Drink Up at a Price of Your Choice – The Stock Exchange Restaurant
How would you like paying as low as AED 30 for a Long Island Iced Tea at one of the most happening and ‘it’ places in Downtown? Sounds amazing right? This is possible at The Stock Exchange Restaurant located in the beautiful Roda Al Murooj.
Revamped with a whole new food menu, this place is filled with creative drinks and culinary delights. As Chef Pradeep proudly states, “With Stock Exchange, we moved a step forward from creating art on the plate to blending artistic drinks in exquisite looking glasses that will first impress with their presentation, and then definitely with their flavors. But we also made sure our valued customers get the best of both – drinks and food in one place, so we decided to introduce a whole new imaginative menu that will perfectly pair up with your drinks.” And we all know how much we Dubaiites love packaging, right?!
The concept is quite creative too. Just like the prices in a stock exchange fluctuate based on the demand and supply of stocks, the prices of drinks here too change based on their demand. There are tickers and screens all over the place displaying prices of their drinks list. All you need to do to place an order is download the restaurant’s app on your smartphone, where prices get updated every 2-3 seconds, and order as soon as your favorite drink is available at your preferred price.
Friendly tip: Prices fall when a drink is not ordered for 15 minutes. And once you have nailed your price, order as many as you can possibly down!
The Stock Exchange Restaurant has a lovely outdoor area as well, overlooking the quiet lake within Roda Al Murooj. Thanks to their screens showing live sports, this one is sure to turn into an adrenaline filled football stadium. But party animals can rejoice, because their lovely DJ Candy plays some of the best party mixes combining Desi and Pop number, transforming the indoors seating area into a dance floor.
Open from 7 pm until 3 am, the place picks up at around 10 pm on weekends. But you know when to get the best prices right? *wink wink*
I am still reeling myself back to reality from the amazing Friday night at the Stock Exchange Restaurant. And honestly, I can’t wait to get back. All in all, it’s the perfect spot in terms of location, concept, prices, food & drinks variety, music and definitely their hospitality!
Go there! You will love it!
Jacked Up
We went off to a strong start with Jacked Up. The presentation and packaging was top notch right from the beginning of our menu preview at The Stock Exchange Restaurant. Served in a Tiki styled glass with tons of dry ice smoke revealing the funky faces on its façade, this drink was “jacked up” with strong Jack Daniels, Gin and Midori, and muddled with sweet pineapple juice, tangy lime juice and sugar syrup to top it off. The drink had a unique strength to its texture which went so well with its exterior look. The men in my party loved this drink, quite masculine that one. But the women were pretty impressed with the sweet and sour pineapple lime flavor. Quite feminine too!
https://youtu.be/IwjGS4VY0fM
Here are a couple of really cool before and after shots of the Jacked Up cocktail at The Stock Exchange Restaurant in Roda Al Murooj.
M0jito
The Mojitos at The Stock Exchange Restaurant, I must admit, were two of the best I have ever sampled across the city.
The one in the foreground is the fresh and sweet Passion Fruit Mojito. Now you should know how much I love this fruit. It’s my first choice whenever I order a drink and I was quite surprised to know that the mixologists guessed it just right. This one was muddled with fresh passion fruit, lime, Bacardi white and topped off with lemonade with a garnish of fragrant mint and halved passion fruit.
The one in the background is the slightly tangy, slightly sweet, but completely fascinating Mixed Berries Mojito. Combining the best of berries – raspberry, blueberry and strawberry, this one too comes with a mix of lime, white rum and some fizz topped off with a garnish of cranberries and a spring of mint.
Chilli Cheese toast
Have you ever tried the iconic Chilli Cheese toast on the streets of India? This slightly French-inspired Chilli Cheese Baguette at The Stock Exchange Restaurant in Roda Al Murooj will take you there. After our first round of drinks, this crunchy cheesy pieces were the perfect appetizers to munch on (and soak up all that we downed).
A little spicy, a little creamy, these buttered French baguettes are topped with jalapenos, black & green olives, green chillies, peppers and coriander roots, followed by lots of cheddar. They are grilled to a golden crunch under a salamander until all the cheddar melts into a cheesy goodness.
To keep that heat going, the toasted bread is served with a spicy peri peri dip and a side of slaw to cool things down.
Aloo & Cheddar Tikki Chaat
More street goodness at adorned our table in the form of this Aloo & Cheddar Tikki Chaat. The classic aloo tikki got a very cheesy twist in this lip-smacking treat. Bursting with a host of sweet-spicy-tangy flavors, this appetizer features aloo patties laid over a bed of crispy white peas and topped with a trio of chutneys as well as crunchy aloo salli (potato sticks).
What’s this trio of chutneys you ask? It’s the combination of sweet yogurt, spicy chilli mint and tangy tamarind chutneys.
Oh and let’s not forget the hero of the plate – the aloo tikkies. These were such a star, I could have had them just by themselves and still been more than satisfied. A mushy mix of mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese, spiced with onions and green chillies, these patties were fried to golden perfection flaunting a crispy layer outside and creamy delights within.
