Here is a list of restaurants in Pune who have been awareded at TFG launch.
Article in 22-may-07 PT , page 3.
Hopefully, some of them are worth visiting while not making serious dent to the wallet....just kidding.. !!! all of them are capable of making a BIG hole in the pocket.. except Vaishali and Chitale Bandhu..
and BTW, I just noticed, this list should not have come as a surprise.. these places are the same as mentioned in " BEST OF" in Pune TFG 2007..
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAwNy8wNS8yMiNBcjAyNTAw&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom
AND THE AWARD GOES TO ...
The Times Food Awards and the Times Nightlife Awards ceremony honoured the best of the best in the hospitality industry in Pune.
Presenting the winners of the coveted awards ...
FOOD AWARD CATEGORY
BEST NORTH INDIAN CUISINE (Tie)
1. Sigree
2. Chingaari (Le Meridien)
BEST SOUTH INDIAN CUISINE
Vaishali Restaurant
BEST COASTAL CUISINE
Coconut Grove
BEST CHINESE CUISINE
Mainland China
BEST THAI CUISINE
Whispering Bamboos (Taj Blue Diamond)
BEST ITALIAN CUISINE
La Pizzeria
BEST EUROPEAN CUISINE
The Galaxy Grill — Greek Tavern (Season’s Apartment Hotel)
BEST COFFEE SHOP + ALL-DAY DINING
La Brasserie (Le Meridien)
BEST COFFEE BAR
Mocha
BEST MITHAI SHOP
Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwala
BEST CONFECTIONERY
Baker’s Basket
BEST AMBIENCE
Shisha Cafe
MOST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT
Spice Island (Le Meridien)
NIGHTLIFE AWARD CATEGORY
BEST BAR
Entresol Bar (Le Meridien)
BEST LOUNGE BAR
Soho
BEST NIGHTCLUB
Club Scream (Le Meridien)
BEST AMBIENCE (BARS)
Entresol
BEST WINE LIST
La Brasserie (Le Meridien)
BEST BAR WITH LIVE MUSIC
Shisha Cafe
Showing posts with label Pune Times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pune Times. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Friday, May 11, 2007
Pune Times - Foodie Article- Karen Anand
Here is another article by Karen Anand, in Pune Times dated 11th May
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAwNy8wNS8xMSNBcjA0MDAw&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom
GOURMET’S JOURNEY
I have now been living in the city for 20 years. Most people still think I live in Mumbai and wonder why I keep dashing here. Living in Pune, with work just about everywhere, means that "dashing about" has become an inevitable part of my life. When I am at home, I often don't step out of my environment for days at a stretch, except to buy food. When I first came to this city, I was captivated by the "real" food scene; I went regularly to Kayani Bakery myself and took great pleasure in doing a Marcel Marceau mime act with Kersi behind the counter, who would pass me what I wanted on the side so that I didn't have to wait in the long queue. Now, we are all on nonsensical diets all the time and the children seem to have grown out of Kayani, so I've stopped going. This also means that I have stopped interacting with all those delightful characters in the bakery. My loss. The same with Rusi at Royal Bakery who still produces the best bun pav in the world. The sight of him standing there welcoming customers in his old white sadra, head stooped, moaning and groaning about something or the other, is something I miss. The trek to Laxmi Road to Chitale for bakharwadi cannot be replaced by a trip to the supermarket to buy a mechanised packet version. Desi Bundu for mangoes, Tulsi Baug for fabulous traditional utensils and last but not least, Shivaji Market. Shashikant and Anil, my fishmongers who, because of my pronging and insistence, started introducing new marine life to us like Red snapper, Karimeen, Squid, Ladyfish, Yellow tail and so on. Until then it was Pomfret, Prawns, Bombay Duck and Mackrel and river fish for those who couldn't afford the rest. I must admit that I don't miss the grumpy old Zaiker bai but at one time she was my life force as far as "exotic" vegetables went. Today red peppers, iceberg lettuce and zucchini are no longer that exotic and available in supermarkets. When Dorabjee's changed from a quaint, old grocery store to the modern supermarket it is today, I nearly had a relapse. I missed the smell of coffee being ground and the sight of the chap wrapping ham in grease-proof paper with masses of string. Dorabjee's has now grown into a supermarket catering to the needs of our every increasing global palate. Would you have ever thought that they would be selling green lipped mussels from New Zealand and salamis from Spain? Then we have Koregaon Park which has become another sub-culture. German Bakery, started by Woody and Gopal, who first introduced me to the amazing Yak cheese from Nepal which they used to bring here in great big wheels, Prem's, Green Grocer, all have a life of their own. All this has been part of the last 20 years of my culinary life in Pune. The city is bursting with great products and wild and wonderful people. Unfortunately, the restaurants don't share my enthusiasm. At the traditional end of the scale, you still have the die-hards like Blue Nile, Shreyas, Shabri, Poona Coffee House, Vaishali, Mayur and so on. The new addition to that spectrum is Rajdhani, clearly the best Gujju thali in town, in the Gold Adlabs complex in Kalayani Nagar. Previously, we had only Mayur on East Street and Chetana in Budhwar Peth. For South Indian, Ram Krishna on Moledina Road, joins the brigade of ever popular 'idli-dosa' eateries, only this one is much smarter and larger.
