WTF Seaons Mall Pune

I had heard so much about WTF from friends in Bombay and friends in Pune who attended the launch and pre-launch tasting sessions that I was mighty excited about spending Friday night there with PuneFoodiez.....



The place has a very cool , youthful and relaxed vibe about it! I totally loved the way the space has been designed and put together ...

The indoor area has a lovely well stocked bar and cool graffiti is everywhere on the walls ...on the menu cards...

Mojito & Apple Martini

The drinks were all pretty neat I had a few sips of the cocktails friends at my table ordered....Each one was well executed .

The food menu is pretty limited , mostly bar/finger food ....nothing like a main course really....

So this is some of what we tried ...

Hummus with Pita

WTF French Fries

I was a little disappointed with the food ....because on a night out FOOD is the hero!

Bombil Thecha Roll

Chicken Naan Pizza

Chicken Kemma Pav

I did however enjoy a few things like the chicken keema pav , Hummus and the chilli chicken! A lot of the dishes that my friends really enjoyed I could not really taste because I dont eat red meat!

Overall its a nice place to catch up with friends over a few drinks .
I will defiantly go back for the lovely drinks and ambiance   :))) ...... I will also go try WTF at Phoenix Mall sometime soon and let you know how that was...

Stone Water Grill

Stone Water Grill is hands down the city's most loved party/ dining destination and Pune diners have missed the place sorely since it closed for renovation.

Stone Water Grill re-opens this week and with  my lovely friends from Pune Foodiez , I was invited to a Preview Dinner.

Its already at a great advantage  being located in Koregaon Park , the epicenter of all things happening ...add to that a spectacular river view and spruced up interiors ....

Like before there is both an indoor and outdoor dinning area....you can choose to dine outside under a canopy of twinkling stars along side the dramatic lighting effects and water features or inside in the elegant charcoal grey dinning area...

Stone Water Grill has been instrumental in introducing Pune to experiential dining along with excellent service...

Chef Shailendra Kekade- Pune's style chef is all set to take diners on a world class gastronomic journey with a new innovative menu..... The new menu comprises of modern European dishes and every dish is prepared to delight the diner

Miso butter with cumin breadsticks, Infused olive oil with bread, Aracinni di Riso with smoked aubergine soup

Not only does the food taste spectacular with several layers of flavor and great texture it also looks breathtaking! I love when a restaurant puts in so much care and love in plating a dish!

The soups are fantastic I loved the Light Tomato Tea aka the ginseng , ginger and tomato soup....the Mushroom Cappuccino was fabulous ......

Light tea- tomato, ginseng, ginger soup, Chicken & Mushroom Broth ,Chilled Pomegranate Gazpacho with garlic bread

The food is dramatic and fabulous ....there is plenty to choose from Salads like Soy Roast Duck with medicinal herbs and pomegranate , Mushroom Galouti with saffron brioche .........Wood fired pizzas that Stone Water Grill has always been famous for.......even the humble burger has been elevated to dizzying culinary grandeur under the skilled hands of Chef Shailendra Kekade.....

All vegetarian Mushroom Galouti Kebab served over saffron Brioche

All the vegetarian food we tried was remarkably good....right from the fluffy as a cloud Miso butter with cumin flavored bread sticks to the Mushroom Risotto....the Arancini di Riso with smoked eggplant soup....

Grilled wasabi cottage cheese with papaya salsa

Roasted pepper Tortellini with creme fraiche and toasted garlic crumbs

The salads are a work of art so many different flavors at work all at once....

The shots and Mocktails/Cocktails are astounding but thats no surprise because Stone Water Grill has always boasted of an amazing bar!

Eye of the Tiger ;)

I tried a shot called the "Eye of the Tiger" with a Raspberry Raviolli and lets just say it made me a better person if only just for the evening ;))

And dessert was luscious Pannacotta with lemon leaf and pink peppercorns amongst serveal other equally fantastic desserts....

Malai coconut Panacotta with pink pepper corns and Kafir lime gastrique 

Its rare for me to enjoy a place THIS much ....I have never found any reason to complain of my time at Stone Water Grill ....the place looks amazing....plays great music....attracts the right kind of people ....boasts of an excellent service staff and good God even serves spectacular food!!

