GANDHARV RESIDENCY

After a request from a reader, I decided to eat at this restaurant. And the visit here took me down memory lane — about 18 years ago, I used to eat my fill here on weekends. At that time this breed of restaurants were limited to just a handful, and this was one of the most popular. That was also the time when eating out was a much bigger deal and happened only once or twice a month for most Puneites. So, I had another reason to visit - to refresh the taste of this place on my palette. Gandharv Restaurant is in the lane behind the Gandharv Residency. The resto-bar here is called Rasagandh. While browsing through the menu, I noticed that it had evolved — the change reflecting the world around it which is changing too. The menu is varied with lots of paneer dishes prepared in different forms. Shorbas too come in five different options. The Murg Pudina Shorba was different and tasty. Motiyon ke Bahar (stuffed paneer tikka flavoured with herbs and spices) was of a sweeter taste with a negligible amount of herbs and spices. Jhinga Anarkali (prawns marinated in spices and pomegranate seeds) was something new and turned out to be very tasty. Though the variety in main course was abundant, with options from murg, prawns, fish, lamb even Pan Asian with Sichuan style preparation with five spices and a few more well-known Thai and Chinese preparations. The Pan Asian section also has an elaborate soup section. We chose to order Paneer Tikka Masala and Chicken Walnut Broccoli with Fried Rice. I imagined (quite rightly) what the taste of the paneer would be. However, I found the Chicken Walnut and Broccoli lacking. If only the walnut had been crushed and added and chicken pieces cut in slivers, it would have turned out well. The dessert options here aren’t many — Jelly, Fruit Salad, Gulab Jamun, Kulfi and Caramel Custard. So, there wasn’t much to comment on this. Gandharv Residency is a great place for friends in their late thirties to have a reuinion. There’s a long list of spirits, quiet ambience and below-average speed of service. The ones who are impatient and hungry, will find that taxing. Even though there were only a few tables occupied, the service was slow that day. Otherwise, those who wanted to reconnect with the place (as I did) must visit.

MY OVERALL RATING: 7.5/10

Gandharv Residency, 1291, 1292, Shivajinagar, behind

Gandharv Restaurant, 020-25520903

SICILIA

The place I visited this week is known as Sicilia, and I assumed it is an Italian restaurant. Well, though the food prepared here is Italian, it has a huge backdrop of Mediterranean cuisine! Sicilian food has influences from the Arabs, Greeks and Spanish, and this does make it Mediterranean in nature. The preface at the start of the menu is informative and tells you about the history of Sicilian cuisine and its origins. The menu (since we’ve established it is Mediterranean), has antipasti, homemade pastas, rissottos, shawarma, falafels, babagounush, etc. They also have a well stocked wine menu to make your dining more appealing. For starters, we had the soup of the day which was Minestrone. It happened to be a great choice to start the meal with. It was a generous portion, with ample vegetables and a perfect spiked flavour. We also ordered Funghi Ripeno al Forno (mushroom tossed in garlic) and Roasted Prawns and Cherry Tomato, both tasty and with generous portions. The prawns were especially good — succulent and blended well with the sauce. Basically, if the base sauce is well prepared, its derivatives are bound to be tasty. In this case the tomato concasse (French for ‘crushed’ and a term that can mean ‘sauce’) was so well balanced, that the Mediterranean Pizza we ordered next also turned out to be pleasurable. Here too, the toppings were generous. Usually, we get to see more sauce and less toppings; here it was exactly the opposite. For the main course we had Kingfish Steak with Polenta and Asparagus and once again, I was surprised with the portions! Polenta (yellow corn meal) was well prepared; and the fish steaks had a cheese filling making it more tender. Having been served and attended to very well by the staff, I performed an almost ritual by ordering the alltime favourite Italian dessert — tiramsu. I feel incomplete not trying out the tiramisu at any Italian joint. This time (again!) I was impressed by their portion and the presentation. Every single preparation brought to the table had two or three garnishes. And even more admirable, not even one garnish was repeated. The Tiramisu went down well with a hot shot of the classic cappuchino served on the house with the dessert. Overall, a fabulous place to visit once and being treated not only to Italian cuisine, but Mediterranean as well. This five course dinner for two with generously served portions, great presentation will cost around Rs 1500. Bon Apetite!

