1.
, restaurant in the Hotel Pride, Shivaji Nagar. Singapore Laksa in one of the comfort food, also known as spicy noodle soup was one of the best dishes I had then. Thick spicy coconut curry soup with generous amount of rice noodles and exotic vegetables was comforting. The aroma of coconut milk was catching attention. Highly Recommended!
2.
", a venture run by Chef Dipali Vernenkar and Atul who offer delicious, healthy, optimum spiced food home delivered. The Curry had abundance of Cashews and veggies in rich creamy tomato-onion gravy was a delight. I could eat it like that only! A bowl full of hearty curry. Loved it!! Read all what
5.
Pancakes from
The Little Next Door Anti-Brunch: The most fluffy, light, delicious pancakes I had in a long time. You can choose the toppings, I opted for honey and Blueberry compote. Highly Recommended! I love the pocket friendly brunch at
The Little Next Door.
April Picks:
1.
Mom's Classical Mushroom and White Sauce Ciaza from
Wild Sugar and Patisserie and Cafe: Totally loaded Ciaza with mushrooms and creamy sauce were one of my favourites of the evening. The classic ciabatta was given a delicious twist. So yum.
2.
Apple, pear and walnut salad from
Wild Sugar and Patiserrie was one of the best salads, I had tasted in recent times. Sliced Apples, Pears for the sweetness, almonds for the crunch and to enhance the flavours it had balsamic reduction and mascarpone cheese. Overall a well-balanced dish. Trust me the portion sizes are so good that one bowl can replace a meal.
3.
Jalapeno and Mozzarella Cigars from
Tales and Spirits Bistro: The cheesy, gooey croquettes with loads of mozzarella and jalapeno was deep fried to perfection. Though cheese was not stretchy much. It is served with a pink sauce which was equally delectable. It is just irresistible. For more recommendations, read
Tales and Spirits Bistro review.
4.
Mascarpone Cream Cheese Pizza from
Tales and Spirits Bistro. Quite unusual. Cream cheese sauce, Tomato Concasse, Marinated Zucchini, Onions and Chilli Flakes made it a perfect pizza. The thin crust pizza was burst of flavors in the mouth. Just a perfect balanced pizza you look out for. A must-have!
5.
Baklava from
Tales and Spirits Bistro: The traditional dessert was served with butterscotch ice-cream. Warm flaky phyllo pastry layered with the crunch of walnuts and pistachio with honey syrup poured over it and to balance the dish was the butterscotch ice-cream. One bite of it had all the texture, flavours which made it one of the must-try at Tales and Spirits.
6.
Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding from
Vigour Kart: Who doesn't love chocolates? Best combination of health and taste was the Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding. With the first spoon of it only, you can feel the indulgence. Yummy chocolate topped with an almond crush was balancing the sweetness with the crunch. Highly Recommended!
May Picks:
1.
Mini Raj Kachori, Crisp Okra Salad, and Chutney Foam from
Farzi Cafe: This was a heaven for chaat lovers, like me. First of all, the presentation was an art in itself. It looked so beautiful. Crispily fried raj kachori with the scrumptious filling of potatoes, coriander chutney, spices and to top it was the saunth chutney foam. It was airy and melt in the mouth. Fried okras were balancing out the dish. Highly Recommended!
2.
Kundapur Aloo Ghee Roast from
Dalchini. Crisp roasted potatoes in ghee and sauteed in spices and plated in banana leaf is the most simple yet delectable dish. The hero of the dish is the Kundapur masala which is medium spiced and I simply loved it. Highly Recommended!
3. Palak Papdi Chaat from Dalchini: I am a chaat-lover, be it any type. Palak Patta or papdi chaat, deeply fried palak (spinach) leaves topped with potatoes and chutney. Slightly khatta meetha, teekha and this is what you want for a perfect appetizer. Highly Recommended!
4. Methi Malai Paneer Masala from Celebration, Mercure Lavasa: A deadly combination of methi (fenugreek) and paneer. It was delicious, creamy and mildly spiced. The melt in mouth texture of cottage cheese was heavenly. Highly Recommended! Read more about my stay and breakfast, lunch buffet at Mercure Lavasa.
5.
Classic Banoffee Pie with Caramel at
Baraza Bar and Bites: Filled the mouth with the burst of textures and flavours. Crunchy biscuit crumb base with whipped cream, sweet banana slices, and caramel surely lifted the mood. A not to be missed dessert. Highly Recommended!
6.
Wildflower Honey Pannacotta from
Coco Sushi and Bar: A perfect dessert for the evening.I liked the presentation and the taste.
