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