PARC ESTIQUE - LAVA

Although it’s raining these days, the winter chill is definitely near. The hunt for tempting kebabs and grilled goods is a seasonal favourite. One option is Parc Estique’s Lava, which serves Indian kebabs and grill on the rooftop. The seating is at the poolside, with a spectacular eyelevel view of the city, which is more appealing during the evening. The spread, they say, is different from regular kebab and curry places and their USP — Indian preparations with a continental twist. These select few ‘different’ preparations are Grilled Paneer Oregano Caesar Salad, Cream of Tomato Rasam, Tandoori Pesto Veg, Fried Haryali Kadak Sheek, Kerala Style Salmon Shrimp Cake, Broccoli Saag Paneer Lasooni, Prawns Steam Pilaf, Hot Ginger Orange Filled Strata and Old Monk Choco Mousse. Within this repertoire I first tried the Cream of Tomato Rasam (Rs 150) which had an interesting peppery taste and the Fried Haryali Kadak Sheek (Rs 230) was really unusual as the minced vegetables were cooked on a sheek first and then filled with cheddar cheese dipped in a crispy batter and deep fried. The Kerala Salmon Shrimp Cakes (Rs 380) tasted good, the only disadvantage being a slight sogginess, since they could have been bound better. Further down a different road, the Broccoli Saag Paneer Lasooni (Rs 280) was an interesting combination of elements, coming as minced broccoli cooked with saag including chunks of paneer. The Paneer Tikka Masala (Rs 260) and the Broccoli Saag were both pretty tangy. Their dessert menu has good options. The Hot Ginger Orange Strata (Rs 180) is like a lasagne which may be an alternative to a pudding. But the steal of the night was the Old Monk Chocolate Mousse (Rs 150). It promises the presence of the old chap in a good quantity bestowing that necessary punch, which goes down well with the chocolate. Moreover, it comes preset in a nice red wine glass! There were some issues with receiving the wrong dip and its delayed service, as well as when I felt forced to skip the tangy main course, as rectifying it would have taken too much time — the constant waiting and waving for attention was a bit exhausting. This place is recommended for those with plenty of time, since I spent two and half hours for a three-course menu, which gave me the luxury of watching several synchronised landings of the airplanes from the airbase nearby. I’d say apart from the food, the ambience and view is pretty great, head there when you have time to spare for a long meal.

PARC ESTIQUE

Near Giga Space,

Viman Nagar, Nagar Road

SPICE LOUNGE

Any good food needs ‘spice’ to enhance the flavor, aroma, taste and distinctiveness. There are terribly few foodsthat include no spice in any form. The use of the word as a theme point manages to attract a pretty extensive clientele, that succumbs to the exotic undertones in its usage. There is a quite a unique medley of Indian and Oriental cuisine at Spice Lounge. The ambience and the menu are completely contrasting, but the description of the food mentioned in the menu and actual food brought to the table are thankfully not. Though they have a well stocked lounge bar, their soups are even more inviting. Manila Sinegong is a soup with stir fried vegetables and diced chicken along with a poached egg. It comes in a nice coffee like mug and the taste is simply brilliant! It’s simplicity lies in the limited usage of unnecessary sauces and thickening agents. The tempura and chicken satay are true to their roots, while the mushroom cheese tikka is quite different and pretty appealing as well — the cheese is stuffed in the pocket of the mushroom and covered with a piece of capsicum, onion or tomato and spiked with spices. The Vegetable Saigon Hakka Noodles are flat noodles prepared similarly to the way normal hakka noodles are, with the only noticeable difference being the use of turmeric. Korean Star Anise Rice is another must try for — the rice is sautéed with star anise and cooked to give out a unique flavour, served with a sauce preparedfrom soy, chilli and oyster. I suggest you not try it with the prawn combination like I did, since they, along with the oyster sauce, overpowered the aroma of the star anise. Apart from the above, the Murtabak (veg stuffed pancakes), Kung Perrini salad, Peppercrusted Escabecha Pomfret, Mutton Stir-fry Bumbu and other Indian preparations also sound like some good options. Quantities served up are great, as is the price which shows no compromise on the quality. Inspite of it being averagely priced, one can find an ample use of exotic vegetables. Another suggestion would be to ask for your preparation to be made less oily, as you'd probably want the flavour of the spice to remain and not be inundated in grease. A four course mixed me al for two could amount to Rs 750.

SPICE LOUNGE

34, 35 Akshay Complex Off Dhole Patil

road, Pune-1

Tel no 020-26138941

KROSTINI

Pune has seen outlets for every street-snack, ranging from frankies to the sandwich combo and burger joints. There was a wave of dosa joints as well, which subsided, and I heard of biryani outlets too. The fast food market inspires such singular variable products to cash in on. But just because coffee proved to be a money spinner, it isn’t necessary the formula works for the rest too! Another place here to try their luck is Krostini — with a ‘K’. Crostini and Bruschetta are two Italian appetizers more or less defined as finger food. Bread is a staple diet of the region and reinvents itself in various avatars, of which bruschetta is well-known, while crostinis are now finding some identity. There is not much of a difference between the two, as one is consumed in central Italy while the other is sub-regional. At Krostini, on J M Road, 25 per cent of the menu is theme-based, while the rest is composed of salads, pasta, sandwiches, wraps, desserts and eggs, confusing me a bit about whether to go with the theme or order like it was a regular hangout. From the eight options available, I tried out the Exotica Krostini and Mushroom ‘n’ Basil Krostini. Both had a distinctive taste, in one the mushrooms were tossed in a basil sauce, while the other had thick long strips of zucchini and peppers topped with cheese. The similarities lay in the overthickness of the slice of baguette. You get three pieces of crostini a plate, averagely priced at Rs 59, all of which serve the topping and the bread in an almost equal proportion. Had this been a 70:30 proportion, it may have appealed more! The Krostini Special Salad was unavailable due to an expertise crunch, while the substitute ordered — the Greek Salad (Rs 59) was overpowered by onions against how it was described in the menu as containing bell peppers, black olives and feta. The wraps (Rs 69) needed some zest as the filling was bland and oily. Chocolates, muffins, teacakes and cookies are the saviours here. At the end of the day, it is a good concept, showcased nicely and just needs focusing on variety and more of a permutation-combination with ingredients. Currently, the demand is quick service and these changes will definitely light up the theme, which if implemented more tactfully, can give tough competition for other bread-based fast food places.

Krostini Restaurant

3, Anant Chambers,

Jangli Maharaj Road

OLENT

The oil spill certainly hasn’t deterred the consumption of seafood at least thet’s the scene in Pune restaurants. The initial reluctance that lasted for the first few days, has been replaced by people flocking to places serving seafood, reminding me of the commonly believed theory amongst non-Puneites, that seafood served here is not of exceptional quality. The over-flowing crowds at sea food restaurants on weekends, however, manage to suggest the contrary. The substantial demand and easy accessibility to raw materials has set the seafood business booming. Olent, meaning scent or fragrance is a new place that not only serves seafood but the regular spread of veg-non and veg items as well. It’s an idea that could pay off as most places serving the regular family dinner fare have few seafood options and here, non-seafood favouring family members can enjoy their meal too. I’ll focus on the seafood, as the menu is quite vast. They have segregated the preparations fishwise, so you have Malvani, Manglorian, Tawa, Masala, Goan, Maratha, Kalwan and some Southern Coastal styles. In seafood, pomfret, rawas, surmai, bangda, kane or lady fish, crab, halwa, prawns and tisre or shell fish are all on the list. Lobster, squid and other varieties are missing and so are regional styles of preparation other than the south- Indian ones. This seems to be the only drawback of the place. The Achari Surmai Tikka (Rs 220) comes in good portions. The tangy masala is well coated around the meat. The same goes for the large Tandoori Pomfret (Rs 220) served with an amazing beetroot carving, as well as the Crab Soup, the base of which, is similar to sweet corn soup but has generous portions of crab meat to flavour it. You can ask for your choice of seafood to be used in your Biryani (Rs 150) which makes it different from other places. Lastly, one should try the Prawns Puli Munchi (Rs 210) with Appam or Neer Dosa (Rs 30) — it is absolutely delicious. There was no room to manipulate the gravy. The flavours of tamarind, mustard seeds, curry leaves and the spice of red chillies blended perfectly. It tasted fresh as if it was prepared upon order. The good things about Olent are the quality of the seafood, value-for-money quantities served and the availability of the non-seafood menu as well. Every family member’s gastronomic desires are fulfilled under one roof. The ambience is simple yet trendy. Now, when most seafood places are packed on the weekends, you know where to take the plunge!

1195, Sushila

Apartment,

Shivaji Nagar,

Ghole Road,Pune

Phone: (020)

65012244, 65000874

KOLHAPURI RASSA MANDAL

The styles in which different foods are prepared across the globe often have common threads. The cooking technique can be similar, the ingredients used could overlap, but the spices do change from region to region. This was the primary thought that dominated my mind after visiting the Kolhapur Rassa Mandal. The French cook their basic sauces such as aspic or demi glaze by reducing meat stock and then further thickening it with a mixture of butter and flour called roux. The same procedure follows for stock or broth which are then made into soups or consommé. The rassa prepared at Rassa Mandal is a dead ringer for the above preparations. The only difference is that a thickening agent is not used here and of course it has its own original style of preparation. The similarity is an absolute coincidence! Here, meat chunks are boiled along with pounded coconut and spices, regionally called a vatan, to form the pandhra rassa which has the flavour of the meat (either chicken or lamb), while the tambda rassa is prepared similarly, the only extra addition being select red chillies along with spices. Not only is the flavour of the meat incorporated, the fat content which rises to the surface is what every customer digs. There is absolutely no use of red colouring or of a thickening agent used, which again is a true sign of the simplicity and authenticity. The menu has three basic thali preparations, in either Chicken (Rs 120) or Lamb (Rs 130) which come as masala, fry or rassa. It is accompanied by a freshly-prepared onion-curd raita, 10-inch wide, soft chapatis or bhakaris, pulao and an unlimited flow of the two rassas. Also available are Egg Curry, Gavran Kombadi Masala (Rs 140), Mutton Lonche and Dum Biryani (Rs 130). Pure vegetarians, keep yourself at bay as the meaty aroma floats through every nook and corner of the place. That sure doesn’t mean that vegetarians are left hungry here, if they can bear the smell and drop in. The Veg Thali (Rs 60) is pretty good and comes with a Besan Puri and Papad as additions. The Solkadi (Rs 15) here, thankfully, has a balanced flavour and no overdose of garlic. Disadvantages may be felt by selective customers, because of the cramped family room, seating arrangement, ambience or delayed service. But if all you want is to try a fiery, rustic, homemade style Kolhapuri preparation and savour the aromatic rassa (or broth as the original English culinary term for it is) you know where to head now. Amongst the long list of overhyped Kolhapuri joints, the rassa at Rassa Mandal is just something else.