The Maharashtrian eateries of Shreyas, Shabri, Bedekar Missal, Janseva Dugdale, Joshi vada pav, Shree for sabudana kichdi and wadi, Durvankur and Poonam, are still going strong and still serve up consistently good family style Maharastrian fare. I find it heartbreaking that nothing smarter nor more stylish has come along in the last 20 years.
On the seafood front, Trishna from Mumbai has packed up. Mahesh and Coconut Grove serve Mangalorean food, Riverview serves exceedingly good Kerala dishes and Shristi off Tilak Road does Maharastrian coastal. They are all competent and serve fresh seafood but the décor of all is rather lacklustre and uninspiring. Some Indian restaurants, like Sigree, Northern Frontier (actually a very good Kashmiri restaurant), Saat Handi in Kalyani Nagar, Mystic Masala and Chingari, the rooftop restaurant at Le Meridien, are showing a smarter side to Indian food, combining well-prepared dishes with some thought behind the décor and an ambience worth talking about. In the global food market, we have Oriental shining, mostly in the Koregaon Park area with the exception of All Stir Fry at E-Square. Chinese has also spread but it hasn't got any better, there are just more of them, with the exception of Mainland China, which has raised the bar for Chinese in this city. Considering that Pune has such a "cosmopolitan" crowd, there are very few options for European food and very few places which you can really call "elegant". None of the hotels serve European food except the Coffee Shops. Thank Goodness for that breath of fresh Greek air at the roof top Galaxy Grill at Seasons. Sizzlers used to be a Pune special. Unfortunately, some of them have not even maintained their standards. In the last 20 years, I have also seen a mushrooming of horrible places serving "multicuisine" with interior design like a doctor's surgery, insensitive service and food smothered in mass made masala. It's very sad. Pune has, by and large, a good weather. Where are the cafés? Where are the interesting outdoor picnic areas serving local food? Other cities have managed it. Well, we have several new, fancy hotels opening up in the next few years which should shake us out of our complacency and into work mode. Let's hope so.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAwNy8wNS8xMSNBcjA0MDAw&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom
GOURMET’S JOURNEY
I have now been living in the city for 20 years. Most people still think I live in Mumbai and wonder why I keep dashing here. Living in Pune, with work just about everywhere, means that "dashing about" has become an inevitable part of my life. When I am at home, I often don't step out of my environment for days at a stretch, except to buy food. When I first came to this city, I was captivated by the "real" food scene; I went regularly to Kayani Bakery myself and took great pleasure in doing a Marcel Marceau mime act with Kersi behind the counter, who would pass me what I wanted on the side so that I didn't have to wait in the long queue. Now, we are all on nonsensical diets all the time and the children seem to have grown out of Kayani, so I've stopped going. This also means that I have stopped interacting with all those delightful characters in the bakery. My loss. The same with Rusi at Royal Bakery who still produces the best bun pav in the world. The sight of him standing there welcoming customers in his old white sadra, head stooped, moaning and groaning about something or the other, is something I miss. The trek to Laxmi Road to Chitale for bakharwadi cannot be replaced by a trip to the supermarket to buy a mechanised packet version. Desi Bundu for mangoes, Tulsi Baug for fabulous traditional utensils and last but not least, Shivaji Market. Shashikant and Anil, my fishmongers who, because of my pronging and insistence, started introducing new marine life to us like Red snapper, Karimeen, Squid, Ladyfish, Yellow tail and so on. Until then it was Pomfret, Prawns, Bombay Duck and Mackrel and river fish for those who couldn't afford the rest. I must admit that I don't miss the grumpy old Zaiker bai but at one time she was my life force as far as "exotic" vegetables went. Today red peppers, iceberg lettuce and zucchini are no longer that exotic and available in supermarkets. When Dorabjee's changed from a quaint, old grocery store to the modern supermarket it is today, I nearly had a relapse. I missed the smell of coffee being ground and the sight of the chap wrapping ham in grease-proof paper with masses of string. Dorabjee's has now grown into a supermarket catering to the needs of our every increasing global palate. Would you have ever thought that they would be selling green lipped mussels from New Zealand and salamis from Spain? Then we have Koregaon Park which has become another sub-culture. German Bakery, started by Woody and Gopal, who first introduced me to the amazing Yak cheese from Nepal which they used to bring here in great big wheels, Prem's, Green Grocer, all have a life of their own. All this has been part of the last 20 years of my culinary life in Pune. The city is bursting with great products and wild and wonderful people. Unfortunately, the restaurants don't share my enthusiasm. At the traditional end of the scale, you still have the die-hards like Blue Nile, Shreyas, Shabri, Poona Coffee House, Vaishali, Mayur and so on. The new addition to that spectrum is Rajdhani, clearly the best Gujju thali in town, in the Gold Adlabs complex in Kalayani Nagar. Previously, we had only Mayur on East Street and Chetana in Budhwar Peth. For South Indian, Ram Krishna on Moledina Road, joins the brigade of ever popular 'idli-dosa' eateries, only this one is much smarter and larger.
