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