Shop no 30,Vijaya Chambers,

Hingne Khurd,

Opposite SBI,

Before Santosh Hall,

Sinhagad Road,

FIRANGI PAANI - Koregaon park

I tend to find most pubs similar to each other. Each place has good music, flowing liquor, finger food and of course, dancing! However, after visiting Firangi Paani, my prejudice no longer exists. The ambience and atmosphere scored! Fortwo things I’ll remember this place a while - the interiors and the variety of spirits served. Firangi Paani is a replica of an English pub. A large oil painting of a typical English party, antique arms and accessories are fitted onto velvet walls, leather upholstered chairs, lots of polished wood and a turning model ship is part of the ambience. An extensively stylish bar is packed with Scotch, wines and other imported liquor along with Indian made-foreign liqueurs. Bartenders serve an ecletic mix of cocktails, including a variety of maritinis, daiquiris and margaritas. The dancing floor is next to the bar, wellequipped with a DJ console playing great retro music (when I visited). The seating area is huge and spacious. Though the tables are kept fairly close to each other, privacy is maintained. There’s also a large variety of food to go with your drink. Among the list offering American, Lebenese, Mexican, Italian, Oriental spread, the Fish ‘n’ Chips are a house favorite. The Stuffed Crust Pizzas kept up to their name. Californian Potato Wedges are innovative. Instead of the regular frozen, ready-tofry wedges, potatoes cut in wedges along with the jackets are gratinated with cheese and served with a dip. I found the raddish and mayonnaise dip most appealing. The Pastas and Barbecued Chicken and Jalapeno Burger is filling and tasty. Normally the food takes a back seat in pubs; it’s an afterthought to our main motivation to go there - spirits. Here you are surely not let down. By the way, while glancing through the bar menu I found that the options for whisky-based cocktails offered here are more than any other place. Also, there is a huge variety of glassware used to pour out the cocktails! Well, whatever the occasion, the mood, the company, this maybe a best place to unwind. Couples, friends, families, executives heading straight from their offices and even individual patrons looked satisfied with their share of experience at this English spirited pub.

FIRANGI PAANI

3 rd floor, Jewel Square Mall,

Koregaon Park,

Pune

020-41224890

TAWAAH

I remember while working at a star hotel in Mumbai, guests used to flock around live stations every Sunday for brunch and feast on chaats and parathas. Though these preparations are available outside in abundance and at much lower prices, the satisfaction of gorging on street food in hygienic conditions in unique. It’s also difficult to replicate the same taste. Tawaah is a hygienic take on the Indian street-side food joints. This pure vegetarian place is clean and tidy, replete with shiny steelware. Six chutneys are arranged for as universal accompaniments. Out of them, the chilli and mint chutney should be tried for their strong flavour. The menu has few items on the list, but with much variation. The parathas are eight inchers and are stuffed generously. The covering remains soft for a long time, which suggests that an experienced hand has mixed the dough. Accompaniments with the paratha are appealing — the Dal Makhani, in particular is delicious. The Bharwan Moong Chilla, a thick dosa made from moong dal, filled with spicy paneer and cheese, this is truly filling. Direct preparations off the tawaah include a Mushroom Kheema Pav, Pav Bhaji, Appams with White Stew and Paneer Kathi Rolls. Sarson da Saag with Makke di Roti is pure and unadulterated. There are only two options in tawa pulao category — one with Hara Masala and the other with Tamatar and Paneer. The latter may be a better option as the former is low on taste despite including methi, spinach and coriander. To accompany the tawaah khana are Jalebis with Rabdi, Malai Lassi as well as Chai and Coffee served in earthen pots. If you’re going to compare the price with regular street food, you’ll find it pinches the pocket. The average price per food item is around Rs 80, with portions large enough for one person. However, do keep in mind the high standards of hygiene and quality of ingredients used here. The service is fair and sometimes a bit too attentive. Tawaah is what it promises — crisp, street food, in a more upmarket ambience and better hygiene.

1,Park Plaza

755/1,

Near Kamala

Nehru Park,

020-65108667

ORGIA - Nal stop

Pubbing in Pune is no new phenomen o n now. And with newer and newer places opening up, the few that have been around for couple of years, are steadily scaling heights. Pulsating music is generally the only demand from such places, but Orgia manages to tickle the taste buds too. It has the usual suspects — a swanky bar stocked with domestic and foreign fluids, a DJ console, a dance area and ample seating space surrounding the dance floor and in the mezzanine as well — a good option for couples as the music is lower than at the main area near the bar. All this nestles comfortably in a cozy space, as a first glance at this place from the outside gives the impression that it is rather diminutive. Once you’re in, you’re in for a surprise. It is a common myth about pubs here that the food appears to be of a lesser priority. I had the same prejudice in mind. When asked, they provided me with two menus, one was an afternoon menu, while the other a regular, evening one — suggesting that the place not only a night-spot, but is open in the afternoons too. Instead of following the regular order from soup to dessert, I settled down with a couple of starters. Among these, the Korean Barbecue Chicken, Chicken in Plum sauce, Thai Chilli Chicken and Tandoori Garlic Bruschetta are definitely worth trying. Though all the sauces that are prepared in-house are appealing, the breast meat used in the tikka is a disappointment. The thigh meat they use, specially in the starters tended to be succulent and juicy. The Tandoori Garlic Bruschetta had been recommended by the establishment and I was told that it was an original invention that they had started three years ago. A large, roasted n a a n doused witha butter-coriander- garlic spread and topped and gratinated with processed cheese, it is a sure shot hit on the menu. Prices are marginally high but do not forget that there is also the ambience and music up on offer, as the place does not take any cover charge. When sports fever hits, the place changes from a lounge bar to a sports bar with live action displayed on a huge LCD screen next to the bar. I was happy to be proved wrong yet again for being judgmental about food served in pubs. For some time out to catch up with friends or relatives and to savour the gorgeous cocktails while enjoying lively music and finger-licking food, this is a great place to head.

ORGIA

Shop No-3, Soba Mansion

Mehendale Garage chowk, Erandwane,

Pune – 4. 099 60619477

CASA LOLO - Kamal Nehru park

Street food has always been popular, no matter what part of the world the cuisine is from. The taste of these quick-moving items is unbeatable and cannot be recreated in lavish kitchens. In Pune too, street food from across the world is available in different parts of the city. This week I decided to take a look at Casa Lolo, which specialises in Lebanese street food. As Haka noodles are to Chinese cuisine, shawarma is to Lebanese. I have always loved this vertical barbecue, for the way the spit whirls the meat around non-stop. The grilling apparatus itself is a nice display; it’s fresh and gives the feeling of (relatively nutritious) fast food and the flavours that waft through the air with the smoke, immediately ignite hunger. There’s not too much to choose from the menu. Your options are basically the Shawarma Roll, Falafel, Grilled Arabic Chicken (similar to the tandoori chicken but marinated with different ingredients) and Hummus Plate. Casa Lolo also serves pizzas which are made made home-style, but it has a thick, toasted base. Maybe the reason behind this is the double cooking that the base undergoes in a makeshift electric tandoor. Anyway, the place is best visited for its shawarma, hummus and pita breads. The taste of the meat here is mild, with the flavour of onion and tomatoes. It also tends to cool pretty fast, making it a bit chewy. The day I visited, the machine was not revolving properly, which resulted in the same meat being cooked at different temperatures. This also holds for the pita breads, as they are held in front of the fire merely for few seconds and tend to become hard soon after they are placed on the table. The base of lettuce or cucumbers or cabbage (the way other joints make the shwarma) was missing. This is substituted with pickled beetroot and carrots. If there’s any vegetable you’re used to in your shawarma that this place doesn’t serve, don’t worry — the hummus and garlic mayo fills up all gaps. Falafel here is well flavoured with coriander and garlic along with raw chickpeas which are deep fried. And the hummus (which is made from chickpeas blended well along with tahini paste), I felt was lacking olive oil and tinge of lemon. Casa Lolo is a good place to grab a wholesome middle-eastern experience at any time of the day. Not at all heavy on the pocket (average price is Rs 60 for a meal for one) it is definitely a fulfilling experience. The best part of this street food is that you don’t have to rub shoulders with the crowd while eating — you can sit back and savour it!