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable night .....this is the place to go to for seriously good food or if you just want to unwind over a few drinks along with great appetizers and  great music !

Stone Water Grill
Pyramid Complex
81/82 North Main Road
Koregaon Park

Call (020) 67251000 for Reservations

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Pune's best Vada Pao

The summer is on its way out and its time for the great Indian Monsoons!

I was away from India for the last two monsoons so I am really looking forward to the rains this year!

Its amazing how the change in weather gets me craving for completely different kinds of food.All through the summer months all I wanted was lots of fruit ...Mangoes...lots of juices and cold coffee 

And now just after the first rains of the season all I really want is hot chocolate , onion pakodas ( fritters) and ofcourse Vada Pao!

Vada Pao is basically a giant potato filling.... batter coated and deep fried to crispy perfection and served in a pao (melt in your mouth pillow-y bread)...

There are several versions found all around Maharashtra and Vada Pao makes for excellent street food ...think of it as India's version of a burger!

Makes for a great , quick , portable lunch/snack...

This post is about MY most favorite Vada Pao in my home city of Pune....I have tried several iconic stalls that serve this addictive snack but this is THE best according to me...

Its always bustling with people , the vadas are crunchy and hot , its served with a delicious sweet-spicy chutney and comes with a side of chopped onions and pickled lemon /green chillies...

Go here when you are in Pune next ...Rs 14 for a Vada Pao dont forget to ask for double chutney and lots of green chillies. :))

JJ Garden Vada Pao

Behind M G Road

Near JJ Agyari (Fire Temple)

Asian Express

Think fast food and all that comes to mind is Mc Donalds and KFC or at best the road side vada pao vendor.....well not any more!

Asian Express, a small chic eatery conveniently located in Mariplex Mall in Kalyani Nagar is all set to change the drab fast food scene in the city!

Asian Express offers popular South East Asian food in an "express" fast food format. Dont expect to be served in fancy plates!

But what you can expect is fresh food created using real Thai spices and ingredients.....a great place for a working lunch or a quick snack if you are in the area.

So on a lovely Saturday afternoon , with my lovelyy friends from Pune Foodiez  we had lunch at Asian Express and this is some of  what we ate....

I loved the Burmese Kaho Soi  (Rs 225) - a one bowl wonder with noodles , fried shallots, garlic, boiled egg ,a thick flavorful base and wonderful smoked chilli flakes on top!

 Surely the Khao Soi would make for a very satisfying meal all in itself! What you are served at Asian Express is a pre- assembled Khao Soi but dont be shy and ask for extra condiments if you so desire !

I like my Khao Soi with  extra squirts of lemon juice and fried garlic bits ...

Burmese Khao Soi

Next thing I liked was the Som Tam (Rs 145) - Raw papaya salad ....its something I can eat every single day...loved the long crunchy strips of papaya  that were tossed in a tangy garlic-y tamarind dressing.

Som Tam 

The Lemon Grass prawns (Rs 285) were nice also....it was a very generous serving of prawns considering the price :))

Lemongrass Prawns

Chicken satay (Rs 205) was good! It makes for a good snack though I would have liked the accompanying peanut sauce to be a little thicker with more texture and bite! Paneer satay was lacking in flavour and a little bland.

Chicken Satay

The Japanese potato cakes ( Rs 125) and Thai french fries ( Rs 135) were both nice! Think an aloo tikki with thai spices or french fries coated in exotic thai chilli and lemon grass seasoning!

Japanese Potato Cakes

The Tom Kha soup ( Rs 135) was nice but could do with more of a kick of Thai flavour!

Tom Kha Soup

The Thai red curry ( Rs 235)  and green curry served with a portion of basil rice were both quite impressive! I enjoyed them....

Thai Red curry

Desserts on offer are not very conventional and may be a little experimental for most people. I tried the mango spring roll ( Rs 155) and a Thai coconut Patties( Rs 140) -  coconut potato dumpling in a creamy coconut sauce.

 They were nice but I am not sure if I would order them again....but then again kudos to Asian Express for being experimental with food and trying new things :)

Thai coconut Patties

Mango Spring roll

Over all, I loved the chic interiors with the exposed brick walls and the interesting art .

Will I eat here again?