7.
California Sushi Roll from
Coco Sushi and Bar: Prepared usually in a meaty roll, this roll was made in vegetarian with seaweed sheets, sushi rice, cucumber, and cream. Presently beautifully with the pickled ginger and wasabi. The roll was fresh with perfect texture.
8.
Belgian Chocolate Waffle Sundae at
Papa Cream: Yummy, crunchy chocolate bubble waffle topped with the luscious Belgian chocolate, hot fudge, caramel and whipped cream. This pairing can never go wrong. Ooh, that waffle and ice-cream! So Highly recommended!
9.
Blueberry Milkshake at
Papa Cream: Thick, creamy shake topped with whipped cream and crushed oreos. Perfect sweetness and texture. Loved it. Highly recommended! Read more what they have to offer at
Papa Cream, Pune.
June Picks:
1.
Funghi or Mushroom Pizza from
Arthur's Theme, Balewadi: Funghi or Mushroom Pizza is all time favourite. Basic yet scrumptious combo of mushrooms, olives, and cheese. I am in love with the thin, crispy crust pizza. So, scrumptious it was. Recommended!
July Picks:
1.
Fettuccine at
La Gustosa: Fettuccine and trust me one of the finest dishes for our lunch we had. Absolutely delicious marinara sauce and perfectly cooked pasta. What else you would want. Bit spicy and full of flavours. A must try. More superb menu at
La Gustosa.
2.
The Mushroom pizza at
La Gustosa, basic yet scrumptious. Olives, Mushrooms, loaded with cheese, this flavour packed pizza was super yummy. The crunch, taste everything was just fantastic. Highly Recommended!
3.
The Fungi Signature Gourmet Pizza at
Sorriso, Marriott Suites: How is it different? Well, the base sauce and the double fermented pizza dough. The Mushroom sauce on the pizza base, topped with burratta, truffle, basil and tomato confit was enough to tempt anyone. The hand-stretched was one of the best pizzas I had in recent times. Highly Recommended! Fab dinner menu. Read my take on
Sorriso.
4.
Taglioni Al Limone at
Sorriso: This handmade ribbon-shaped pasta was simple yet flavourful. As I mentioned, basic ingredients like lemon butter sauce and parsley make it more elegant and sophisticated. Highly Recommended.
5.
Ying Yang Martini (non-alcoholic) at
Oozo Bar and Diner: It was not only eye-pleasing but also lip-smacking. A must-have for the chocolate lovers. Yeah! It had a fine balance of chocolate, whipped cream, coconut milk, vanilla ice-cream, m.n.ms and chocolate shavings to shape the ying-yang sign. Soothing flavours, mild sweetness of coconut and of course chocolate adds to it. Highly Recommended!
6.
Saffron flavoured nacho chips at
Oozo Bar and Diner: Topped with saffron cheese sauce, black olives and served with tomato salsa, the nachos were true foodporn! The cheesy, gooey filling nachos were just mind-blowing. Highly Highly Recommended!
7.
Papas Ala Saif at
Oozo Bar and Diner: Chef Saif is a magician. This dish is his creation and believes me if you are coming here, Papas is a must try. Why? Offcourse, it has fried potatoes discs covered with spicy yellow pepper cheese sauce, and black olives. Oh so yum. The crunch of potatoes and the cheesiness just leave you wanting for more. Highly Recommended!
8.
Tutto Funghi Uramaki from
Travelling Sushi Festival at Shizusan: Can you imagine a deadly combination of mushrooms and sushis? It totally and absolutely works. Crispy Mushrooms, White Shimeji Tempura, Kewpie Mayo, Snow Peas stuffed into nori rolls, topped with edible chive flower and served with pickled ginger and wasabi made this absolutely flavourful. This sushi was a burst of flavours in my mouth. A must have. Highly Highly Recommended!
9.
Malai Broccoli from
Unwind: I am not a Broccoli fan, but Malai Broccoli dish definitely positively transformed my mind to look at it. Perfectly cooked Broccoli was generously coated with the super tasty marination of cream and cashew curry paste. Served with spicy Thecha mayo was the best combination. The rich starter is a must try! Highly Recommended! This and more about
Unwind.
10.
Three Mushroom Flat Bread from
Unwind : Simple, delicious and basic ingredients to make a perfect lip-smacking bread. How can cheese, mushroom and truffle oil combo go wrong? Super flavourful and cheesy. If you ever wanting to try flat bread, try this first! Highly Recommended!
11.