CASA LOLO

Off Bhandarkar Road

Opp Kamala Nehru Park

Also at Aundh DP Road and

off NIBM Road

BY THE WAY - FC road

Fergusson College Road is one of my favourite streets in the city. The fact that several new places keep opening here, just adds to the attraction. By The Way, which has recently opened up, manages to steal a few glances. This could be because of its bright white exterior, or then perhaps it’s the name. It looks like it’s an old British establishment, what with waiters that accessorise with suspenders and a typical flat cap. The morning menu goes very well with this theme. They serve omlettes, waffles and pancakes, but after noontime, they have a desi twist going for them. The attire of the waiters remains the same but not the menu. The lunch and dinner menu has a little bit of everything including Thai, continental, Oriental food, pastas and Indian cuisine. I visited in the evening and decided to try their continental menu. The Veg Ceasar Salad (Rs 130) and Italian Bruschetta (Rs 90) were the first on my list. Surprisingly, what I received didn’t quite fit the description mentioned in the menu. That was followed by an exhaustive series of events that included checking, re-checking, apologising and replacing the dish. Out of all the choices I had, I decided only to inform the manager about the absence of romaine lettuce from the Ceasar salad and that the bread of bruschetta had not been grilled (as was promised in the menu). But it was the Indian food that brought back my joy of dining here. The Cheese Murg Tikka (Rs 140) stuck to its description, while the Paneer Makhani (Rs 150) and the naan were delectable. The naan is unbelievably soft right until the last bite and the makhani gravy was doused with heavy cream, khoya and butter. By The Way also serves an Arabi Chicken Biryani (Rs 170), which is according to them is supposed to be the original biryani. The description read layered biryani but at the moment of truth I found it to be a mixed pulao variation of the biryani. However, the taste did hold up—with a sweetish tinge and generous sprinkling of slivered almonds. For dessert it was the Chocolate Bomb (Rs 150) that I decided to try. Melted chocolate inside a spongy cup cake, I wondered about the taste of chocolate sauce for a bit, but then found that it did go very well with ice cream.

11991A, F.C. Road,

Pune-4. 020-25531511

BIGHDEY NAWAB - DP road

When Quick Service Restaurants or QSRs started making their presence felt in India around the end of the last millennium, no one could have imagined how rapidly the phenomenon would spread. Western cuisine is always associated with QSRs and in the last decade, most international brands have established themselves in this field. So whether it is coffee, burgers, pizzas or sizzlers the average Indian has ample options and destinations to choose from. Bighdey Nawab on the other hand is probably an unusual entrant into this category, as an intrinsically Indian option that serves rich, creamy, nawabi cuisine in a highly stylish manner. This place I refer to in the category of QSRs, since it is evident from their interiors, menu card and exterior visibility. It has a takeaway option, delivery services as well as a dining area. There are combo meals which are very reasonably priced available here too. Shorbas, starters, saalan (referred to as a main course), biryanis, kathi rolls and dessert occupy the rest of the menu. I was quite surprised to see a huge variety being dished out from the small, yet well-planned kitchen, visible through a glass window. The menu is as good as a fine dining restaurant, while the kebabs, be it Kakori Kebab, Dahi ke Kebab or Nizami Fish Tikka, had an awesome taste and preparation. The Tomato Shorba, Paneer Kundan Qaliya and Murgh Kurchan were other equally good options. Another thing that definitely deserves a mention is the presence of khoya in the gravies they prepare. One may find the gravies served here similar to any other place, but the difference lies in the quality and the quantity of khoya being used. Khoya was used extensively in Lucknowi cuisine to augment its richness and is in recent times best used to thicken the gravy. The gravies you may savour here have no excessive masala in them, nor do you feel the presence of too much khoya. The ingredients are used aptly and cooked delicately too. The perfectly balanced gravies accompanied by a moist Subz Biryani make an excellent combination. Their Shahi Tukda and Phirni is greattoo! The prices are reasonable (the abovementioned preparations suffice for 4 people for Rs 1200). Apart from the dining, there are small combos for 'chotey nawabs' too. Daawat-e-lunch is a set meal for the executive clientele. So while this Nawab may not really be ‘Bighdey’, he sure does serve up some glorious cuisine from the past!

10, Dhole Patil Road,

Shop no. 7, Near Nalini

Co-operative Hou. Soc.

Opposite Kapila,

020-26058655/ 56, 9673273448

SIIIP- Prabhat Road

Pronounced ‘Seeeeep’ with 3 I’s, this is a hatke bar among many in the city. The coffee fever seems to mellow down as, this season demands fruits first. Firstly, the concept of juice started years ago, with senior citizens stopped to sip on unheard of ‘health juices outside parks early in the morning. Now, juices have become a ‘healthy’ trend and have found a place in small eateries with vibrant decor. Juice bars are slowly making their presence felt in the city, almost par with the many cafés. Allergic to hot beverages, Siiip is not only a juice bar, but a salad bar too. This makes it a new concept. However, it doesn’t have an option of helping oneself to a salad mix one would like, as done in bigger hotels, where we can make our own salads. Maybe, it’s in a testing phase as it wants to judge the mindset of the customers and how the themeis welcomed. That’s why included in the menu is this unique saviour, which safe bet to give them definite business — the grilled sandwiches! Then there are freshly squeezed juices with no addition of sugar, power boosters, shakes and freshly p u l p e d smoothies. Everything here is fresh. No pre-pulped bottles or squashes. You can see this as the kitchen is across the counter and almost fully visible. There are interesting combinations such as carrot and orange salad, walnut and fruit pasta salad, banana and jam sandwich, hot apple and cinnamon sandwich and mixed fruit grilled sandwich. The seating is low, compact but comfortable. The infusion of vibrant lighting and dark black upholstery gives the place a classy look. Finally, the critic’s verdict — the salads are the best. Among them, the crunchy sprouts and Caesar Salad is filling. Apart from the moist croutons (on top of the Caesar Salad) nothing was wrong. There is a good variety in the types of sandwiches, but as this is a salad bar, expect lettuce in every sandwich. Again, the desserts have fresh fruits accompanied bycream or ice-creams.Average prices for the health boosters which include aloe vera, tulsi, bitter/bottle gourd, is Rs 30, while the opther items are priced between Rs 60 and Rs 110. So, next time you think of having some salad, juice or fruits, try taking a siiip of this!

SIIIP

Ghodke Plaza

Near Prabhat Police Chowki

Off Prabhat road

AVEES - karve road

Very often people form opinions about a new place based on its size or location. It’s

only after a reference from someone they know who’s tried it, that they might themselves go ahead and visit, which also means they have certain expectations regarding the aforementioned location and size of the restaurant. However, of late, several small eateries that serve quality food have sprung up, in spite of dealing with a space crunch. Today’s restaurant falls into that set mould. One glance suggests ‘tried and tested’ food and a look through the menu could well verify that thought. But then, one may argue, any menu is more than just a list of food items. But the pattern here is relatively familiar — a certain item followed by variations of it. It’s only when the food does arrive that it’s likely you’ll begin to build up an appetite. One bite into the fresh meat eases concerns that it may be a bit over-priced. The Tandoori Prawns and Mutton Sheek Kabab here are tender and flavourful. Avees has a variety of fresh fish, with King fish and baby Surmai being their specialties. Their Chinese food is also tempting — a version of the commonly-found Manchow Soup has a brilliant, un-common taste. The noodles which accompany the Indian version of this soup are freshly fried and served, the freshness of which small detail came as a pleasant surprise. When asked, it was revealed that they are prepared only as and when needed, as opposed to frying in bulk in advance, which is definitely appreciable. In Indian food, the Vegetable Soni Subji and Vegetable Chatpata are different from the usual vegetarian fare. The rotis here come in several varieties and amongst those, the Delhi Naan (required to be perfectly crisp), goes down rather well. The Biryani here is made dum style and the chicken was good too. Every item was diverse as we went over the menu. The texture of the meat gravies came from a fine, thin paste made from cooking fresh pounded masalas. There was no danger of the common permutation and combination scenario we have with basic gravies, which normally end up having that thick, heavy consistency. No gravy overpowered the flavour of the meat, which was a blessing. A meal for four would cost around Rs 1500, including five courses, of vegetables, seafood and chicken. Apart from just one other restaurant, this is the only place on Karve Road that serves fish. Considering the weather, I’d suggest you head here for hot kebabs and of course, the fresh seafood.

AVEES

6, Swaroop Complex,

Opp Ranka Jewelers,

Karve Road,

Pune 411004

020-25410708 /

0808

AHOY! - Aundh

Ihave mentioned the number of small eateries sprouting up in every corner of the city, however I didn’t mention how patrons are generally hesitant to trying out these. In dialogues with the owners and the customers, I found out that in spite of a fabulous concept, it still takes a lot of time to raise the footfall. Initially, customers often think twice before a first time visit, but a glance at the menu should clear all doubts about a particular outlet. Ahoy impresses with the contents of its menu. Though the list of items on it may sound familiar, the preparation is not. For instance, the potato skins served here are house-made with a crisp outer layer; the smooth, sof f e e l of melted cheese and the smoky buttery flavour is a surprise. Rest of the starters which are all deep fried, excluding barbecued chicken wings. Then there are the salads, pasta salads, hot dog, steak burger and even a BLT (bacon lettuce tomato) sandwich. The specialty here seems to be the pasta, as the vegetable lasagne was delicious — its sauce had the perfect tang, an even consistency and the flavourful veggies delicately layered between sheets of pasta were very filling. However, the minced chicken in the Bolognaise pasta wasn’t evenly incorporated in the sauce. lacked the even incorporation of the minced chicken into sauce. If the the chicken was finely chopped with a pair of choppers, lumps of cooked chicken in the sauce would have vanished. There are exciting options to choose from their entrees — Chicken Stroganoff, Chilli Con Carne (spicy Mexican minced lamb stew), Chilli Sin Carne (vegetarian version of chilli con carne). However there are few other options for vegetarians. The Carrot Cake with cream-cheese icing spectacular. The softness of the cake, richness cream and crunchy flavor is awesome. Ahoy is definitely a place to visit for the taste of its food, you’d probably rave about the price as well. I say with conviction that a meal for two including a starter along with a beverage, salad, two pastas and dessert would cost less than Rs 500. And then you’d probably have to take home the leftovers!

AHOY!

