Sequins and Sangria

Visit The Turkey Project for the best sangria in Delhi!

By Mahima Agarwal 18:29 #food, food, food review

Tucked in a cozy corner of the Defence Colony DDA Complex {near Nizam's}, the Turkey Project is an underrated sangria bar + cafe not too many people in my social circle know about. Perhaps its location in a fairly quiet market doesn't let it enjoy the kind of limelight it deserves but I am SO glad to have discovered it soon after it opened.

The interiors are muted and minimal but noticeable at the same time owing to some fantastic pop art on the walls. It's your friendly neighbourhood bar minus the regular disturbances, like loud crowds and annoying music.

We started off with the in-house speciality: Strawberry and Bubblegum Cheese Tea. An unconventional beverage, served chilled, with liquid cream cheese floating on top and some cracker crumbs for crunch. It was sweet, tangy, refreshing and filling at the same time. The taste and texture felt similar to eating jello and icecream together!

Coming to the star-seller on the menu, Bombshell Betty is the indisputable queen of sangrias. A ball of frozen mix berry sorbet sits in a pool of red wine and berry juice, along with some rose petals and mint leaves for visual appeal. One sip and I knew that THIS is the cocktail that I {and my Instagram feed} had been waiting for.

Coming to the food,

For starters, my friend ordered Fricken, which was simply fried boneless chicken served with mayo and sriracha, and wasn't disappointed. I went for the Liquid Cheese Balls but wasn't wowed. I will however, definitely recommend the Aglio Olio spaghetti that is full of flavour and the thin crust pizzas.

We ended our meal with Cotton Cheesecake with a hefty dose of nutella and a cheese sponge that was light as air and melt-in-mouth. It is my second favourite thing on the menu after the sangria.

So head to The Turkey Project if you're looking for a simple, non-pretentious bar that does good food and great cocktails and isn't too mainstream {yet}.

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A post shared by Mahima | Sequins and Sangria (@whimsytales) on Mar 4, 2019 at 9:58am PST

A morning walk around the Rampuria havelis of Bikaner

By Mahima Agarwal 11:47 #travel, rajasthan, travel

Despite being fairly popular, Bikaner is a bit of an underdog compared to all the other touristic jewels that Rajasthan has in its roster. It is mainly because Bikaner is not everyone's cup of tea. Its simplicity can often be mistaken as dull and on surface, its narrow streets do lack the lustre of its monarchical past. But Bikaner's true strength lies in its architectural wonders that stand as proof of its culturally rich history. One of those happens to be a charming cluster of havelis, collectively known as the Rampuria Havelis in old Bikaner.

Once inhabited by the wealthiest of merchants, these havelis are truly a spectacle for architecture enthusiasts like me. Every door, every window is skillfully decorated, while displaying a mix of Rajput and European styles. These havelis that were once home to the affluent, have now been reduced to inaccessible, hollow beauties that only exist to satisfy photographers and Instagrammers. The properties are said to have been disputed, and a local told as that though its owners are settled in the city, the families do visit when there's a wedding in the family. Personally, it was really frustrating to not be able to venture inside these tempting old mansions.

I am leaving you with few of my favourite shots that we took during an early morning stroll around the streets, along with some quick recommendations on things to do after you're done explring the havelis. I hope you'll scroll till the end of the post!

Other points of interest

In the lane parallel to the Rampuria Haveli's, you'll also find a beautiful heritage accommodation that goes by the name Bhanwar Niwas that is about 90 years old. Unfortunately, we were denied entry to this intriguing haveli-turned-hotel but could easily observe the fusion of Indian and European architectural styles from its exteriors. The serene pastel pink walls are adorned with ornate plaster work featuring Victorian motifs, a style that is particularly unique to Bikaner and the surrounding Shekhawati region {read more about one of the most popular Shekawati towns here}.

Apart from that, you can walk to the famous Bhandasar Jain Temple that is famous for its wall paintings. According to a legend, close to 40,000 kg of ghee was used in its construction instead of water in mortar. I however had other priorities after exploring the havelis and went scounting for some desi breakfast. A quick google search later, my friend and I found ourselves hogging kachori and rasgullas at Bhikaram Chandmal near Kote Gate. It is your go-to place to buy sweets in Bikaner, along with the famous bikaneri bhujia as souvenir.

{Find more about all the things to see in Bikaner, where to eat and the best options to stay in the next blog post!}

How to reach Bikaner

Regular buses and numerous trains run between Delhi and Bikaner Junction Railway Station. I took an overnight train {Delhi-Bikaner Super Fast}, which took about 7 hours and reached Bikaner early morning around 7.30. You can easily hire a cab or an auto from the railway station to get to your hotel.

The nearest airport is at Jodhpur, about 250km from Bikaner.

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It's always wine o'clock at Mesa Bistro!

By Mahima Agarwal 10:22 #food, aerocity, food

Aerocity is one of my favourite places in Delhi to dine and simply loiter around. There is a certain degree of fanciness to it and I love getting pleasantly surprised by all the promising new restaurants that have opened up there. My latest discovery, the quaint and cozy Mesa Wine Bistro in Worldmark 3 is agreat place for a lazy brunch or an elegant evening alike.

Our server was an enthusiastic chap who helped us with the best dishes on the menu, and also picked the best wines that went with each course. We started off with a sparkling rosé called Fashion Victim Astoria, a very light, summery and fruity bubbly. Our appetisers included a bread and dip platter, spinach and cream cheese roll, and garlic butter prawns for my non-vegetarian company for the brunch: Mehak {ShadesofMoon}. I absolutely loved the crispy, buttery, flaky skin on the roll and the gooey cheesy stuffing: things got really messy but it was all worth it. Next up, our coca {a Spanish pizza} came with a flatbread topped with sauteed mushrooms, bellpeppers, and lots of cheese. It was slightly less exciting than its Italian counterpart but tasty nonetheless. It was accompanied by the second wine of the afternoon: the classic white Chateau Martinon Entre-deux-Mers {2018}, more sour than sweet, with tangy hints of lemon and spice.

Lastly, I had the vegetarian paella cooked in white wine with broccoli and asparagus, topped with crispy almonds and fried garlic. It was like the comfort food of the gods, definitely one of the reasons I'd be willing to go back to Mesa! Our third and last wine, the Spanish Rioja Vega Crianza 2016, was particularly memorable one..mostly because I prefer red over any other kind of wine.

The desserts were even more fantastic––we tried three. Madagascar is a true delight if you're a chocolate & coffee lover: think cocoa mousse with espresso icecream on the side. Chocolate and caramel sponge was exactly what the name suggests with a four layered cake and mixed berry sorbet on the side. My favourite however, was Poached pear alomond tart, the simples of them all. Crispy pie crust stuffed with warm peaches, with some mango sorbet on the side. My day was complete!