This was our favorite starter, until we moved on to the next ones… read on to find out…
Vodka Flaming Breeze
Another show was on the cards with the Vodka Flaming Breeze at The Stock Exchange Restaurant. Flaunting a very cool blue hue, tinted with Blue Curacao, this Vodka based cocktail came mixed with flavors of lime juice and sugar syrup. The lovely flaming glow lit up in a halved lime filled with Absinthe perched on top of a layer of crushed ice highlighted the perfect union of fire and ice.
Once the flame was put off to let the crushed ice take over, flavors of green Absinthe made their prominence felt along with a slightly tangy curacao and a hint of sour lime.
https://youtu.be/5YfTI-n7iTA
If you are one for theatrical fancies on your plate (well, glass), you should definitely order this one. But even if you’re not, well what harm could a little fire trick do?
Tiramisu Delight
At The Stock Exchange Restaurant, the drinks just keep getting better. So much so, that you wouldn’t really need to order a separate dessert to eat, when you can actually drink it! And what could possibly get more better than a boozy Tiramisu, right?
This dessert drink, the way I would like to call it, or the Tiramisu Delight (the actual name) offers a rich and creamy taste and looks just perfect in a martini glass. Combining all the dessert liqueurs and spirits, this delightfully bittersweet cocktail features Baileys, Kahlua, Amaretto, and of course, espresso coffee.
The top might look like it has been flambéed, but that’s just a really generous dusting of espresso.
Thanks to its creamy texture, it might get you full pretty quick. So reserve this to your last round of drinks.
Mirchi Imli Lamb Chops
Not a lamb person, you know that. But when Chef Pradeep has crafted a dish, it has got to be absolutely stunning. These Mirchi Imli Lamb Chops are cooked for four hours, which makes their meat so tender, it just falls off the bone. Just before serving, they are flash fried and coated in a glaze marinated which combines the tanginess of tamarind pulp and the spice of red chilli paste. This glaze makes that crispy coating so irresistible.
The chops are topped with amaranth seeds and a squeeze of lemon and served alongside one of the most delicious fries I have ever had. These Blue Chips, the way The Stock Exchange Restaurant likes to call it, are tossed in blue cheese for that creamy texture and garnished with coriander leaves.
Even though I loved that lamb so much, the next time I am just going to order one large portion of these fries to go with my Long Island. Oh, and yes, the Long Island is served in quite a quirky style.
Desi Galouti Slider and Desi Aloo Tikki Slider
By now we had realised we couldn’t really call one dish our favorite most, because well, every dish on the menu had something so special, so unique in its creation, it deserved a standing ovation for just being there.
Who doesn’t love sliders? And since the regular bread is so mainstream, The Stock Exchange Restaurant decided to add a little color to their burger buns. These black and red sliders feature one of each – Desi Galouti Slider and Desi Aloo Tikki Slider.
The former sandwiches a melt-in-your-mouth lamb galouti kabab along with onions, lettuce and a tangy mint chutney.
The latter packs in an aloo tikki with onions, lettuce, mint chutney and a very special BBQ sauce.
It’s very common for gastropubs to serve large-sized burgers, conforming to the “Beer & Burger” standards that give you a feeling of being stuffed even before you reach halfway there. But The Stock Exchange Restaurant is not one to stick to conventions. They take the whole bar bites concept a step ahead by offering really bite-sized versions of food so you can enjoy more variety without feeling too full.
These tiny burgers are served with ketchup and mayo dips and very freshly prepared crispy fries enhanced with Peri Peri chaat masala.
Russian Spring Punch
For the next round of drinks, we added some sparkle to our glasses. This Russian Spring Punch combines Sparkling Wine with a little Vodka, a hint of lemon juice and some sugar syrup. Poured over a spring of red berries, the taste of this cocktail is further enhanced with Cream De Cassis.
Light, sweet and sparkling, it is the perfect drink to raise a toast. Check out the fizzle and all that sparkle in the Russian Spring Punch at The Stock Exchange Restaurant in Roda Al Murooj.
https://youtu.be/QTvLF6wDdEc
Bloody Berry
While certain drinks like Bloody Mary are so right for brunches and day time drinking, The Stock Exchange Restaurant serves a slightly tweaked version of this classic (in addition to the actual one) – called Bloody Berry. No points for guessing why it is called so!
This light and refreshing cocktail starts with Water Melon Vodka and Galliano, and is flavoured with Elder Flower Syrup, red berries and red currants. Don’t miss the pretty mixed berry garnish on top.
I personally loved this drink. It was so me. I particularly asked for something fruity and sweet and the mixologist got me just what I would have ordered off the menu. This would make a good starter drink or even a second or third one!
2 Minutes Noodles Pizza
2 minutes is often enough time to whip up something delicious. Especially when you are tipsy and want something to munch on real quick. Chef Pradeep very interestingly highlights this quick concept with two of the most favorite dishes we have grown up eating and been madly in love with.
Combining two smart dishes that always come to our hunger rescue, this 2 Minutes Noodles Pizza at The Stock Exchange Restaurant features the famous two minute noodles, spiked with chatpata masalas and spread over a pizza base. This dish is further brought to life with tak-a-tak sauce and a very generous topping of mozzarella cheese.
