PIZZAATTA

A huge pizza craze erupted around 10 years ago, creating a premium meal option for the masses. This was followed by a series of branded chains sprouting up, resulting in some pretty cut-throat competition. Besides that of course, there were a few attempts to serve the junta the kind of pizza that would be in the Rs 20 bracket. This particular commodity has become way less exclusive today than it used to be, but there is still a highly steady demand for it, which is catered to by this new place near Chandni Chowk. The notable difference about Pizzaatta, is that apart from pizza, they serve sandwiches, pastas, burger, soups and some ice creams and desserts as well. As they say, “In Rome do as the Romans do” — similarly, in Pune, serve what the Puneites really want. Pizza served in India is highly often ‘Indianised’ and amended to cater to the Indian palate. And that’s exactly how it is preferred and so served in Pizzaatta. There is this thick pizza base resembling a bread loaf, a delicious sauce and most importantly, the cheese used has good body, flavour and is superbly elastic when hot! The starters are interesting — their Chicken Popcorn (Rs 70) is crunchy and meaty with no substitutes other than pure chicken added in. The Garlic Bread was crisp, crunchy and flavourful. The eight-inch regular pizza is more than enough for one person and the price ranges from the Margherita (Rs 65) to the Supremo Veg (Rs 165). The prices of the 10-inch and 12-inch pizzas are double and quadruple of the eight-inch ones respectively. The steal would be the Calzone or Cono Pizza, where a Chicken Kheema Calzone will come for only Rs 100. The pastas, burgers and sandwiches are not worth much of a mention. The good thing about the place is that it is value for money. A meal for two would cost you Rs 400, inclusive of all taxes. You can also get meal combos for Rs 210 onwards. Here, they maintain cooking a raw base with toppings, which is a good sign. The toppings are included in sufficient quantities, which gives it a satisfying quality overall. This place definitely wins points for quantity, taste, ambience and service.

PIZZAATTA

1st floor, Bhusari Colony, Near Lohia-Jain IT Park,

Above CCD, Paud Road, Kothrud, Pune 38

MASEMARI

The name ‘Masemari’ (which means ‘fishing’ in Marathi), draws customers in to try out the seafood here without actually ‘fishing’ for it. The décor is fantastically done. A mention is needed of the 10- foot tall light house at the entrance, which would suffice as a landmark to locate the eatery. The food served here is close to homecooked food, which makes even the cramped seating facility worth ignoring. They do not overuse masalas, sauces and seasonings for the preparations, another sign that literally denotes ‘home-cooked’ food. This proves that there is a mix of authentic preparations, experimental inventions and derived taste. Let’s face it; you can’t criticize homemade food, as every household has its own versions! What matters is the satisfying taste and the fresh quality of the fish. All the preparations are simple but unique. Every type of fish is listed individually and recommendations for accompaniments are mentioned. Your choices here are deep fried, shallow fried, rawa fried, tawa fried, tawa masala, Konkani masala, goan curry, gassi, malvani, vindaloo and some Mongolian curries. There are no tandoor preparations so asking for a fish tikka or a kebab would be inappropriate! A complimentary authentic welcome drink called ‘tival’ — a pure kokum juice tempered with ghee, jeera and coriander was something I really appreciated! The house specialty, the Burnt Garlic Crispy Squid (Rs 160)and Bombay Duck Fry (Rs 130) are good options. The covering (flour) was not needed for the squid, as it would had been more enjoyable without the coating. There was no excess covering for the Bombay duck, so the softness and freshness came through.Till your order comes to you, a Poppadum Platter (Rs 60) — which has 4- 5 varieties of deep fried papad — is provided for you to munch on, which is a wonderful change compared to the usual masala papad. For the main course, Prawns Konkani Masala (Rs 240) doused with chillies and coconut goes very well with the recommended bhakri. Even the Goan Curry (Rs 240) is silky smooth, balanced with sour, spicy flavours and a slightly creamy texture. It went well with the Rice Bhakri (Rs 20) too. Not to mention the Solkadhi (Rs 30), drunk before or after the meal, which was good as well, except for the fact that it was one of the dishes amongst others I had there, that had garlic in them. If you hate ‘typical’ fare one generally finds these days, you must try this place. If you are trying fish for the first time, this is a good option, as not only is the catch fresh but is truly prepared in a ‘home-style’. Do not forget to mention your threshold for spiciness before ordering, as it can be adjusted. Happy fishing!

Masemari,

2132,Trimurti Complex,

Near Abhinav College,

Off Tilak Road,

020-24328631

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

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

96 K

Pune has several restaurants that cater to your appetite for the regional cuisine — be it the small eateries or lavish fine dining places. 96 K (earlier known as Radhika) on FC Road, is one such place where you can drop by to taste some select Maharashtrian cuisine, which is typically supposed to be spicy. To add to the effect, the interiors of the place are done up like the palaces of the Marathas. The menu has select delicacies from the vast Maharashtrian food items. Aperitifs include Solkadhi — that comprises Kokum, a coconut flavoured spicy drink and Kokum sherbet. For starters you have the option of choosing from Kothimbir Wadi — made of fritters of coriander
leaves and besan, Onion Pakoda and then there is Golden Fried Babycorn, Prawns and Fish mixed with spicy batter. For main course, in vegetarians, there are options like Masoor Masala (lentils cooked in a thick gravy), Vangi-Batata Rassa (made with brinjal and potato) and Kadhan (a vegetarian variant of famous spicy mutton preparation).
The non-veg menu includes fish, mutton and chicken — all prepared in special spicy masala. You can order Bhakari to go with it. For desert, there is Caramel Custard and cardamom and coconut flavoured Lapshee (similar to wheat porridge).
The food preparation is simple but unique. The curries taste different and are spicy.
For those who relish spicy Maharashtrian food, a visit to 96K is a must. It is a nice blend of the ancient settings with a contemporary touch. The staff has their professionalism intact. They maintain good hygiene standards and have separate kitchens for veg and non-veg preparations, so even if all you are a staunch vegetarian, you can enjoy your meals without having to worry about the mutton being cooked in dishes used for preparing your preferences.
If you want the food to be less spicy, don’t forget to mention it while placing the order. But I suggest don’t if you wish to have an authentic Maharashtrian meal. And yes, do not forget to carry your handkerchief!

MY OVERALL RATING: 7/10

96 K
Sanas Memories, 927 FC Road, # 020 25679669