Shop No. 1, Madhav Memory, Next to Deluxe

Laundry,Kotbagi Hospital Lane, Aundh,

Pune 77988 26203

YOLKSHIRE - Karishma society, kothrud

Restaurants dedicated to a single cuisine are in abundance in Pune. When ever you think of Italian, Chinese, Thai, Lebanese,Irani, or other such location-specific foods you’ll have at least couple of options. Now, things have gone even more specialised. This time in the case of ingredients. While there have been small joints that evolved around idli, momos, frankies, wraps and the like, Yolkshire is the first eatery which deals only with eggs. The trend of eating eggs only for breakfast has changed. There are and were places which specialised in all-throughthe- day egg preparations, but this place stands out, more appealing if only because of its name. The interiors are very well thought out with frames showing various egg-related monuments, landmarks and graffiti. The menu is divided into two — one for morning and the other for evenings. At the moment, they are serving 10 different styles of egg all day. Pastas, burgers and sandwiches join the array in the evening. Each preparation is accompanied by toasted bread slices, baked beans and potatoes. You have a choice of asking for your dish to be made with the entire egg or only egg whites. This time around I do not have much to criticize about the way the food was prepared. After all, I’ve been told that along with tea, eggs areamonst the first things that people learn as first-time cooks. It is easiest to cook a boiled egg, then a half fry, scrambled, masala and poached eggs. So, by visiting yourself, you can find out which taste suits you best. I would like to mention that a few mastered preparations such as a glazy crescent shaped folded omelet, puffed up frittata, a classic French toast, Scotch eggs or any variation of the egg-nog added to the list would definitely set the bar high and give the customers more exposure to the various preparation styles of eggs.

Maybe all of these are in the pipelines as it is an early stage for Yolkshire — their promotions read Beta testing chota pricing”. Visit this completely new concept café and see if it turns into a r‘egg’ular hangout!

Yolkshire

Karishma Society

Off Karve Road

Kothrud,

020-41308801

SMOKIES - NIBM road

Along with fine dining restaurants, leisure dining is also gearing up in the gourmet circuit. On one side you can enjoy the swanky cutlery, crystal clear glassware, uniformed service and culinary art on the plate. While on other side, where you need to unwind yourself from the stressful day in a style and vibrant atmosphere, this is the place you can head. Being a brew house itself is an added advantage as you have surprise tap beers introduced every week. This day it was the Belgium wheat beer which was being tapped. There are other variants too such as lager, wheat, and cider. I surely missed out on the dark roasted malt one which they had some time back. Coming to the idea of the place, you would be welcomed by a huge blown-out balloon shaped icon of theirs, which is a rocky mountain brown bear. As the name suggests it has barbecued preparations on the list along with some oriental stuff, and a bit of continental and Indian array. In-spite of being a brew house, oriental and Indian food remains to charm the customers here. So, that’s why the menu is influenced more to suit the Indian palate. Among the starters that we had, the Masala Cheese Spinach on a till Naan Pizza was definitely an innovation. The base is actual naan that you get, but the twist is that it is rolled out raw, topped with flavoured spinach and cheese and then baked as a pizza! The best part — even if you’re glued to the on going match on the large screens and this starter happens to cool down, you can savour this in bite-sized cut portions, as it doesn’t get chewy unlike a regular pizza. But it was not same with Mozzarella Sticks and Prawns Tossed in Red Dry Chillies as the latter happened to be chewy and the former not being so stringy and completely melted. In the mains, the Spaghetti with Meatballs happened to score another goal for, a completely balanced pasta sauce and tender meatballs. Having opened just a week back, some preparations are not available yet. I wanted to try the Kakori Kebab! But definitely the ambience, the atmosphere, freshly tapped beer, smoking hot barbecue food, whoa! It needs only a superb match to compliment such an arrangement! If you’re planning to come over here, make prior reservations otherwise, you can also have the liberty to stand and cheer all the way till the end of the match. That would also be a worth visiting! Smokies Brewhouse The Corinthians Boutique

Hotel Nyati County ,

NIBM Annexe, Pune-411060

COPACABANA - Jagtap Dairy

Ihave observed that people visiting restaurants are of two categories, those open to trying out new places and those who are devoted to the tried and tested. The latter, have their own reasons for their loyalties and can’t really be faulted for their lack of adventurous spirit. But often, they seem to be disillusioned or misled about originality, and therefore stick to a single option. But then, at the end of the day, the originality is only secondary to the tastes that restaurant offers, and if thats impressive, any patron will become a regular. Copacabana is undoubtedly one of the biggest stand-alone restaurants I have visited, whether for the spacious outdoor seating, vibrant indoors, a fully loaded retro lounge bar or the aqua scenic banquet area (which is truly fascinating). The restaurant serves global cuisine, mainly far Eastern followed by a bit of Lebanese and Mexican appetizers, a few Mediterranean and a pan-Indian array. Having taken several mintues to go through the menu, we finally selected varied preparations - an Italian Bruschetta, Spicy Tamarind Prawns, Paneer Shaslik Sizzler and Spanish Paella. The bruschetta was tangy, I guess because the olives carried the excess brine (the solution in which they are kept). The Spicy Tamarind Sauce was very tasty, but the taste had not infused with the prawns as they had been cooked separately (they turn pink and get a rubbery texture) and later tossed together with the sauce. The Paneer Shaslik was truly amazing — the paneer was true to its taste. A variation on the original, but it won my heart. Finally, there were few things which put me in a bit of a dilemma while judging this place. The theme was only restricted to the ambience. The staff waiting on us were in Hawaiian attire, but the menu did not reflect this region. I also wondered why, when the menu had such a huge variety to choose from, the dessert section was literally ‘deserted’ with only two items on the list. Whatever my verdict may be, the place manages to attract crowds. The lounge bar seems to be very promising for the youth, and the rest is a perfect family getaway! It doesn’t matter which category you are looking for, it will surely fulfill all your senses!

COPACABANA

Vishal Nagar, Aundh-Wakad road,

Near Jagtap Dairy, Pune 27

020 - 46742928/29/30

THE REGENT - JM Road

About a decade ago, JM Road boasted of having over a hundred restaurants. However, all these restaurants were very similar in pattern, menu and cuisine. After a considerable amount of culinary evolution, and learning from past mistakes, there has been some variation in these restaurants. There are still a lot of such places that do exist, but I wouldn’t call them genuine or authentic. The Regent of Deccan Royale is an exception. I confess, I always had imagined this place to be no different from any other restaurant. It took me one visit to change my opinion, and I am definitely not complaining. The interiors are well suited to a Four Star restaurant. The surprise element here, is the content of the menu. It is not very varied but has the choicest preparation selected from a global spread. To name a few, Japanesetempura, Korean Bulgogi, Thai curries, Burmese Khow suey, Italian Pastas, Risotto and a vast Indian selection are available on the menu. The ones which I tried were Dhania Makai Shorba, Israili Kebab, Dakshini Jhinga Sukka, Laal Maas, Paneer Kadhai, Prawns Biryani and the Sizziling Brownie. The first three are exceptional while the rest are common yet have a distinctive taste. Having Dhania Makai Shorba in this climate was awesome, while the Israili Kebab was a classic with only cinnamon in the marination with a hint of garlic. It comes with a small roti too! The Dakshini Jhinga was the best. The perfectly pounded marination of curry leaves, onions and lots of coconut gave it just the right taste. The mutton was also cooked differently yet retained the softness of the meat. I must say, for me, it was the very personification of the saying, “Never judge a book by its cover”. I am happy to be proved wrong. Being moderately priced makes it a sure, safe bet. It is indeed a dark horse on the run on this culinary stretch!

The Regent,

Hotel Deccan Royaale

Near Sai Service petrolpump

JM road Pune

PH:

020 41024000

ANGELS and DEMONS - NIBM

The other day I had a discussion with a friend about the growing number of cafés in Pune and how each new one has the scope to flourish. It’s not just that new places are opening up so often, but also that these new joints come with newer, never-seenbefore (at least in Pune) themes. I have observed the menu is some what monotonous at most places — it’s the ambience or theme that makes these newer places memorable. The Angels and Demons cafe is one such place. The name itself (Angels and Demons) does not directly connect to the menu, but does leave a good impression. Every wall has superb art posters of angels and demons. This gives the ambience a

\ slightly different look, compared to other places in town. The upper level serves hookahs, while the lower level has a seating area with an open kitchen. Once there, you can also can also witness all the World Cup action on a large LCD screen. The menu has an allday list comprising of sandwiches, panini’s, appetizers, pizza-burgers, eggs to order, baked jacket potatoes, cakes and pastries, and lots of coolers and shakes. Getting rid of thirst seems to be their top priority here, mainly because they have more quenchers than fillers. The list is good and resembles an American deli. In particular, the Nachos and Barbecued Chicken Sandwich were quite filling. The most interesting dish on the menu is the Pizza-Burger. This is a huge bun with the patty placed on a bed of tomatoes and lots of mayonnaise gratinated with cheese. The name was good, but I found the proportion of the size of the bun to the patty rather odd. The coolers and shakes such as the Devilled Asmoday (a chocolate and coffee shake with lots of ice cubes) A&D Special (strawberry and blue curacao with soda) are nice and so are the desserts — Deviled Chocolate Brownie and the A&D Chilli Dessert. Each was different than what I have come across before, but in particular, the A&D Chilli Dessert something definitely unique. To round it off, the theme for me is a hit! I was curious about whether the theme was intended to reflect in the menu as well. When I enquired, I found that there was no such intention. However, I did find a relation possible though — the sweeter may resemble angelic tastes while the hotter spices gives way to a more demonic side. To know on which side you fall, make a visit!

