Pune has a lot to offer beyond its magnificent climate and educational Institutes. It’s the young crowd, dynamic culture, multi-ethnic lifestyle, and pulsating vibes proves that Pune has so much more to offer than the usual concrete jungle. This restaurant which I visited recently is located in the city, yet feels away from it. This is because the concrete jungle outside is overshadowed by nature inside. As you enter, you’re welcomed by a fountain and the lush greenery around the area makes you feel as if you’re hugged by nature. The spacious seating arrangement along with small huts gives a very beautiful vibe and indulging into famous seafood delicacies out there, is just the perfect match. They also have a private area downstairs for corporate parties. The entire place is beautifully planned keeping in mind the aesthetics and comfort of people.
Mocktails
Mango blast – The perfect combination of mango pulp and vanilla ice cream is what goes into making this drink extraordinary. It has a thick texture to it and a very balanced flavour.
Kiwi apple punch – This is healthy and tasty at the same time. This drink was a bit on a sweeter side, but the flavours perfectly complimented each other.
Guava merry – This was one of my favourite drinks. The flavour of guava with a tinge of spiciness added the charm to this one. The rim of the glass was covered with salt making every sip taste superb.
Fruit Punch – I have rarely come across people going wrong with Fruit Punch! This fruit based drink is quite refreshing and probably the best way to beat the heat.
Starters
Golden fried prawns – All that glitters is not gold, but these golden fried prawns were worth a catch! Crispy and flavourful coating from outside and the crunch of fresh prawns from inside makes it a must try appetiser from here. The schezwan dip served with the prawns added more flavour to the dish.
Rawas ghee roast – This ghee toasted fish had a nice spicy masala coating and was cooked to perfection. The fish was very soft, which literally melted in the mouth and the spicy masala added to its taste.
Stuffed chicken tangdi – Juicy chicken leg piece with a stuffing of minced chicken and spring onions inside, now how cool is that! We absolutely love chicken leg piece and the thought of stuffing it with minced chicken is just mind blowing. The chicken was very tender with perfectly made in the tandoor. A must try from here.
Butter garlic crab – This was the first time where we had boneless crabs and that too in a butter garlic paste. Every bite was like a treat to my taste buds. Smooth and creamy texture with a nice blend of spices was the key in making this dish perfect. Would definitely come back to have this. Highly recommended.
Main course
Murgh chatori with butter garlic naan – Huge chunks of chicken in a creamy brown gravy is what this dish comprises of. The chicken was well cooked with not so spicy gravy. Although, I thought the gravy was a bit less in quantity as compared to the chicken pieces, as the pieces were really big. The combination of butter garlic naan and chicken is like a match made in heaven and loved by all.
Prawns kalwan curry with neer dosa – Don’t go by the colour of this curry, the taste will definitely leave you awestruck! This is something different from the usual and was cooked in a coconut base with an added spiciness to it. Prawns were well cooked and the curry was served with light and thin neer dosa making it a perfect combination.
Desserts
Gajar halwa – This is probably the best Indian dessert and when it’s made in desi ghee, you simply can’t refuse. Every bite had the desi ghee flavour making the piping hot gajar ka halwa taste wonderfully delicious.
The overall dining experience was superb with the ambience adding extra stars to it. Thank you team Masakha for having us over. Would definitely visit again for the butter garlic crab.