Bombay Bhel Version 2 from
Mocha: Insanely delicious.. It had the bang on flavours just the way any bhel should have. Chatakdar! Spicy, sweet, tangy, sour bhel had burst of flavours in my mouth. Can still feel the binge! Quantity was bit less. Served in the baby cycle with a cutting glass full of onions, pomegranate to garnish, this bhel had all the 'Mumbaiya' touch. Highly Recommended! Read about
Mocha!
12.
Chocolate Avalanche from
Mocha: Too sinful and a must try for all the chocolate lovers out there. Some might find it overly sweet but for me, it was just the way desserts are. Avalanche had the chocolate brownie, chocolate mousse, chocolate fudge, chocolate truffles, topped with chocolate ice-cream. Phew! All things chocolate. I personally liked it. Highly Recommended!
13.
Broccoli Cheese Balls from
On Fire. With bare minimum crushed broccoli. It was insanely addictive but super heavy. The outer crust was crispy fried. Recommended! The rooftop menu is amazing at
On Fire.
14.
Veg Biryani from
On Fire: a Nice layer of aromatic basmati rice over a bed of surprisingly delicious paneer curry. Super duper yum. Recommended!
15.
Mutter aur Cheese Ka Tikka from
Khiva: The green color of the tikka was eye-catching, which it got from green peas and herbs. Best part it was stuffed with cheese so with each bite one can feel the gooey, cheesy, crispy Tikka. Recommended! Have you tried at
Khiva?
16.
Subz Biryani from
Khiva: Oh the aroma of the rice was killer. Creamy veggies layered with aromatic rice and drizzled with strong rose and kevda water flavour made it irresistible. Highly Recommended!
17.
Paneer Steak from
Genuine Broaster Chicken: A big paneer chunk with sriracha sauce was served with aromatic rice, salad and a cup of french fries. I know, you can't and shouldn't miss those fries. I found the paneer a bit overcooked though the sauce was just perfect. Rice was superbly aromatic and infused herb added extra taste and the salad added extra freshness to the dish. Loved it.
18.
Amla Beetroot Tikki at Tvum: One of the best dishes at Tvum. All the food on menu is healthy and inspired by Ayurveda. This tikki had the power punch of Indian gooseberry and Beetroot. Loved it.
19.
Gulkand Gulabjamuns at Tvum: Not to be missed are these superbly juicy, balanced sweet Gulabjamuns. A must have!
August Picks:
1.
Asparagus Tempura from
Gong: Asparagus, Avocado, Chef's special sauce rolled and garnished with tempura flakes which give it a very crunchy texture. I love this. Highly Recommended! Read my recommendations about
Gong, Balewadi.
2.
Chocolate Dome from
Gong was a drama on a plate. The warm chocolate sauce is poured over the chocolate dome and when its deconstructed, you can dig into a brownie, honey noodles, and vanilla icecream. Oh so yum! Total death by chocolate. It had the perfect texture and flavours of sweet, crunchy. Highly Recommended!
3.
Black Ice-cream' or the activated charcoal Ice-cream from
Icekraft: It has become a rage in youths nowadays. Cone batter is infused with the activated charcoal to have that dense black color and the ice-cream rolls too are made with the similar process and topped with choco-chips. It looks appealing and is fun to try once.
4.
Coffee Brownie Milkshake at
Temptey's: This shake had a real strong aroma and flavour of coffee. With the first sip, it was super tempting! This is one of my top favourites and will again for this and more! Some amazing milkshake choices at
Temptey's.
5.
Barbeque Ville: A pocket-friendly place for bbq. Nice varieties for Vegetarians and Non-vegetarians. No specific dish is favourite as the menu changes everyday. Read more about
Barbeque Ville.
6.
Cheesy Caraway Potatoes from
Mad House Grill: Overnight marinated potatoes, double fried and poured with cheese sauce with the perfect aroma of caraway. The crunch, cheesiness, hint of herbs was the USP of this dish. Highly Recommended! Fantastic options for vegetarians too at
Mad House Grill.
7.
Paneer Shashlik at
Mad House Grill was one of my favourite dishes for that lunch. It hit the right notes of flavors and taste. The 'real' spicy after taste of tomato-based shashlik sauce was the key taste enhancer. Skewered veggies grills on the bed of herb rice with loads of flavourful shashlik sauce are one highly recommended dish. If you are a spicy-food lover, do not miss this to pair with your favourite drink.
8.