Angels and Demons

Bhagyasheela Apts, Row houses no 18, 19

Off NIBM Road, Kondhwa

ESCA - AUNDH

Urban dining” is the first impression that one gets after taking in the interiors and the menu of the restaurant. The chandelier is a nice touch to add to the ambience of the place. There are two sections for seating: mezzanine, which is the more enjoyable one, and a bar, which is well-stocked with the best liquors and wine. I was very happy to find Dom Perignon here, as I believe that this is one champagne which defines the class of a restaurant. The food menu is divided into two cuisines, the European one and the Indian one. Both appear very varied yet there is repetition in the ingredients used for both the types of cuisine. For instance, prawns appear as a starter only in European cuisine and not in the Indian one. As for how it actually tasted, the Pasta Soup had the flavour of fresh herbs that balanced well with the taste of tomatoes. After enquiring with the waiter about the use of brandy as a marinade in the Brandied Prawns, I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, I found it a failed attempt to replicate the famous prawn cocktail, which is served in a martini glass on a bed of lettuce with cocktail sauce. This version, lacked the taste of brandy. It could have been better if the cocktail sauce was served in smaller quantities. However, the amount of sauce with this cocktail was extremely overpowering. The Pahari Machchli, however, was very good, very succulent and very tasty as it was prepared from Betki fish which is rarely used by restaurants. I would give the Paneer Tiranga and Gosht Roganjosh a pass as the rogan and the masala stuffed in paneer were less, even though the paneer and mutton were both very fresh and succulent. I was waiting to receive Pan Seared Turkey Medallion with Potato Mash and Cranberry Sauce which sounded very appealing to me. It was designed and presented very well, but the turkey meat didn’t hold on to its warmth and the cranberry sauce tasted like jam, which, I felt didn’t go down well. If it had been a bit more acidic, it might have been a hit. The trio of Indian desserts turned out to be a good ending as the Gulab Jamun, Rasogulla and Gajar Halwa, all in-house products tasted really well. Summing it up, the place sticks to its tag line. As expected, it is not light on pocket (Rs 1800 all inclusive for the dishes mentioned above). It has its ups and downs, but these would entirely depend on customer expectation. For me, I can’t deny the fact that from a culinary point of view, it is very good!

ESCA Ground Floor,

Centriole Mall,

ITI road,

Aundh,

Pune – 411029

Tel: +91-8805210001

MY OVERALL RATING: 7/10

DARIO's

Carefully handpicked ingredients, flour, spices flown down to Pune from where they originate and carefully selected local produce, all keeping in mind the health of the customer proof that there’s more than passion behind this authentic Italian restaurant, Dario’s. The ambience is very simple and reminiscent of an old restaurant. The chairs and benches remind you of an era bygone. The surrounding of the outer area reinforces these thoughts with plenty of trees, making sure you have pleasant, absolutely noise free experience. Inside the restaurant is a long-decked coffee and liquor bar which have some of the finest Italian wines with some great mocktails too. The restaurant serves two different menus, one for breakfast-lunch including sandwiches and burgers and the other is a perfectly designed course-by-course evening menu. The contents of the menu are so fascinating and reading the descriptions makes you feel like

ordering everything on it! Also, the fact that the huge spread is strictly vegetarian, demands more applause for the ability to deliver this daily. I mentioned the importance of the health of their customers and part of the way they enforce this is by washing each salad item and veggies in Mediclorex and rinsed in Silver Colloid. Mediclorex is a type of chlorine which kills almost all types of bacteria, while Silver colloid (actually silver metal water) adds more minerals and neutralises the taste of chlorine. As for the food itself and how it tasted. By this time I was so floored by the amount of care taken before preparation of food and wondered whether anything would interfere with the end product or taste. The answer was an outright NO when we received our Assorted Bruschetta, Pommodoro Soup, the Mediterranean Pizza, Raviolli Pasta (homemade fresh) with mushroom cream sauce, and finally Chocolate Mousse, Lemon Tart and Rich Dark Chocolate Cake. A visit to Dario’s is a must for every Italian food lover and is perfect for couples. The place makes it impressive as it is very reasonable as compared to the overall experience, and the taste provided by the experienced hands of celebrated Chef Dario

himself!

Dario’s

At Hotel Sunderban, Lane 1,

Koregaon Park.

020 – 26053597/ 26053596

MY OVERALL RATING : 9/10

Milestone

After driving for long and cutting through heavy traffic, reaching this milestone was a quite a journey. The name initially suggested an up-market pub or at least an air-conditioned lounge bar. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a nice, open air garden restaurant with an attached middle-eastern styled semilounge seating. The upper deck gives a beautiful view, though it is more popular with regular ‘spirited’ guests. Couples will feel more comfortable downstairs as

there is very minimum lighting. Not good for a food critic as it was disappointing for me, but

scores a point for those wanting to have nice time. I was expecting a lot from the menu, but again

was let down as it is turned out to be typical with all the necessary and unnecessary dishes showcased in different avatars. There wasn’t too much to comment on the food preparation. The only different dish we came across — a Paneer Punjabi Chop Masala which is evenly diced paneer sautéed in ginger garlic and pounded khada masala mixed in onion tomato gravy. It was something good and new to taste. Other than that, the Mixed Veg Platter and Prawns in Hot Garlic Sauce were not great. The variety in the platter was appealing though the marination was very spicy as all the items had the same marination. The prawns were overcooked, making them rubbery and chewy. Prawns have their own taste and always remain succulent only if added, when fresh, at the last moment, just before the gravy is cooked. There’s one particular thing I’d always remember this place for — its determined, polite and attentive service. I have witnessed such service only in star hotels, and even there you’ll find a bit of arrogance. But here was service with courtesy. I felt sad when I looked at the expression on one of the waiter’s face when he heard our feedback of the veg platter. He listened to us patiently, but felt helpless as he could not do anything much. If you stay in Undri, Wanowrie or Kondhwa, you have a decent, economic place with good ambience that serves the tried-andtested food items with particularily excellent

service.

36 Mile Stone,

Plot No 969,

Survey No 12,

Before

Corinthian

Club, NIBM

Undri Road

My Overall Rating : 6.5/10

DE KATTA

Written in devnagari script, yet serving English deli preparation is exactly supposed to be up-class “katta”. Having comfortable seating and spacious yet closed out mezzanine gives yet another hangout a different breather. The whacky life-sized painting which depict single dimensional art of a typical college katta, where there is this dude lighting up the stick sitting on cemented blocks, or a havaldar sitting at the entrance enjoying his usual nap, or a normal day to day life scene. Any which way, the art steals the attention. It’s a place where every table is complemented with a three pin socket, suggesting it to be a laid back place. No fusses about early orders, or frisking of guests as soon as you’re done eating.

Opened a few months before, this katta is a bit shaky on its food menu. Serving grilled sandwiches, salads, some more variety of bread preparations and coffee. The content is same old stuff but with some interesting additions being Egg Building (which is a three layered toasted s/w each having scrambled egg, boiled egg and egg omlette) or Chinese omlette (which comes with a small amount of Chinese gravy) The tossed salads are served warm overe here and it’s the blended cold coffee, hot coffee and black coffee only three sole beverages served.

This place has a strong hold of a theme which is depicted brilliantly which makes it worth visiting once. There is a lot of scope to improve on preparation style of sandwiches and variety in food section which can strengthen its weaknesses. May be the top ups in menu would be waiting down the line in coming days. Also whatever may be the reason for excluding this item from the menu which in any katta stands for; I was surely missing a hot piping cutting chai!

id k33a (De Katta,) Dahanukar colony, Main road near circle, Kothrud, Pune.

INDIJOE

The name suggests a blend of fusion of western influenced cuisine with Indian touch. It’s an all day dining destination with lots of variety to choose from. You can feel the weight of the menu card and simply get confused what to order today as you bound to re-visit back to try the full array of delicacies offered. I did not get the hint of the Indian touch as most of the content of the menu is American influenced and partly serves a variety of Thai, American, Mexican, Italian and Lebanese fare. Over 20 percent of my time spent at the restaurant was reading – yes – ‘reading’ the menu. The extensive menu lets you feel exhausted which comprises of fondues, soups, salads, appetizers, main meals, pizzas, pastas, risotto, sizzlers, sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, desserts, shakes and coolers and whole kids menu. I guess that’s the idea to ignite your hunger. Having read for so long time, we had to make discussions across the table resulting in debates, conflicts only over what to order, my eyes fell over one of their writings ‘tired of choosing go for our combos’. Vegetarian combo was the ceasefire. I was happy to go for combo for two reasons. One good one that we got to taste 4-5 different varieties and the bad one was all of them wore battered, coated and deep fried! I guess American cuisine sails on oil!

The Texas favorite chicken wings wore succulent, glazy and tasted well with blue cheese dip and barbecue sauce. Ahead on the global gourmet journey the pizza bombed while chicken chimichanga (supposed to be Mexican) created fireworks! Pizza for its base and chimichanga for its unique creamy chicken filled tortilla with tomato fused Spanish rice. The desserts have interestingly striking similarity with one also served at another famous hangout. The chocolate kill avalanche is more than enough for two persons with around 7 different forms of chocolate almost killing you.

Well the ambience complements the food perfectly. The vibrant orange walls, graceful seating and open kitchen give you the American deli dining feel. Be ready to spend in dollar style to, as it’s fairly expensive. I suggest a one visit is must. For its exiting menu and global fare served under one roof and that to desi style!

IndiJoe

3^rd floor, jewel square hall, Koregaon park, Pune, 020-41224888/9

LE KEBABIERE

This week’s restaurant is for those who had thought about Indian food being monotonously served wherever they dined. Who so ever agree to this, must visit Le Kebabiere. Initially heading to this place, I was assuming to take yet another kebabful ride as the name suggested. The interiors are contemporarily styled. So is the tableware. When I dig into the menu, it was more than just kebabs which happened to surprise me. The content of the food preparation seemed to be very carefully selected, that is why there is no repetition in terms of ingredient or flavor. While there are lots of appetizers in form of kebabs, there is a long list of seen and unseen wine labels too. The preparation is exotic, traditional and sticking to the roots with infusion of some trendy compilations. As I evidently say after having tried mushroom galouti – which was commendable for if any vegetarian have not tried the original meat galouti, should go for this. So was the tandoori mushroom – two mushrooms stuffed in between mixed vegetables emitting perfectly balanced smoky taste. Then there is murgh parcha kebab – a traditional nawabi preparation having shahi jeera, almond paste marination with a touch of saffron and Dakshin year – prawns cooked over the tandoor giving out best taste of lemon and curry leaves. The curries too have divergence in flavors, still we sticked on to the shahi paneer makhani – which again satisfied the taste buds with its silky smooth curry. Having feasted on the kebab and curries it was time for biryani to make way. The sofiyani biryani – the only white biryani packed the punch. The final blow was the desserts - badaam chennay ki kheer and house made gulkand ice cream. With meekly service, the dining experience takes you through a path which is apart from the norm still heading you towards fulfilling and appealing Indian cuisine. Do try the specialty house made cocktail section. I relished the shot of pan flavored vodka and realized; Indian cuisine in any which way is still the best and ever evolving!