I will surely  eat here again given my love for South East Asian Food and healthy eating (on most days)  and stick with  house classics like Khao Soi, Red/Green Curry with rice , Som Tam salad and Lemon grass prawns!

Asian Express- Kalyani Nagar Pune

Its wonderful to find real Thai food in a fast food format at such reasonable prices for generous portion sizes !

Delhi Belly Food Festival at JW Marriott Pune

The food in Purani (old) Delhi is legendary.

Tucked away in the congested narrow alley ways of the capital you will find spectacular food....the best creamy kheer at Bade Mian in Lal Kuan, fantastic Dahi Bhallas at Natraj , crispy jalebis at Daribe ke Old and Famous Jalebiwalla .....mutton and chicken korma at Ashok & Ashok....the list is long!

Old Delhi has a marvelous legacy of food, everything is a treat to the taste buds. I love exploring the food of Pooranie Dillie ....

Flaky hot Nan-Khatai ( Biscuits) being sold on a street cart in Chandani Chowk, Old Delhi

I specially loved buying fresh , melt in your mouth , warm Nan Khatais from a street vendor in Old Delhi during my last visit there....

You can imagine then how excited I was when I heard that JW Marriott in Pune is hosting a delighful food festival featuring the best of Old Delhi Food.

Beverages on offer - Cutting chai , Nimbu Shikanjvi, India Gate style Baraf ke Gole

Aptly called the Delhi Belly Food Festival its a treat for ever food loving Pune-ite....

Chef Ajmal Salim with Chef Halim from  Delhi

I loved the detailed planing for this food festival. The very talented Chef Ajmal along with Chef Halim (who specialises in Delhi & Lucknowi food) have made great efforts to keep the food very authentic and re-create old Delhi classics like

Patel Nagar ki Shikanjavi
Chankdni Chowk ka Banta Masala Soda
India Gate ke Baraf Gole
Tawa wallie Shakarkandi Chaat
Karol Bagh ke Chole Bhature
Jama Masjid ki Mashoor Biryani
Purani Dillie Ka Shahie Tukra 

Just writing about the charming street food of Old Delhi is enough to make my mouth start watering yet again!

Falky Mathie with aged Lemon and Mango Pickle

Each table was set with a platter of perfectly khasta (flaky & crispy) Mathie , Sonth (sweet Tamarind and Jaggery Chutney) , green chutney, Mango & Lemon Pickle!

Drool worthy Mathie

The Mathie/ Mathri  and pickle were both very authentic ....they tasted just like what my Dadijee would make.

Being bang in the middle of the summer months there are an array of India Gate special flavored ice golas along with very refreshing Patel Nagar ki Neembu Shikanjvi on offer....

For starters we had some very well made Rajinder Nagar Style Dahi ke Kebab and Channa ke Shammi...both very well done ...its always nice when the vegetarian starters are as good as the non-vegetarian starters.

Melt in your mouth vegetarian Dahi Ke Kebab

The show stopper of my meal was definatley the tandoori chicken...its was so perfectly succulent and well spiced....I enjoyed it with Moolchand ka ande ka paratha ....

Perfect Tandoorie Kukkad

Main course was creamy dal makhani and delicatley spiced Jama Masjid Murg biryani with  moist tender pieces of chicken....

Purani Dillie Ki Daal Makhani

Jama Masjid Ki Mashoor Murg Biryani

And best of all for dessert we had some Gol Market style  Kulfi milk shake complete with falooda and sabja seeds! I had never heard of a kulfi -falooda milk shake....and I do love a good kulfi....so this was the perfect end to a very good meal...

Kulfi Falooda Shake Gol Market Style 

The "Delhi Belly Food Festival" Buffet is currently underway at the JW Marriott, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune  from 16th May -31st May 2014.

This specially crafted buffet menu is available for dinner between 7:30 am - 11 pm at Spice Kitchen and also at Shakahari (For Vegetarian Diners).

Priced at INR 1000 AI for adults and INR 500 for children below the age of 12 years at the Spice Kitchen, JW Marriott.

I strongly recommend this excellent dining experience to savour the charming food of Puranie Dillie without having to get on a plane or brave the narrow crowded streets of Old Delhi.