This pizza, with noodles on top (who would have thought that, right?) was truly love at first sight and first bite. Order this. You must. I insist. I am honestly craving this so bad, I am heading to my kitchen right now to try and make a modest version of this yummy pizza on a sliced bread. But order the 2 minutes noodle pizza. Even if you’re not tipsy!
Dubai Sunset
This was our 4th round I guess, but we were not really counting anymore. Very locally named, this Dubai Sunset was a pictorial representation of colourful, breathtaking, Insyagram-worthy sunsets of Dubai deserts. Maybe I was just imagining this in my head, but kudos to this Gin and Apricot Brandy based cocktail, laced with orange juice, pineapple juice and tonic water, for taking me there.
Not too sweet, not too light, it was quite refreshing.
What goes along with sunsets, other than deserts? The beach of course! The other drink in this round was the classic Sex on the Beach with Vodka and Peach Schnapps blended with orange, cranberry and lime juices, and some sugar syrup.
Long Island Iced Tea
This one looks as strong as it tastes. You guessed it right! This funky-quirky tiki styled mug houses the very famous Long Island Iced Tea. Now we all know the contents of this signature drink which include a little of everything from Gin, Rum, Vodka and Triple Sec to lime juice, sugar syrup and Coca Cola. The Stock Exchange mixologists, however, make this classic so much more contemporary with their style of serving.
Friendly tip: It’s quite a large serving that one. Perfect for when you are half-way through your evening.
Kala Khatta Daiquiri
This one was the outright favorite. Just thinking about Kala Khatta brings backs wonderful memories of ice lollies (baraf golas) and slushes from the roadside vendors in India. While no one can really replace that exquisite tangy-sweet-sour-spicy taste; the Kala Khatta Daiquiri at The Stock Exchange finishes at a close second.
This non-alcoholic mocktail combines tangy black currant pulp, with sweet sugar syrup, sour lime juice and spicy black salt to create a drink that is out of this world. I would give them a little scope for improvement and maybe wait for a more smoother version served over crushed ice. But if you want this to be a little boozy, just ask them and they will make sure you get your tipsy fancies met.
Van noodles
How about adding some street food to the mix? Popular in various cities in India, and commonly known as Van Noodles, this version of the dish with Chilli Chicken comes packed in a press. I am referring to the steam iron lookalike which doubles up as a serving dish for these noodles.
Perfectly matching up to the roadside flavors, these noodles come with corn starch coated boneless chicken thigh pieces, mixed with peppers and lots of spicy seasoning.
I am just impressed how every aspect of the new food menu at The Stock Exchange Restaurant has so much detail put into it – right from planning the concept of the dish – to the flavors and the spectacular presentation. It’s a wonderful ride, this one. And who better than Chef Pradeep to design it!
https://youtu.be/ebvMBGq0E8o
Keema Pao
The last food course, well just before dessert, was the very famous and very delicious Keema Pao. Where on one hand I keep running away from mutton chops and other bone-in mutton dishes, when it comes to mince, I am all game.
This classic, just like the one in next-door Jodhpur features tender slow cooked lamb mince that’s infused with strong ginger-ginger, spicy green chillies and onions, and flavoured with cumin seeds and green coriander.
It gets even better with the butter seared pao bread on the side. Don’t miss the lachha onions and the very hot whole green chillies.
I would recommend this dish hands down any day. Every bite of that buttered bread with a little lamb mince makes you go mmm… It is just that comforting. If you are a meat eater, you should definitely order this.
And as for vegetarians, let’s just hope they can replace the keema with the pav bhaji mash from Jodhpur, and then life will be absolutely perfect.
Dark Chocolate Rum Ball
To end our palates with something sweet, we were given a mix of something hot and boozy. Drama took a new high in this Dark Chocolate Rum Ball. Right from the presentation to the creamy chocolate, this dessert spelled exquisite in a way that very very few can match up to.
https://youtu.be/CkiIVRtOxFs
The rum ball is made with a mix of 70% premium French Valrhona Chocolate 70%. Plus there’s the chocolate sponge cake and obviously some Rum. The dark chocolate ball in bound in chocolate sauce and surrounded with more Valrhona sauce.
The fun part though is the serving. Once placed on the table, this dessert is flambéed with dark rum around the plate that gradually drips into the chocolate sauce.
Trust me on this, you shouldn’t leave without trying this dessert. The chocolate is so creamy, so rich, so velvety, it just melts in your mouth like a dream.
Volcanic Lamp
This was undoubtedly the very grand finale of our Friday night out at The Stock Exchange Restaurant. Yes, its been a week and I still cannot get over all their deliciousness.
The Volcanic Lamp, as it is so rightly named comes in a tall carafe with lots of dry ice smoke at its base. The wine glasses around the carafe are filled with mixed berries. The golden glow in the cocktail comes from White Wine, Cider and Lemongrass Vodka which is mixed with sliced apples.
The Stock Exchange Restaurant
Location: Roda Al Murooj, Downtown Dubai, Dubai
Contact: 0526759985