Le Kebabiere

Pyramid Complex 81/82 North Main Road Koregaon Park Pune- 411036

Ph: 95521 34400(020) 4103 0333

EATMOSPHERE

The cafés in Pune are now not anymore an orthodox one. It has started to evolve especially being concept driven. Though there wore big giants entering this leisure café segment almost a decade back, now we witness stand alone cafés run by young and dynamic entrepreneurs. Also the stuff served usually in star hotel’s 24 hour coffee shop now finds place in these cafés.

Eatmosphere is one such, with the atmosphere being very unique. The interiors are fabulous and have been done in homely way. Cane furniture, wooden sittings; make shift curtains, and cushions. The menu is sleek and westernized. They have a few on lists as for now, consisting of sandwiches, coolers, salads, soup for the day, crepes and new variety introduced in cafés, as baked jacket potatoes which qualifies as fillers. Those are skin on potatoes having various fillings inside topped up with normally cheese or creamy sauce and baked to perfection. Among sandwiches there is Cheese Factory sandwich having 2 swiss cheeses grilled in three breads and sticking to their name. Other varieties in sandwiches are turkey, chicken salami and tuna. Then there is lettuce wraps which has warm filling inside and crispy iceberg lettuce as wrapping. We have seen refined flour wraps or commonly denoted as roomali roti, as the covering till now. So these wraps are completely healthy.

This neighborhood already have handful of cafés. This one is a fresh entrant (a week old), seems promising due to its innovative menu content and atmosphere oh! Eatmosphere!

Eatmosphere

Shop No. 4 Ashwini Place, Kedari petrol pump lane, Next to Hite bar,9967514019

ABA CHA DHABA

This review was duly awaited. I was reluctant to visit the place which has made a revolution. A cuisine which existed in bottom list of a typical restaurant menu card which had mis-lead people to be the only spicy preparation they had to offer. I am talking of Kolhapuri cuisine. By far the famous purepur kolhapur, has already taken the cuisine to a next level and in a right direction, making me nervous to criticize. This place is its sister property, which has different preparation on the list. It has been re-vamped freshly a couple of months back. The interiors are minimal with maximum seating capacity provided. The menu is just the same as you get at a dhaba. Meaty things maximum on the block followed by variety of egg preparation and summing it up with vegetables and the specialty – the dum biryani! Solkadhi happened to be a strong one, with the zing of garlic almost killing the flavor of coconut and kokum. Moving forward with the chicken sukka and paneer butter masala I noticed that all the dhabas around India love one thing to add in its preparations – the color red!- When enquired here out of curiosity for why it is being used abundantly, the owner clarified that at this dhaba the color comes from the chillies which they use to make the ground masala. Any how you have your fingers colored any ways! The paneer was not so soft has it has to be. The chicken was good enough and also had some gravy which was more tasty. The style in which the dum biryani served here is something to go for. Firstly the rice is soft having the smoky flavor for they serve it in earthern pot with a live coal placed at the centre, the grounded masala being perfectly balanced in terms of flavor and texture and lastly the mutton being succulent and not chewy to disappoint you when you are having the last dish for the night. Also one thing is noted, the biryani is served as a biryani and not like a tri colored pulao served elsewhere and proclaimed as a dum biryani.

The meal at this urbanized dhaba (read urbanized for the hygiene) the meal for two would cost you less than 350/- which delightfully satisfies all your corners! Only drawback would be the waiting, as even on a Tuesday night, this 40 seater dhaba was packed!

MY OVERALL RATING: 7/10

Aba Cha Dhaba

Next to Kulkarni petrol pump

Near Alka Talkies chowk

Laxmi road, pune

(020) 32418877

9921735078 / 9552526347

BOHEMIAN

Usually we visit a new restaurant a few weeks after the opening, however this is the first time we are doing a preview of an upcoming restaurant. Bohemia, managed by the Oasis club, is a Mediterranean cuisine restaurant scheduled to open next month. It is currently carrying out a trial menu, with the chef compiling a new menu everyday, which comprises of starters, pizzas, salads, a main course and dessert. The ambience is in sync with the theme — clay pottered tableware, vibrant varied designs and colors. The starters include Polenta (corn meal) Sandwich, Mezze Platter among the veg and Bombay Duck Fritos, Creole Style Grilled Prawns for meat eaters. The vegetarian food is very authentic and true to their roots and the meats are worth trying too. Among the salads, the Cous Cous and the Balsamic Marinated Beetroot salads were tantalizing. The best thing about the Cous Cous Salad was the contents that justified the name. The pizza’s base was a little unauthentic however its toppings, pesto with olives, were good enough. In the main course, the Charmoolah (four spiced marinade) Grilled Fish was tangy but succulent. The Spanish Veg Paella was the most appealing dish of the evening with its soft distinct flavor of tomatoes. The Apple Crumble was cooked just right and the Lemon Cheesecake had a balanced flavor of lemon and cream. The service was knowledgeable, for every preparation being served was backed by a detail description. As these trails often cost Rs 500 per person, with a complimentary glass of either wine or beer, I can’t really comment on the price. However, even if you do find it a costly affair to dine here, one thing is for sure, the preparation and the menu compilation is the best and it offers authentic Mediterranean cuisine. If they manage to remain consistent after the opening, which only time will tell, this could become the place to visit to enjoy a Bohemian life!

MY OVERALL RATING: 8/10

Bohemia

Club Oasis, NDA Road,

Chandni Chowk

NEBULA

It’s actually quite an old place for a review... However whenever I used to take this road (NDA-Pashan Road) this place used to catch my eye. Mainly because of it’s name. The entire building is a restaurant as the name suggests. Despite the heat we chose not to dine in A/C comfort but on the rooftop simply for the cool, cool breeze. The well stocked bar is situated right in the centre giving open air dining the right appeal. To add to it was the screening of IPL match! The menu is more of Indian along with Chinese. Here I would say upgraded Chinese. The reason for this is that gone are the days when a Chinese menu used to be dotted with fried rices with names of Chinese cities, like Hong Kong Fried Rice, Singapore Fried Rice, etc. Now-adays, we find good aut h e n t i c Chinese food with lots of options. The credit goes to the procurement of different varieties of sauces available in the market, which actually adds to the taste. Now that does not mean the Indian food is not good. It was good indeed! Especially the Fish Rara Masala prepared with Basa fish which comes from Vietnam seas tasted good. Paneer Malai Kabab and Noodle Bhel were good too. The dessert section made me happy. The choclate mud cake and the sizzling chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream are must haves here. The service needs attention: We had to actually wave out to the staff for orders. That can be slightly irritating sometimes. Also I found the ratio of cost to quantity to be slightly unbalanced, when the bill finally came in. Otherwise it is a good place to dine-in and recommended to couples who want to spend a quiet evening starwatching.

MY OVERALL RATING : 5.5/10

NEBULA,

NDA-Pashan road,

Bavdhan

22952073

GRUBSHUP

If I can possibly find out in advance, I try to find out the details of the place I’m going to visit. So, when I browsed through the menu on the website of Grubshup, I was impressed with their concept and the content of the menu. The place, a youth hangout, goes an extra mile to provide quality food at affordable prices. The ambience is like a semi-lounge, with wooden box-like seaters instead of cushy chairs or sofas, best suited for collegegoers, but could prove to be a pain in the wrong place to people of other age groups. My first impression was that the menu was very contemporarily compiled, which it actually is, the only drawback is actually understanding the mix and match of the food items. It serves mocktails, breakfast, set lunch, ala carte mains, snacks, finger foods, ‘pitawiches’ (sandwiches made with pita bread) and desserts. All served strictly by the clock! I ordered by matching the available timings in which they are served. A unique method is adapted here to make your own meals, from the given choices. It was confusing, initially, to get the right stuff. I failed to understand the category of “stuffings” served separately in a bowl, and why kathi roll was mentioned in the same section. There was a Vegetable Manchurian on the list but noodles were no where to be found. Neither were the desserts, as only a couple were available. I won’t comment too much about the service, as annoyingly, I was denied a table for four, when the entire hangout had merely three tables out of twenty occupied. As for the taste, Lemon Iced Tea, Paneer Kathi Roll and Chicken Saiboo were disappointing, as the description clearly mentioned dumplings, while we got shreds of chicken. The Kathi Roll was over doused with filling and a flavour of ajwain remained in the after taste. The Po Boy Chicken Pita was good, as it is a normal chicken mayo filling while the Mint Caiprioska was fantastic! And so was the Brownie. One particular element which is mandatory for a hangout place, a glass of chai, was next to perfect!

MY OVERALL RATING: 4.5/10

GRUBSHUP

Law College Road – Canal Road

Pune. 9552510426

SAHYADRI

Meals come in different forms, taste and prices. It is usually depends on what the need of the location or demand. In our leisure we go for something tried and tested. Out of curiosity, we check out new places and if we are hungry, we simply munch on fast food. But when it comes to everyday meals, we stick on to the conventional dal-roti stuff. Today’s place is exactly for this. The restaurant serves Maharashtrian specialties with some new entrants like Ravan Pithla or Sev Bhaji. These preparations are normally served in the eastern part of Maharashtra. The uniqueness of this place is that you get a variety in preparation styles in one thali, which costs you only Rs 45. In that you get Puneri style amti, one cerealbased gravy which is cooked the Khandeshi way, dosa bhaji which is a Mumbai preparation as well as the usual roti or bhakari and raita. The range of bhajis are also good with ample quantity too. Palak bhaji was one of them. And the sitaphal rabdi as desert was amazing, with actual pieces of sitaphal in it rather than essence. The menu is short with breakfast items, grilled sandwiches, veg main course namely vangi bharta, etc. There’s an option of limited thali and unlimited thali. This meal packs a punch and doesn’t let it pinch on pocket. That is why it drew huge crowd resulting in the only drawback of this economically tasty place — the seating capacity. A few tables occupied and you have to wait for as long as 20 mins to get an empty table. Having opened merely a month ago, it was seen that it is quite popular with female students. Recommended to all those who want to try a varied thali on a minimum budget!

