Cocktail rooms have long been having a moment in Jaipur and ever since city dwellers have been exposed to the magic that these bars can add to weekend plans and dinners, there has been no going back. I would date back this change to the launch of Native Cocktail Room four years ago in 2022. Ever since, the cocktail scene in Jaipur has only blossomed for the better. And a recent addition to the city’s competent repertoire of bars is Dupion Cocktail Room.
Perched above Taffeta, one of the city’s most popular all-day cafes, Dupion is chic, intimate, and exactly what you need when you want to linger longer over well-crafted and flavourful sips. I visited on a Sunday evening and left with a hangover that didn’t support me well through the Monday blues. Jokes on me, blame on the drinks!
Star Dish
I tried hard to pick a cocktail as the showstopper from the Dupion show but it would have been an injustice to how well the desserts were done.
Do you read the menu forwards or backwards? Well, I am a part of the backwards club. I read the dessert tail of the roster much before I arrive at the small and large plates. And Dupion’s compact section didn’t look very promising at first. However, that did not really stop me from ordering two of the three desserts from the menu.
And one of them, the khubani noor tres leches, had my jaw drop to the floor. It was just as creamy, indulgent, and sweet as I like my tres leches to be— which is rare. The soft sponge soaked in three-milk infusion, layered with khubani or apricot compote, and finished with whipped malai and pistachio dust. Out of the five elements, the compote added the least while the malai added the most value to the dessert.
The sponge of the cake was just the right amount of airy for a tres leches and the milk and malai paired perfectly with it to leave you impressed enough to call for another serving.
The other dessert I opted for is worth a mention too. The noir pistachio cloud paired two of the most iconic ingredients— pistachio and chocolate to deliver a dessert from your dreams. The dense and decadent chocolate fudge brownie was layered with pistachio kunafa and topped with a hearty dollop of mascarpone and pistachio compote. Easily the second best serving from the evening. Ofcourse, after the tres leches, that won by miles.
Food Menu
The menu at Dupion, curated by Chef Gurbaj Sandhu spans from Pan-Asian preparations and Mughlai small and large plates to Italian classics. I played safe for my starters. The asparagus, cream cheese sushi was my choice. Average. And if you are a sushi lover, be sure to find better options in the Pink City. While nothing was jarring on the palate, the cucumbers were easily avoidable. The fireleaf veg gyoza stuffed with Chinese cabbage and bok choy was exactly how I like my gyozas— crisp on the outside and soft, well filled inside. Have to say, it was a tad bit spicy for me owing to the chilli dusting and the sauce it came with. All in all? A good pick.
I had eased into the meal after the gyozas and next up went for their version of the Burmese khao suey. I regretted. The dish came without condiments like peanuts, fried and spring onions, fried noodles— things that allow you to customise your khao suey just how you like it. While I enjoyed the coconut forwardness of the broth and the noodles were well cooked, the absence of the condiments was enough for the dish to not work for me. I would give it a pass.
From pan-Asian plates to a Burmese bowl, I now wanted to move to the Mughlai offerings from the menu. Too much cottage cheese is what I spotted while skimming through the menu. This is when I realised that Jaipur is yet to experiment with vegetarian fare like Delhi or Mumbai is. The city is yet to experiment with cauliflower, artichoke, butternut squash, and asparagus instead of paneer! That aside. I enjoyed their katafi dahi kebabs and rajwadi kesari paneer tikka. If you are looking for something familiar, done fairly well, then their kebabs and tikkas make for good options. Special mention to the dohra khumb tandoori florentine, a smoked mushroom preparation that would be refreshing for the vegetarians amidst the paneer overload on the menu.
Drinks Menu
To the drinks now. The menu is inspired by the Silk Route and is a journey across continents and centuries. From the courts of China and the deserts of Central Asia to the markets of Persia and the spice ports of India, ingredients that once travelled with caravans shape each cocktail on Dupion’s menu. Designed by Jeet Rana, the bar program features thoughtful, inventive, and flavourful sips that Jaipur is still warming up to.
Since umami is what everyone is talking about, I went in with their umami cut. The gin-based drink featured soy and sichuan cordial, sesame oil, and akarkara tincture. As suggested by the server, it was one of their bestselling cocktails and for all the right reasons. Saffron silk was the second pick . The highlight of the saffron-ketal-vodka-based cocktail was the notes of basil. It also features tomato and pear liqueur and everything came together to create a sip worth every penny.
Finally, I concluded with the deadly combination of mezcal and wine. Nut and nuance. Featuring mezcal, bianco vermouth, and pinot noir, the drink featured notes of pandan, orange bitters, and celery. After kaffir lime, pandan has come to become one of my favourite cocktail ingredients for the complexity of flavour it houses. More than anything, this drink was testament to how one can create nuanced and well-balanced sips with many ingredients, provided they are crafted well.
Vibe Check
Finally to the space. Dimly lit with the only source of light being the dazzling bar, Dupion does justice to its cocktail room status. The clean interiors encourage an intimate and quiet time with your loved ones. If it were me, I would position it as a perfect date spot. Not a place you would visit with family or friends but one where you would like to spend an uninterrupted time with your loved one. If you are planning with friends, don’t expect a high energy place but one where evenings and conversations may last a little longer than planned.
If you are planning a visit, be assured of a good time paired with an innovative range of cocktails and a food spread that might turn out delicious, if the picks are right. A hit or miss of that front, I would say.
Read more: Chutneys Alone Are Worth A Second Reservation At Nadoo
Also read: The Midnight Monaco At Top Banana Comes As A Creamy Slice Of Nostalgia
