TURQUE - SAYAJI

Hospitality in Hinjewadi has boomed in the last five years. While only a few choices were available earlier, now, retaining guests seems to be the top agenda for ‘established’ establishments. In tune with this phenomenon, Sayaji Hotels has opened a poolside lounge bar for guests with a calm ambience and subtle lighting — for those who don’t want to shake a leg, but enjoy some music, with live bands that play jazz, retro, etc. It’s the kind of place you might want to catch up with your colleagues minus the office atmosphere. There is a wonderfully stocked bar here and the food is quite satisfactory. Given the nice décor and proven hospitality record, I had high expectations. The menu comprises of Oriental, Continental and Indian delicacies. There are plenty of one pot meals like Lasagna, Moroccan Wrap, Stir-fried Noodles and Rice etc. They also have some interesting options like the Tenderloin Medallions, Linguini pasta, Paneer Shashlik in gravy, Rum-flavored Lamb Barra kebab etc. All the Indian main courses are served with a Dal Makhani, naan, papad and salad. Amongst starters, I tried the Po Pia Thod (Rs 185), the Balinese Barbecue Fish (Rs 325), while for the main course we had Stir Fried Veggies (Rs 265) and Rum-flavoured Lamb Barra kebabs (Rs 325). The Po Pia Thod were similar to spring rolls, except for the addition of a tangy sauce — the only difference. The Balinese Barbecue Fish was not exactly barbecued, but coated and fried and then mounted on skewer sticks doused with a sauce resembling barbecue sauce. The Stir Fried Veggies had the addition of garden greens such as zucchini, broccoli etc. The Rum-flavored Lamb Barra kebabs were a major disappointment, for the overpoweringly pungent masala was not going down well with the rum marination. What was great was that this concern of ours was noted down fastidiously by the manager — a rare quality. Till date, in my experience, if a particular taste is not suitable for your palate and you notify the manager, he generally informs you ‘this is the way it is served here.’ But that’s something you won't have to experience here — the manager is a great listener. Desserts like brownies, Apple Strudle, gulab jamuns and rabri are available here. Apart from the food, the drinks are noticeably taxable. With the addition of some liquor to your meal, the overall cost easily crosses the 1k mark. Nevertheless, time spent in such a lovely ambience with colleagues, friends or family alike is unique and satisfying.

Turque,

Sayaji Hotel,

Mumbai-Bangalore

Bypass Highway,

Wakad,

Pune — 57

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