Pune's Best Restaurants

Here are some of my favourite restaurants and their best offerings...

Flags, near Inox: An awesome multi-cuisine restaurant, with a formal atmosphere, but sprinkled with enough families and kids to make it very enjoyable. Very expensive - be prepared to shell out atleast 500 per person for a decent spread. The mocktails are fantastic, some of my favourites being Beyond the Sea (a nice touch of tulsi!) and Impatient French (with black currant). Try the Capuccino Mushroom soup - very rich, and very heavy! Among the main dishes, the Wok-tossed mushrooms (a combination of 3 different mushrooms), Coriander-crusted Kingfish and Maahi Kebab (fantastic fish kebab) are my all-time favourites.

Sarjaa, Aundh: Enjoy their service, with very attentive and yet very unobtrusive waiters. The Tomyum soup used to be fantastic, but a change of management and chef recently has changed that a bit. For starters, try the hot plates. The Tawa Surmai is worth every penny, especially with the green chutney. The Chicken Santhumin, a unique blend of noodles and gravy, is also worth a try. Chicken Volcano, Chicken Tangdi Masala, Gosht Chutneywaala, Gosht Achaari, Chicken Kali Mirch are some of the other all-time favourites. You also get very good masala butter milk to go with your food, and wrap up the dinner with paan from the shop right outside the restaurant.

Cocunut Grove, near Station: Some of the best fish in town - try the masala clams, the tandoori surmai, or the Manglorean-style prawns. Pair it with the idlis - yes, the softest rice idlis ever! Unbeatable taste you will come back for again and again!

Shrushti, off Tilak Road: The best Malvani and Goan fish in town. The decor and location is a turn off, but is more than made up for by the richness of the menu and the tasty food! Great place to go to when Goa calls, but don't take your date out there for a romantic dinner! A special recommendation - Mori (shark) Masala!

Other special dishes around town:
Polka Dots, Aundh: Devilled Mushrooms
Shivsagar, Aundh: Mushroom Manchurian, Dry with Shezwaan Rice and Curd
Horn OK Please, FC Road: Achaari Paneer, Tandoori Mushroom, Masala Chaas, Chef Special Chaat
Amrapali, FC Road: Mushroom Rice, Peas Mushroom Masala
Olivia, Kothrud: Hyderabadi or Afghani Legs
Curry on the Roof, Prabhat Road: Tamarind Stir-Fry Prawns, Tum Yum Kung (prawns) soup
Yana, FC Road: Shrimp cocktail, Fish Sizzler with Oyster Sauce, Chicken Reshmi Kebab with Shezwaan Sauce, Lamb Chops with Chilly Sauce, Wok with Black Beans Sauce
Mainland China, DP Road: Shinzsei Crabmeat Soup

Other great restaurants:
George and Blue Nile, Camp: Best value for money, some of the best biryani and tandoori in town
Ramkrishna, MG Road: For the best Indian/Punjabi food
Up and Above, Chandni Chowk: The best view of Pune - check the top deck for a romantic date
Pizza Corner, Koregaon Park: Best view while you eat, great coffee, good pizzas
Flavours@Seasons, Aundh: Awesome multi-cuisine buffet spreads, but ambience is not too relaxing, and a little cramped
Wadeshwar, FC Road: A very good alternative to the over-hyped Vaishali, try the Pomegranate juice with set dosa!
Cafe Goodluck, FC Road: One of the few remaining Irani restaurants, great for the morning tea with grilled omlette sandwich

Bon Apetite!