Lounge review: Ek Bar, Delhi

The new kid on the block is a bright, happy space with colourful walls of different surfaces, the token white brick wall, kitschy shelves, wild art, a spiral staircase, a funky chandelier and the mishmash décor that has become par for the course at all new hip places in Delhi. We chose a peg table overlooking the Defence Colony flyover but there were enough large tables with broad bright leather seats too; it’s a reasonably sized 48-seater.

The good

The cocktails. All of them. If you want to drink, Ek Bar is the place to go. Around a dozen of the cocktails are inspired by Indian history and culture, and they are highly recommended if you like Indian flavours in your drinks. I loved the Royal Indian Punch ( ₹ 500), served in a delicate floral teacup with a whole star anise floating atop a mix of whisky, kahwa tea and grapefruit juice. The wonderfully spiced drink would be perfect for Delhi winters if served warm. The Sher Singh ( ₹ 500), a tribute to Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore, had a vodka base and was topped with a date and sugar syrup, and garnished with apple and curry leaves. The Murabba Mule ( ₹ 500) came in a Moscow mule copper glass and was also delicious: vodka, home-made ginger beer and bits of aam ka murabba. An unusual cocktail was the Amulya ( ₹ 500), a tribute to the women who are part of the Amul dairy cooperative in Anand. The milk-based drink has dark rum, kesar badam milk and a garnish of cocoa nibs. Another must-try is the City of Nizam cocktail ( ₹ 500): gin, orange syrup and fresh turmeric. The ice, which is set in a katori mould, is embedded with a leaf of mace. As the ice melts, it releases the spice and flavours the drink. Ingenious.