MY OVERALL RATING:7/10

SICILIA, City Point, Dhole Patil Road, 020-26168555

JAGAT BHARI KOLHAPURI

Ihave always in reviews, cribbed about two things - the authenticity of preparations and the value for money. Also, I believe in the thumb rule that taste is inversely proportional to the food items listed in the menu. The less the number of food items means a higher assurance of taste. This time, everything mentioned above was fulfilled. Jagat Bhari Kolhapuri (loosely translated to Kolhapur is the best in whole world) is actually the name of the restaurant. Its menu is probably the only one in Pune with just nine items on it. And imagine it to be a thela, or a roadside eatery. This is an 80-seater, a full fledged restaurant! The other thing that you get only here and not at any other Kolhapuri joint is masoor (whole red lentils). Jagat Bhari Kolhapuri is a masoor specialist with new preparation methods from this cuisine, that was not commercially showcased before, is served here. Other than this, you will find Khuskya Rice (translated to crisp rice, which is actually plain rice temperd with pure ghee, and topped with golden fried onions and coriander), Sol Kadhi, Tandoori Roti, Bhakari, Thecha, Dahi, mineral water and aerated water. The taste is exceptionally good and preparation is done in almost a household style because there are no trained chefs employed, apart from the tandoor chef. The kitchen is taken care by the owner and his family members. They have shown us a new face of Kolhapuri cuisine. That is what I like about the place, they have something new to offer and that too, something original and authentic. The gravy is far from the cliched Dal Makhani (which I thought initially being similar to this preparation). The service is good. They serve you a small portion to taste so that you know exactly what they have to offer. It’s been less than a month since it opened and there was wait to get in for dinner. I guess that says it all. A fulfilling meal for two will cost Rs 170. That makes me able to recommend the place to everyone. And no, unlike the Kolhapuri food cliche, you don’t need to carry handkerchiefs. The preparation here is authentic - not spicy, but very tasty!

MY OVERALL RATING: 7/10

Jagat Bhari Kolhapuri

47/1 Taware Colony, opp City Pride,

Next to Bhapkar Petrol Pump,

Pune-Satara Road

Cell no: 8087231218

CREAM CENTRE - FERN HOTEL

Many of us believe that options in vegetarian cuisine are few. This happens when we take a look at the menu and find it difficult to choose a particular preparation. It is even more tedious when half of the items on the list are tried and tested. When you visit Cream Centre, the tables are turned. For the menu is vast, varied, completely vegetarian and most importantly they have all sorts of global preparations under one roof. Cream Centre, they say, is a 50-year-old eatery that began on Mumbai’s Chowpatty. Having traveled sucha culinary journey, they now have found a place in Pune - a restaurant outlet at the Fern Hotel. Plush interiors, well-lit ambience and ample seating capacity makes this place suitable for family outings. Two things in particular will make me always remember this place. Firstly, for its menu card. I haven’t seen such immaculately presented content before. Clear, high definition photographic illustrations make your mouth water. The first few sheets present their all-time hit preparations, things for which this place is famous. So, I tried those. Among them are the Original Chana Bhatura, the World’s Best Nachos, Onion Rings, Lime Ice Soda and Sizzling Brownie. Except for the Lime Ice Soda and Onion Rings, the rest were true to their word. Lime Ice Soda had ice-cream blended with lime and soda, which I, personally, thought to too sweet. I had thought it would be like an iced tea. As for the Onion Rings, the batter was more puffy and less crispy. I make it the other way around. However, with Onion Rings, there’s an abundant variety of preparation methods, so I’m not rejecting their version. The other unique thing about this place is its dedicated management. The huge success of any restaurant lies in this. I had ordered a Lebanese Original Falafel after seeing a photograph in the menu. The picture showed iceberg lettuce in it, but when it was served it had more of cabbage shreds. I brought this to the notice of the manager and he promptly requested me to note it down in the feedback form. As usual I filled it up thinking no one would bother to read it (it happens in most cases), but to my surprise I got a call from a concerned general manager the very next morning! This is the first time such an event has taken place since I started reviewing. Cream Centre is recommended for families with children (they will love pouring chocolate over the Sizzling Brownie). Not recommended for diet conscious people. Why? The name itself should be a clue. It would be pity if you discuss diet plan while dining here!

MY OVERALL RATING: 8/10

Cream Centre

Fern Hotel, Lane no 10, Opp Solaris Gymnasium,

Kalyani Nagar, 0204018000

IBIS - SPICE IT!

