The cravings for a fine Reshmi Chicken Tikka or a nice avatar of Tandoori Stuffed Mushrooms, or biryani: do they all ring a bell of the North Indian cuisine? The top-rated North Indian places and Mughlai restaurants are here to save the day with some beautiful renderings of these popular and some not-so-popular dishes which have been given a rather modern twist. All these restaurants are great value for money.
This new age bar and restaurant offers some good grub as well, the main attraction is, in fact, their North Indian and Tandoori food which is very well done and does a great job with all the fancy cocktails on the bar, or some fine beers instead? The menu is really brief so there is no confusion as to what is nicer than the rest. The Cheese Murgh Malai Seekh Kebab is something new and never seen at any other places in Pune. And then, they are going with what the modern youth wants: Naanzas and twisted Tandoori dishes. The Butter Chicken Naanza is another great one to call for.
This small and simple restaurant serves the dishes which are true to its name. Probably the tastiest yet inexpensive variety of Mughlai grub is available here. The specials include Raan Rice which is ideal to be shared between 6 or more people and it is the special here which they cook every day. Apart from that, the menu consists of these "Tawa Fry Sabzees" which include Mutton Chops, Chicken Fry, Soya Chaamp for Vegetarians and a whole lot more in the appetizers as well. Interestingly, the Doodhi Ka Halwa adds a nice touch to the desserts.
Like the name says, it is very much like a premium dhaba restaurant that offers some awesome service and great food. The menu is quite a long one and you will be spoilt for choice. Amritsari Paneer Ke Pakode, Dahi Ke Kebab and the Gosht Ki Bhurri are some specials from the small plates and make sure you have Amritsari Lassi or Chhas by the side always. The Changezi Chicken from the mains is an interesting one and the chef’s special here because it is cooked with some dried fenugreek that imparts great flavour.
Now, this restaurant has been around for more than a decade and they have a stellar buffet spread apart from the A La Carte as well. So, for some people, it may be a great idea to choose the buffet instead of spending a bomb on the A La Carte menu. However, if you do not eat as much, it is a good thing to stick to the specials on the menu which include Karaare Amritsari Aaloo, Tandoori Prawns or the Tunde Kebab which is their twist on the legendary Tunday Kebab from Lucknow. Badam Ka Halwa and Phirni are must for desserts.
This is a real fancy restaurant and you will be surprised to know how good the food is here. The Kurkuri Bhindi is really nice and crispy with Pind style Masalas and then the one dish that makes the difference is the Irani Tangdi Kebab which is not too spicy, in fact, it is nice and smooth on the palate that will keep you wanting for more. They even have the Mutton Rogan Josh which is a perfect representation of what a Rogan Josh should be like. This restaurant is actually quite premium and the complete feel of dining here is very posh and fancy, without paying too much for your food.
This is surely one of those underrated restaurants that have some stellar dishes to offer. The finesse and the quality of food, is outstanding, and, the whole feel and ambience of the restaurant, is also quite nice. They have a massive selection of Mughlai Kebabs and a good list of Biryanis as well and the portion sizes are quite huge so you need to be sure you are not the only one eating. They even have a very typical Desi Chinese menu that offers a good range of appetisers and mains, if you are done eating those kebabs and you want Fried Rice to end your meal with.
Manish has been a Food Photographer, Stylist, Consultant and a Pastry Chef for a long time. His experiences with travel have inspired him to write about food, cultures, cuisines & experiences across the world. He has had his own E-Magazine in the past and some notable contributions to The Times Group and a few other publications. He is massively inspired by the Indian produce of Coffee & Theobroma Cacao, something that he loves to promote and talk more about.
