Pre Diwali shopping at India’s biggest mall resulted in a lot of walking, checking out stores and queuing up for long at the billing counters. This left us tired and hungry and we took to Noida Bar Exchange, a bar cum restaurant at the same mall. The Mall of India is more than a shopping place as we keep stumbling at a host of activities that happen here. Take Smaaash, the gaming zone that provides great play options for the young and old. This fully functional play zone, another outlet being at CyberHub, has emerged as one of the most popular activity zones in Delhi NCR.

Given that Smaaash is a play zone, it is no surprise Noida Bar Exchange, the resto-bar inside Smaaash would also have a competitive twist. The drinks here are sold like a stock exchange. Their prices keep changing throughout the hours and are reflected on the monitor screens hung at strategic locations inside the restaurant. So if one is lucky, the customer may have to pay far less than the actual price for his/her favorite drink.

But otherwise Noida Bar Exchange is a fully functional restaurant with a salad – starters – main course – dessert menu. Among the starters we had Beer Batter Fish n Chips and Thandai Kebab. The latter dish was a first – Dahi Kebab with Thandai mixed in it. The Thandai flavour gave this dish an interesting character. The Smaaash Ceaser Salad, full of crunchy rocket leaves went well with the starters.

Among the main course, we had Dal Makhni, Choosa Makhani and Naan. The Dal was balanced and the chicken succulent. Every item was very down to earth and did not distract us from our splendid cocktails.

We had a coffee punched cocktail that probably was a punch of whiskey and coffee. Only mildly sweet, this had the right kick. But the Bloody Mary that we had here was just perfect in sour and sweetness and not overtly spicy that is sometime a bane in Bloody Marys in Delhi. Though we are not very cocktail people, this Bloody Mary was the best we have had and we are going to order this again next time we are at Noida Bar Exchange.

For dessert we had a slice of Red Velvet cake – hmm – not something we would recommend here.

Especially since the other food and drinks here are so much more yum at pocket friendly prices and decent environment. And not to mention a DJ playing nice popular music.

You really wouldn’t need to think much if you want to let your hair down at Noida Bar Exchange.