JW Marriott Pune - Secret Recipes by Chef Ajmal

One of my most favorite things to do is looking at recipes from a cook book....I think I enjoy perusing recipes more than actual cooking! (ha ha)

I love a good cookbook ....it holds between its covers the possibility of so many spectacular meals.....

I have over the years managed to gather quite a good collection....some inherited ...I really treasure those...with yellowing pages and comments scribbled along side recipes.....thank you Mom and Nanijee :))

Some bought from second hand book stores , some new cook books with glossy pages and endless possibilities , some picked up from flea markets around the world often in poor condition....

So today I want to tell you about the latest addition to my cook book collection....its my current favorite....

I love nothing better than to make myself a cup of my Spice and Herb Chai....and look at the lovely pictures of this book....

I got lucky and got invited to meet Chef Ajmal at the JW Marriott Pune for a special chance to watch him cook 3 recipes from his newly launched book....

Mango Chiffon Cake

Southern Indian fried chicken

Summer Salad

It was such a lovely afternoon I got to meet some great and talented people....hopefully I will get to know them better as the days roll by....

Chef Ajmal is an exceptional Chef with many years of experience in the Kitchen.....he was so much fun to interact with and was kind enough to share some lovely tips with us.....after which he personalized my copy of the book

This book is a special edition with some of the best recipes served at the JW Marriott Pune ....its beautifully compiled with lovely pictures ....

If you would like to own a copy for yourself or gift it to someone you love the book retails exclusively at the Pune Baking Company ,JW Marriott , Senapati Bapat Road, Pune and retails at INR 1500.

The Club Mahabaleshwar - Food and Kitchen Tour

I hope you have read my previous post about The Club , Mahabaleshwar....If you haven't as yet here it is.

The reason I chose to write a separate post on just the food is because the food is so spectacular I just could not put it all together in one post!

The quaint old brass bell is rung to indicate the start of a meal time....yes there are fixed meal times....and the same old brass bell is rung 10 minutes prior to the close of meal time!

Meals at the club are a formal affair ....members are expected to dress appropriately....no shorts and rubbish thank you very much!

And best of all no cell phones allowed in the dining area! Thank God ....dosen't it just ruin a meal ?

When people on your table keep checking their phones or worse still when people on the adjacent tables talk loudly over their phones....at least there are a few places in the world that still  respect the environment in which a meal is to be enjoyed and go that extra mile to create such an environment!

The tables are laid out perfectly ....every guest is assigned their own special table and bearer for the entire duration of their stay. Each meal is accompanied with a printed menu on the table!

Breakfast

Of course the menu for the day is disclosed 24 hours in advance on the notice board outside the dining hall ....

Akuri - Parsi style scrambled eggs at breakfast

I dont know about you but food is pretty much the thing I look forward to on any holiday I take....so its nice when they tell you what they will serve you for your next meal....that way you can dream about the next meal while dozing off on the hammock :))

Chicken roasted to perfection

Food both vegetarian and Non Vegetarian is exceptional ....meals are almost always a good mix of Indian and Continental.  Lunch and dinner start with a soup and soup sticks....and the main course is a delight!

Spring Onion Soup

The food is modern yet old world ....dining at The Club is such a delight to all your senses....here are some more pictures of what we ate during out last stay there....

Sauteed Vegetables and Patrani Macchi

Vegetable Lasagna

The desserts are spectacular ...I specially love the steamed date pudding served with cream...

Steamed date pudding with cream

Liveried bearers , in white,serve you promptly in the dining room and it is a pleasure to be welcomed over breakfast,lunch and dinner .....

Banana Split

And now onto the Kitchen tour...well what can I say....

Never before have I seen staff that has so much pride in the kitchen and establishment they work in....

I took an exclusive guided tour of the kitchen and the kitchen staff was so happy and welcoming and they told me "Madam you will not find a better and bigger kitchen than ours in all of Mahabaleshwar...well thats true....there isnt any......

The kitchen is airy , sunny , beautiful and all white.....its so spacious and old wordly....

The vegetarian and non-vegetarian areas are separate....

Its such a lovely positive happy place to be in.....so much better than any 5 star kitchen I have seen with all its steel and sharp edges....

I hope you enjoyed your tour of The Club Mahabaleshwar as much as I enjoyed writing about it....