MY OVERALL RATING: 6.5/10

Sahyadri

Opposite to

Omkareshwar

Temple

Shaniwar Peth

R BHAGAT TARRACHAND - LAXMI ROAD

After much adulation from colleagues, I revisited this place, but in a new location. R Bhagat Tarrachand isn’t new to me - I’ve visited this very old, pure vegetarian restaurant in the highly congested area in Mumbai’s Zaveri Bazaar and even the one that was situated near the Talegaon toll on the Expressway. The thalis here are more famous than anything else. In spite of that a visit to this place on Laxmi Road was a new experience for me. The interiors of the restaurant are the same as the previous one at that location. However, don’t confuse the interior with the name or the theme. The main purpose visiting this place must strictly be for the food and the taste. The menu is typical, but there is the catch — the preparations have a huge difference. The taste, quantity and preparation served at the prices they offer would mortify others who give away same named preparations using additives such as khoya or thick pastes. I always crib about this ‘typical’ taste which is served all over town. For instance, if you don’t have a tinge of tomato in your Paneer Kadhai, you’ll probably be eating that thick paste which only fills your stomach but doesn’t satisfy your palate. Here, you will find more paneer pieces perfectly coated with enough gravy to give out lip-smacking taste. They also have Chinese preparations of which the Manchow Soup and Paneer Chilli was really good. Paneer Tikka, Vegetable Korma, Sarson ka Saag and Veg Pulao is almost better than what you’d consider the best! The staff is efficient and courteous. Don’t miss another signature dish of theirs – a beer bottle filled with creamy and delicious chach (butter milk). Situated on the busiest street of Pune, I spotted more of a student crowd compared to family and couples enjoying the treat.

R Bhagat Tarrachand

City Jewel, 2 nd floor, Opp Om Market

Laxmi Road (Monday Closed)

020-24457799

THE BREAK

In spite of an inflation in food prices, new places keep cropping up. Today’s restaurant is a massive 350 seater with spacious ambience and a name plate too! But I didn’t understand why the “AK” from the name Break is hugely stretched out. There are new concepts that can be seen here. For instance, a postersize cutout of a crumpled cigarette is pasted on the walls to notify the message instead of writing it usually. A pure vegetarian restaurant, the style in which the food items are presented on the menu card is different. Using different permutations and combinations of ingredients, the menu is a massive one with over 500 preparations. That’s why I found 19 varieties of pav bhaji here. Some items fascinated me merely because of their names - Tex Mex Pizza, Desi No. 1 Pizza, Jade Corn Soup, Duke Salad, Rocket and Mango salad, Brinjal Hot Garlic, Veg Ganesh, Veg Dragon, Paneer Chocolate Masala... I don’t know how they taste, but full marks for imagination. The juice section had some interesting varients too - Kohinoor (orange + anar) and Taal (strawberry + lichee). I was left wondering what ingredients could be in the Honeymoon Special in the dessert section! The taste of the food here is typical. Authentic preparations are out of the question. The quantity is very good considering the price. Their Chinese variations are also good — I liked the Veg Hot Pan the best. As The all time fav paneer tikka masala too was good. It also has Chinese desserts too namely honey noodles, date pan cake or fried ice-cream. Visiting this place is like watching a typical comedy movie which has no connection with reality, but does satisfy your funny bones.

MY OVERALL RATING: 6.5/10

THE BREAK (veg restaurant)

Comet House, Next to Big Bazaar,

Satara Road, 020-24211111

MALGUDI DAYS

What’s in a name,” Shakespeare asked. Well, after visiting this place, I’d have to say there is definitely something to it. Naming a restaurant in a certain fashion may make a certain type of foodie client naturally gravitate towards it, which makes people go out of the way to use whacky names. There is a strong possibility that eventually the customer could get disappointed, since there is also that important aspect — taste. Even if eating patterns have changed and new themes have been introduced over time, a large chunk of customers still crave that onegravy- in-different-combinations type standard taste. It’s really not their fault either, as when you travel in or out of Pune within Maharashtra, this particular dominance on the palate is witnessed in restaurants across the board. You have no option left but to dig into these ‘typical’ dish names and their preparations. I was one such customer who got pulled in by the name of the establishment in this case. My visit had great expectations… and one knows what generally happens to them. The menu here is predictable, with one ingredient in different combinations. It is touted as more than just a seafood place — the fact is that seafood is 15 per cent of the menu. The rest is replete with the aforementioned ‘typical’ preparations. The Bombay duck roasted in rawa, and deep fried wasn’t too exceptional but for its absolute freshness. If this particular variety of fish is not served absolutely fresh, it falls apart when you take a hold of the piece. Mutton could probably be avoided in the starter options — the Boti Kebab was clearly not a thigh piece as it should have been. The Makai Kebab looked bright green (with probable colour enhancement), but also tasted pretty good. The curries (dominated by fish preparations) come in about five gravies – Tawa, Masala, Goan, Koliwada and Hara Masala, names that more or less suggest exactly what is going to arrive on your platter. We chose the Goan Curry. There was complete absence of coconut and the gravy was tangy but not from the small amla like fruit — bimla — which is usually used in original Goan recipes, but by an excess of tomato. The inflation in onion prices was visible in the gravies as well. The biryani was more like a tawa pulao in terms of taste and preparation. The ambience of the place had not much to do with the name, or theme or the menu — even if the wonderful fictional town created by R K Narayan is immortal, the preparations here aren’t exactly so. If you like that familiar ‘typical’ taste and do not wish to have a pinched pocket, do visit!

Opp Shivaji

Statue and

Thorat Udyan,

Kothrud Circle

WOODS

The stretch from Chandni Chowk to Mulshi is a very famous area among couples, ‘spirit’ ual friends and corporate people.There was aboom around 10 years ago on this stretch. Saturday nights used to be a hot spot for every hotel on this road. Unfortunately and eventually the quality of the food, service and ambience started to decline in the past few years, making it difficult for couples and female friends to dine in safely till 11.30 pm or so.However,now, after visiting this place, I feel that it has crated a benchmark for other fellow hoteliersto follow some decent guidelines, improve the quality of service and food and most importantly, include global variety in their food preparations. After visiting Woods, which is exactly opposite of octroi post on Paud- Mulshi road, I could hardly believe its existence in that area.The ambience itself is represented in its name.With a pool table in the centre and three other sitting areas, tells you how ample the space is. Even the dim lit tents have a cozy feeling, with no sketchy or shady undertones.And the food factor isn’t lacking either. An amazing wide spread, this place has almost everything including sizzlers, Indian, Chinese, oriental,Thai, pastas and Arabic food.The taste, too, is great.Apart from food, hookahs are also served. Drinking buddies might through back an extra peg or two as the rates are very reasonable. But what I would love to talk about most this week, is the ambience and the fact that you can bring along a date and truly enjoy the evening below an open sky. I also noticed different genres of customers here, all having their good time.There was a couple, a family with kids, pool playing youngsters and only-girls groups.The service is good, polite and on their toes. The owner being around, helped to maintain that standard and also I think keep away unwanted disturbances. One thing to keep in mind though, is to make sure, you have your feet covered when you visit as you might have crawly friends giving you company.After all, you are going to dine in the Woods!

MY OVERALL RATING: 8/10

Woods, Opposite Octroi Post, Paud Road, 9890222230

GANDHARV RESIDENCY

After a request from a reader, I decided to eat at this restaurant. And the visit here took me down memory lane — about 18 years ago, I used to eat my fill here on weekends. At that time this breed of restaurants were limited to just a handful, and this was one of the most popular. That was also the time when eating out was a much bigger deal and happened only once or twice a month for most Puneites. So, I had another reason to visit - to refresh the taste of this place on my palette. Gandharv Restaurant is in the lane behind the Gandharv Residency. The resto-bar here is called Rasagandh. While browsing through the menu, I noticed that it had evolved — the change reflecting the world around it which is changing too. The menu is varied with lots of paneer dishes prepared in different forms. Shorbas too come in five different options. The Murg Pudina Shorba was different and tasty. Motiyon ke Bahar (stuffed paneer tikka flavoured with herbs and spices) was of a sweeter taste with a negligible amount of herbs and spices. Jhinga Anarkali (prawns marinated in spices and pomegranate seeds) was something new and turned out to be very tasty. Though the variety in main course was abundant, with options from murg, prawns, fish, lamb even Pan Asian with Sichuan style preparation with five spices and a few more well-known Thai and Chinese preparations. The Pan Asian section also has an elaborate soup section. We chose to order Paneer Tikka Masala and Chicken Walnut Broccoli with Fried Rice. I imagined (quite rightly) what the taste of the paneer would be. However, I found the Chicken Walnut and Broccoli lacking. If only the walnut had been crushed and added and chicken pieces cut in slivers, it would have turned out well. The dessert options here aren’t many — Jelly, Fruit Salad, Gulab Jamun, Kulfi and Caramel Custard. So, there wasn’t much to comment on this. Gandharv Residency is a great place for friends in their late thirties to have a reuinion. There’s a long list of spirits, quiet ambience and below-average speed of service. The ones who are impatient and hungry, will find that taxing. Even though there were only a few tables occupied, the service was slow that day. Otherwise, those who wanted to reconnect with the place (as I did) must visit.

