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

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

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