My relationship with Ibis Hotels is not new. I had been to one before, at one of their properties in Europe. I remember that it is a European budget hotel, which does not encourage valet parking or a bell boy service. If you wondered why I am talking about these things in a food review, it’s because as part of their ‘budget’ status, I remembered you have to prepare your own coffee, if having the breakfast buffet. It’s the same at this one. Even while entering the restaurant, you are welcomed by a sign board which says “take yourself a seat”. That, precisely says all. They serve an ala carte menu as well as a buffet spread. The latter is done only when the house count is more. On Sunday evening, the only option was the ala carte menu. The preparations are very few, comprising of appetizers, main course international, main course Indian and side orders. Both the non-veg and veg spread has the same pattern. We started off with the soup of the day, which was Tomato Soup. After tasting that, I thought it should have rather been served as chutney with any Indian snack. It was tangy and coarsely textured. The Five Spice Chicken with hot basil leaves and Insalata Mediterranean was pretty delightful with crispy iceberg lettuce topped with marinated mix vegetables. They also serve a combination meal comprising one vegetable, rice, dal, Indian bread and salad for Rs 249 which turned out to be worth ordering. The succulent paneer gets full marks. Macher Jhol was another individual order served for Rs 289 along with two rotis. It was bang on target for originality and preparation. However, just a small bowl with a few bite-sized pieces of fish concerned me for amount they charged. Chocolate brownie served with vanilla ice cream ended on a rightful sweet note. The service is not the most sophisticated and would normally have distressed me. That day, however, they tackled my table well enough. The thing which I liked the most is that you get the servings specifically fulfilled according to an individual’s need. Instead of paying for an entire dish, you get to choose from their preparations. It turns out to be pocket friendly for individual diners, I recommend this place to them. And if you’re not satisfied with the ala carte preparations, they are happy to cook for you according to your demands!

MY OVERALL RATING: 7/10

Spice It

IBIS,Viman Nagar,Nagar Road Pune - 14

(020) 65106200

Virgin

METROMIX

Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all! That’s not originally by me, but has been quoted by legends. While digging into the menu at Metro Mix, you’ll find many more such gems. Seating is not much, still it’s neatly put up with a casual ambience and abundance in varieties of world cuisines served under one roof. More of a dining place, it’s a semilounge. The typical vegetables, roti and stuff is not all that is served here. Their passion for cooking reflects in the menu, for there is nothing fancy in it, it’s to the point and less confusing. All preparations have three options, vegetarian, chicken and fish. Starters are tempting, as was the Frosty Chicken in honey mustard marinade. The chicken was succulent while the crust was crispy. Thus, it made a very interesting preparation. The mustard and honey went well together. The main courses are also very good with additions from almost every country. Salads are also equally tempting. The caesar salad was crunchy and original. Pasta basics hits a bulls eye for its authenticity. Chicken Stroganoff, Thai Curries, Au Gratin, all find place in the menu. There is even a sizzler zone in which there are Mexican, Teriyaki, Italian and even Indian sizzlers (where your choice is served with Indian curry, jeera rice, French fries and vegetables served on a sizzler plate). For those looking for a sweet encounter, there’s Tiramisu, puddings, Banana split and Darsaan (thai delicacy of nest of honey noodles with vanilla ice cream) Such a type of restaurant was very much needed in this vicinity where cliched, monotonous eateries are in abundance. Though this place is nearing its first anniversary, we found only a few tables occupied on Sunday, but Metro Mix isn’t complaining. The simple reason being, it maintains a unique place and most importantly the taste justifies everything. A meal for two would cost around Rs 800. And considering the spread they offer, it is worthy enough. Recommended for all those who always wished to know how a meal in a five-star hotel tastes. Here, it’s not just the ambience, but the taste that matters!

MY OVERALL RATING: 8/10

Metro Mix, A Culinary Cruise

25/26 E Building, Kumar Parisar,

Near Mahesh Vdyalaya, Kothrud,

020-65004030

CITRUS

This is first time I stepped outside Pune, to visit the twin cities of Pimpri-Chinchwad. It’s also a coincidence that this hotel is also first of its kind in PCMC. Citrus Hotel is situated exactly opposite the municipal building. The main buffet at Beso is laid right in the centre. The high roof gives the ambience a vibrant and classy look. The buffet has plenty of food preparations on display — 12 salads, four starters, two oriental, two continental preparations, three veg main courses, three non-veg main courses, two types of rice, two noodles and 10 different desserts. This is the largest spread I have gone through for a while. They have inserted few small things that make you remember it for. For example there are banana wafers and potato chips kept on the table. This is very unique, for I started nibbling those while browsing through the spread. The taste is right on the mark. From all the items, Mustard Fish Salad, Peanut Sheek Debab, Paneer Tikka Masala, Pepper Pulao, Fish Steaks in Oriental Sauce, Mushroom Curry and Fruit Trifle Pudding are what I remember the best. However, the continental preparations needed a more experienced touch. It is quite easy to prepare pasta, but if the sauce is not perfect, it can be difficult to settle with the way it tastes and the appearance. The Indian and Oriental preparations are undoubtedly true to its origins. The service is polite, smiling and attentive. On Monday evening, the buffet was filled with diners. And why wouldn’t they be? This huge spread costs just Rs 299 + tax. Though there aren’t any live stations, it is still worth it! After all, not many like to wait at a counter while food is being prepared, they just shoot off and dig into the spread, and I did the same!

MY OVERALL RATING: 8/10

Beso, Citrus Hotel

Opposite PCMC building, Mumbai-Pune highway