MY OVERALL RATING: 7.5/10

Gandharv Residency, 1291, 1292, Shivajinagar, behind

Gandharv Restaurant, 020-25520903

SICILIA

The place I visited this week is known as Sicilia, and I assumed it is an Italian restaurant. Well, though the food prepared here is Italian, it has a huge backdrop of Mediterranean cuisine! Sicilian food has influences from the Arabs, Greeks and Spanish, and this does make it Mediterranean in nature. The preface at the start of the menu is informative and tells you about the history of Sicilian cuisine and its origins. The menu (since we’ve established it is Mediterranean), has antipasti, homemade pastas, rissottos, shawarma, falafels, babagounush, etc. They also have a well stocked wine menu to make your dining more appealing. For starters, we had the soup of the day which was Minestrone. It happened to be a great choice to start the meal with. It was a generous portion, with ample vegetables and a perfect spiked flavour. We also ordered Funghi Ripeno al Forno (mushroom tossed in garlic) and Roasted Prawns and Cherry Tomato, both tasty and with generous portions. The prawns were especially good — succulent and blended well with the sauce. Basically, if the base sauce is well prepared, its derivatives are bound to be tasty. In this case the tomato concasse (French for ‘crushed’ and a term that can mean ‘sauce’) was so well balanced, that the Mediterranean Pizza we ordered next also turned out to be pleasurable. Here too, the toppings were generous. Usually, we get to see more sauce and less toppings; here it was exactly the opposite. For the main course we had Kingfish Steak with Polenta and Asparagus and once again, I was surprised with the portions! Polenta (yellow corn meal) was well prepared; and the fish steaks had a cheese filling making it more tender. Having been served and attended to very well by the staff, I performed an almost ritual by ordering the alltime favourite Italian dessert — tiramsu. I feel incomplete not trying out the tiramisu at any Italian joint. This time (again!) I was impressed by their portion and the presentation. Every single preparation brought to the table had two or three garnishes. And even more admirable, not even one garnish was repeated. The Tiramisu went down well with a hot shot of the classic cappuchino served on the house with the dessert. Overall, a fabulous place to visit once and being treated not only to Italian cuisine, but Mediterranean as well. This five course dinner for two with generously served portions, great presentation will cost around Rs 1500. Bon Apetite!

MY OVERALL RATING:7/10

SICILIA, City Point, Dhole Patil Road, 020-26168555

JAGAT BHARI KOLHAPURI

Ihave always in reviews, cribbed about two things - the authenticity of preparations and the value for money. Also, I believe in the thumb rule that taste is inversely proportional to the food items listed in the menu. The less the number of food items means a higher assurance of taste. This time, everything mentioned above was fulfilled. Jagat Bhari Kolhapuri (loosely translated to Kolhapur is the best in whole world) is actually the name of the restaurant. Its menu is probably the only one in Pune with just nine items on it. And imagine it to be a thela, or a roadside eatery. This is an 80-seater, a full fledged restaurant! The other thing that you get only here and not at any other Kolhapuri joint is masoor (whole red lentils). Jagat Bhari Kolhapuri is a masoor specialist with new preparation methods from this cuisine, that was not commercially showcased before, is served here. Other than this, you will find Khuskya Rice (translated to crisp rice, which is actually plain rice temperd with pure ghee, and topped with golden fried onions and coriander), Sol Kadhi, Tandoori Roti, Bhakari, Thecha, Dahi, mineral water and aerated water. The taste is exceptionally good and preparation is done in almost a household style because there are no trained chefs employed, apart from the tandoor chef. The kitchen is taken care by the owner and his family members. They have shown us a new face of Kolhapuri cuisine. That is what I like about the place, they have something new to offer and that too, something original and authentic. The gravy is far from the cliched Dal Makhani (which I thought initially being similar to this preparation). The service is good. They serve you a small portion to taste so that you know exactly what they have to offer. It’s been less than a month since it opened and there was wait to get in for dinner. I guess that says it all. A fulfilling meal for two will cost Rs 170. That makes me able to recommend the place to everyone. And no, unlike the Kolhapuri food cliche, you don’t need to carry handkerchiefs. The preparation here is authentic - not spicy, but very tasty!

MY OVERALL RATING: 7/10

Jagat Bhari Kolhapuri

47/1 Taware Colony, opp City Pride,

Next to Bhapkar Petrol Pump,

Pune-Satara Road

Cell no: 8087231218

CREAM CENTRE - FERN HOTEL

Many of us believe that options in vegetarian cuisine are few. This happens when we take a look at the menu and find it difficult to choose a particular preparation. It is even more tedious when half of the items on the list are tried and tested. When you visit Cream Centre, the tables are turned. For the menu is vast, varied, completely vegetarian and most importantly they have all sorts of global preparations under one roof. Cream Centre, they say, is a 50-year-old eatery that began on Mumbai’s Chowpatty. Having traveled sucha culinary journey, they now have found a place in Pune - a restaurant outlet at the Fern Hotel. Plush interiors, well-lit ambience and ample seating capacity makes this place suitable for family outings. Two things in particular will make me always remember this place. Firstly, for its menu card. I haven’t seen such immaculately presented content before. Clear, high definition photographic illustrations make your mouth water. The first few sheets present their all-time hit preparations, things for which this place is famous. So, I tried those. Among them are the Original Chana Bhatura, the World’s Best Nachos, Onion Rings, Lime Ice Soda and Sizzling Brownie. Except for the Lime Ice Soda and Onion Rings, the rest were true to their word. Lime Ice Soda had ice-cream blended with lime and soda, which I, personally, thought to too sweet. I had thought it would be like an iced tea. As for the Onion Rings, the batter was more puffy and less crispy. I make it the other way around. However, with Onion Rings, there’s an abundant variety of preparation methods, so I’m not rejecting their version. The other unique thing about this place is its dedicated management. The huge success of any restaurant lies in this. I had ordered a Lebanese Original Falafel after seeing a photograph in the menu. The picture showed iceberg lettuce in it, but when it was served it had more of cabbage shreds. I brought this to the notice of the manager and he promptly requested me to note it down in the feedback form. As usual I filled it up thinking no one would bother to read it (it happens in most cases), but to my surprise I got a call from a concerned general manager the very next morning! This is the first time such an event has taken place since I started reviewing. Cream Centre is recommended for families with children (they will love pouring chocolate over the Sizzling Brownie). Not recommended for diet conscious people. Why? The name itself should be a clue. It would be pity if you discuss diet plan while dining here!

MY OVERALL RATING: 8/10

Cream Centre

Fern Hotel, Lane no 10, Opp Solaris Gymnasium,

Kalyani Nagar, 0204018000

IBIS - SPICE IT!

My relationship with Ibis Hotels is not new. I had been to one before, at one of their properties in Europe. I remember that it is a European budget hotel, which does not encourage valet parking or a bell boy service. If you wondered why I am talking about these things in a food review, it’s because as part of their ‘budget’ status, I remembered you have to prepare your own coffee, if having the breakfast buffet. It’s the same at this one. Even while entering the restaurant, you are welcomed by a sign board which says “take yourself a seat”. That, precisely says all. They serve an ala carte menu as well as a buffet spread. The latter is done only when the house count is more. On Sunday evening, the only option was the ala carte menu. The preparations are very few, comprising of appetizers, main course international, main course Indian and side orders. Both the non-veg and veg spread has the same pattern. We started off with the soup of the day, which was Tomato Soup. After tasting that, I thought it should have rather been served as chutney with any Indian snack. It was tangy and coarsely textured. The Five Spice Chicken with hot basil leaves and Insalata Mediterranean was pretty delightful with crispy iceberg lettuce topped with marinated mix vegetables. They also serve a combination meal comprising one vegetable, rice, dal, Indian bread and salad for Rs 249 which turned out to be worth ordering. The succulent paneer gets full marks. Macher Jhol was another individual order served for Rs 289 along with two rotis. It was bang on target for originality and preparation. However, just a small bowl with a few bite-sized pieces of fish concerned me for amount they charged. Chocolate brownie served with vanilla ice cream ended on a rightful sweet note. The service is not the most sophisticated and would normally have distressed me. That day, however, they tackled my table well enough. The thing which I liked the most is that you get the servings specifically fulfilled according to an individual’s need. Instead of paying for an entire dish, you get to choose from their preparations. It turns out to be pocket friendly for individual diners, I recommend this place to them. And if you’re not satisfied with the ala carte preparations, they are happy to cook for you according to your demands!

MY OVERALL RATING: 7/10

Spice It

IBIS,Viman Nagar,Nagar Road Pune - 14

(020) 65106200

Virgin

METROMIX

Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all! That’s not originally by me, but has been quoted by legends. While digging into the menu at Metro Mix, you’ll find many more such gems. Seating is not much, still it’s neatly put up with a casual ambience and abundance in varieties of world cuisines served under one roof. More of a dining place, it’s a semilounge. The typical vegetables, roti and stuff is not all that is served here. Their passion for cooking reflects in the menu, for there is nothing fancy in it, it’s to the point and less confusing. All preparations have three options, vegetarian, chicken and fish. Starters are tempting, as was the Frosty Chicken in honey mustard marinade. The chicken was succulent while the crust was crispy. Thus, it made a very interesting preparation. The mustard and honey went well together. The main courses are also very good with additions from almost every country. Salads are also equally tempting. The caesar salad was crunchy and original. Pasta basics hits a bulls eye for its authenticity. Chicken Stroganoff, Thai Curries, Au Gratin, all find place in the menu. There is even a sizzler zone in which there are Mexican, Teriyaki, Italian and even Indian sizzlers (where your choice is served with Indian curry, jeera rice, French fries and vegetables served on a sizzler plate). For those looking for a sweet encounter, there’s Tiramisu, puddings, Banana split and Darsaan (thai delicacy of nest of honey noodles with vanilla ice cream) Such a type of restaurant was very much needed in this vicinity where cliched, monotonous eateries are in abundance. Though this place is nearing its first anniversary, we found only a few tables occupied on Sunday, but Metro Mix isn’t complaining. The simple reason being, it maintains a unique place and most importantly the taste justifies everything. A meal for two would cost around Rs 800. And considering the spread they offer, it is worthy enough. Recommended for all those who always wished to know how a meal in a five-star hotel tastes. Here, it’s not just the ambience, but the taste that matters!

MY OVERALL RATING: 8/10

Metro Mix, A Culinary Cruise

25/26 E Building, Kumar Parisar,

Near Mahesh Vdyalaya, Kothrud,

020-65004030