Crusty Puneri Misal from Pandora
Gastronomy and Bar: The presentation was out of the box. Scooped bun crusty bun was filled with potatoes, sprouts, farsan, onions and served along with rassa and dahi. Pour those over the bun to enjoy the 'twisted' version of misal. As I mentioned earlier, no matter how it is presented, the taste will always be untouched. With one bite, the flavours just burst in your mouth. The crust is crunchy yet easy to dig in. Highly Recommended!
9.
Gnocchi Al Funghi at
Pandora Gastronomy and Bar: Soft potato pillows were super cheesy with subtle balance of rich and hearty porcini mushroom sauce and truffle oil. Melt in mouth Gnocchi is a must try! Highly Recommended
10.
Phirni Parfait at
Pandora Gastronomy and Bar was an epitome of dessert gastronomy. Rose petal phirni presented in the martini glass, decorated with rose pearls. The eye-appealing texture had the perfect texture and mildly sweet taste. A must try.
11.
Loaded BBQ Potatoes from
Effingut Brewerkz, Kharadi: Slightly longer than the usual fries, this was thick cut and tossed with an in-house bbq sauce and drizzled with cheddar. Perfectly cooked and mildly spiced these bbq fries were most favourites. Highly Recommended! New menu at
Effingut Brewerkz Kharadi.
12. The four cheese pizza or
Quattro Formaggio Pizza at
Effingut Brewerkz, Kharadi. Thin crust loaded cheese pizza was the hot favourite for all. Orange Cheddar, Parmesan, Scamorza and Mozzarella topped and baked to perfection, the pizza actually took us into the food coma. Just relish the basic yet scrumptious cheesy pizza. Highly Recommended!
13.
Veg Khow Suey at
Effingut Brewerkz, Kharadi: One of the best Khow Sueys in Pune! Trust me.
14.
Eggplant Bruschettas at
212 All Day Cafe and Bar: Crusty toasted bruschetta brings out the deep taste of eggplant, brie. Topped with crunchy fried onions and to balance out the flavours, it also had fig to relish. Lovely super scrumptious dish. Recommended! For All Good, Healthy Menu read my complete review for
212 All Day Cafe and Bar, Pune.
15.
Spicy Emmental Arancini Balls at
212 All Day Cafe and Bar: The irresistibly cheesy, gooey, delicious Spicy Emmental Arancini Balls were filled with gooey Emmental to make it soft inside and the outer crust was perfect crisp fried. Highly addictive and Recommended!
16.
The Truffle, Porcini, and Buratta Risotto at
212 All Day Cafe and Bar with black olives and crispy banana flowers was surely addictive. The buttery, creamy risotto is an epitome of comfort food. Highly Recommended!
September Picks:
1.
Batter Fried Paneer tossed in Homemade Chilli Garlic Sauce from
Indigo Deli: Oh so yum! Fresh, soft paneer was crispy fried and sauteed in spicy, sweet sauce. Overall a perfect combination. Highly Recommended! Have you visited the new outlet of
Indigo Deli in Koregaon Park?
2.
3 CheeseWafer Thin Pizza at
Indigo Deli. OMG! It was seriously wafer thin. 3 Smoked Peppers and 3 cheese pizza with the hotness of red, yellow and bhavnagri peppers, Scamorza and fresh Mozzarella. What could go wrong with it? Nothing! The smoky flavour, cheesy, spicy and perfectly baked pizza was stunning.
3.
Onion Rings from
TJ's Brew Works: Big and thick crispy fried onions with spent grains crust were scrumptious. A signature dish but given a healthy twist. Highly Recommended! Read more for guilt-free options at
TJ's Brew Works.
4.
Not Guilty Pizza with Almond Crust from
TJ's Brew Works. It was loaded with Broccoli, Zucchini, Spinach, Bell Peppers, Grilled Onions, Cherry Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic White sauce. The coarse almond crust texture is just like Graham Crackers crust. I loved it. The 13" pizza costs around Rs.900 for almond and cauliflower base. Recommend this one.
5.
Carrot and Turnip Cake from
Mandarin and Mircchi: The deep-fried savory cake was crunchy from outside and soft from inside, a melt in mouth snack. Served with chilli garlic sauce, this cake is basically a Chinese dim sum made of shredded carrot and turnip topped with loads of fried garlic and spring onions. Highly Highly Recommended! A good choice for families wanting to try asian food at
Mandarin and Mircchi.
6.
Three Style Mushroom Dimsum at
Mandarin and Mircchi. The Dimsum was made with purple cabbage to give it that attractive color and was filled with three types of mushrooms - Oyster, Shitake, and Button, fried in truffle oil with some garlic. It was very flavourful. Recommended!
7.
