygen bars.. one is smoke+carbon.. one is oxygen.. state of mind is altered by both.. oxygen is lil safer, in comparision with sheesha..
see sheesha is more like SOCIAL gathering stuff.. u have a few drinks beside u, playing cards with buddies, (uncle community) discussing world affairs, canada kitna bura hay, hamaaray bachay kitnay buray niklaingay, job nay maan bahain ek kari huee hay, stuff like that..
oxygen on the other hand .. u put on that inhaler mask.. and u're by yourself.. even in the group-thing..
haan yaara.. bus kuch masroofiyaat thee.. aur phir jobain.. aur phir ahem.. samjha karo.. 