Spicy Sambal Buffalo Cauliflower Bites from
Geo Bistro: It tastes somewhat like the Gobi Manchurian, I would say better than that. The Cauliflower florets were deep fried and tossed with onion, garlic, pepper, green onion and spicy sambal sauce. This dish is the burst of flavours in the mouth. A perfect balance of spice, sweet, tangy taste.
8.
Lose those Love Handles at
Geo Bistro: My eyes rolled when I saw the Diet Shake and yes, what a pretty looking and the power-packed shake it is and thy name is Lose Those Love Handles. A sinful concoction of Fresh kiwis, dates, almond, low-fat milk, low-fat vanilla ice-cream, blended with ice and beautifully decorated with fresh kiwi slices. This thick shake is my all time favourite. Will go again for this one! :) Highly Highly Recommended!
November Picks:
1.
Spicy Laksa Soup from
Asian Box, Baner: A perfect bowl for the perfect winter evenings. This soup has noodles served in coconut curry broth, veggies, and crushed peanuts. The spiciness was just on the edge. I loved the after taste of chili though the taste was just balanced. I would again go for this flavourful bowl of happiness. Highly Recommended! Read more about
Asian Box, Baner.
2.
Cottage Cheese Indiana from
Panayaa: A super succulent and fresh appetizer with really strong, rich and vibrant Indian flavors was the Cottage Cheese Indiana. The paneer was super melt in the mouth and grilled to perfection. For some amazing options, read my
Panayaa review.
3.
Khaman Oxide from
Panayaa: It was a combination of freeze-dried khaman crumble drizzled with mint-coriander, tamarind chutney garnished with pomegranate 'caviars'. One spoon of it was the burst of flavors in the mouth. Spicy, tangy, sweet all in one rich flavor. Absolutely loved it!
4.
Chocolate Landscape at
Panayaa was full of drama on the table. This only dessert which is made right in front of you. A heavenly dessert for chocolate lovers with a deadly combination of brownie, mud pie, caramel, and loads of chocolate, frozen with liquid nitrogen. Worth the value! One can replace regular cakes with this sinful dessert.
5.
Customised Veg Pizza at
Slice of Soul: Pizza was the best bet for the vegetarians.Trust me this was one of the best thin crust pizzas I had in a long time. The pizza was perfectly baked and the taste of the sauce was so good, you wouldn't need any seasoning. I particularly liked the herb sauce. The creaminess of the sauce, cheese, and the loaded toppings made the pizza irresistible.
6.
Liquid Paan at
1BHK Super Bar: We started our evening with some of the mocktails and one of the most delicious was the Liquid Paan. The vibrant green colored drink had the intense flavour of gulkand and kesar. Served in the martini glass on the bed of rose petals, this drink is not to be missed.
7.
1BHK Cottage Cheese Steak in JD's sauce at
1BHK Super Bar: A complete meal in itself, the plating was done right on point. Perfectly marinated and grilled large chunks of paneer were stacked over the grilled exotic veggies and served with creamy potato mash, salad, and spicy dip. Highly recommended!
December Picks:
1.
Cream of Garlic and Mushroom Phyllo Soup at
Kargo: Cream of Garlic and Mushroom Phyllo was super scrumptious. It had the deep earthy flavours of mushrooms with fresh thyme and cream. Loved it totally. Highly Recommended! Read more about the recommendations about
Kargo.
2.
Naanza from
Kargo – Roasted Pepper, Corn, and Broccoli. This super scrumptious dish was loved by one and all. It had all the textures and cheesiness and spiced flavours. Loved it.
3.
Veg Crostini from
Kargo. Trust me, it was one of the best dishes I had the other day. Crispy bite-sized perfectly toasted and grilled bread was topped with the delicious sweet, spiced veggies. A must have at Kargo.
4.
Coriander Marinated Grilled Cottage Cheese Plate at
Kargo. The filling dish had melted in mouth paneer patties drizzled with pesto sauce, served with grilled veggies, fragrant butter rice, and bright green colored pesto sauce. It had the strong hint of garlic with the freshness of coriander. Highly Recommended!
5.
Bobatella Smoothie from
Bubble Rush: Sinful Nutella and Bobas smoothie with the chewy tapioca pearls. They were a bit hard to bite but the thickness and taste of the smoothie balanced the drink. Loved it.
So, I hope you enjoyed the list. I know this is an extensive one. Will try to post my favourites either monthly, quarterly or after every six months. 2018 is going to be more about travel food, travel itinerary, street food and homemade food. I hope you guys will shower your love this year too! Till then, Happy Eating!