The Maharashtrian eateries of Shreyas, Shabri, Bedekar Missal, Janseva Dugdale, Joshi vada pav, Shree for sabudana kichdi and wadi, Durvankur and Poonam, are still going strong and still serve up consistently good family style Maharastrian fare. I find it heartbreaking that nothing smarter nor more stylish has come along in the last 20 years.
On the seafood front, Trishna from Mumbai has packed up. Mahesh and Coconut Grove serve Mangalorean food, Riverview serves exceedingly good Kerala dishes and Shristi off Tilak Road does Maharastrian coastal. They are all competent and serve fresh seafood but the décor of all is rather lacklustre and uninspiring. Some Indian restaurants, like Sigree, Northern Frontier (actually a very good Kashmiri restaurant), Saat Handi in Kalyani Nagar, Mystic Masala and Chingari, the rooftop restaurant at Le Meridien, are showing a smarter side to Indian food, combining well-prepared dishes with some thought behind the décor and an ambience worth talking about. In the global food market, we have Oriental shining, mostly in the Koregaon Park area with the exception of All Stir Fry at E-Square. Chinese has also spread but it hasn't got any better, there are just more of them, with the exception of Mainland China, which has raised the bar for Chinese in this city. Considering that Pune has such a "cosmopolitan" crowd, there are very few options for European food and very few places which you can really call "elegant". None of the hotels serve European food except the Coffee Shops. Thank Goodness for that breath of fresh Greek air at the roof top Galaxy Grill at Seasons. Sizzlers used to be a Pune special. Unfortunately, some of them have not even maintained their standards. In the last 20 years, I have also seen a mushrooming of horrible places serving "multicuisine" with interior design like a doctor's surgery, insensitive service and food smothered in mass made masala. It's very sad. Pune has, by and large, a good weather. Where are the cafés? Where are the interesting outdoor picnic areas serving local food? Other cities have managed it. Well, we have several new, fancy hotels opening up in the next few years which should shake us out of our complacency and into work mode. Let's hope so.
Pune Times - Foodie Article- The world’s on your plate
here is 1 article in Pune Times dated 11th may, I found interesting from foodie perspective.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAwNy8wNS8xMSNBcjA0MDAx&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom
A journey through Pune manifests a range of culinary delights. And, yes, we are not talking about obvious fare here. One does come across Indian cuisine, and Chinese or Thai have a serious presence as well. But, if one were to look beyond such cuisines, one can see that Indonesian, Malaysian, Japanese, Greek, and Italian delicacies are clicking in a big way as well. Today, popular food festivals have all kinds of thematic delights, and look way beyond Lucknowi or Kashmiri food. A Sushi festival also does equally well. The taste of foodies in the city is fast developing, and they know what they want. "It's not like before. When customers come to the restaurant, they know exactly what they want to order," says Cookie Singh of Toscana, an Italian restaurant. Various restaurants that specialise in different types of international cuisine have made their way into the city. Le Pizzeria continues to be a favourite for Italian cuisine. Then there is La Dolce Vita, where celebrities both from Pune and Mumbai dine regularly. Asia specialises in South-East Asian food and is another popular hang-out. Then, there is Mad House Grill, which specialises in Irani food (Irani Food???- what was the writer thinking ?). Greek magic is served at Galaxy Grill in Aundh. There is The Ship at Kalyani Nagar. And, then there are the regular Chinese restaurants, with Mainland China continuing to be the biggest hit. Even Mainland China is coming up with a number of branches all over Pune. There are the smaller joints like Thai House in Camp. US chains like McDonald's, Domino's and Pizza Hut have their usual clientele. R Chauhan, manager of Mainland China, explains, "Today, the city is expanding and the average income of people is also increasing. They want variety which is what we are endeavouring to provide," he says. Chinese food has always been popular in the city, but new methods are being adopted to woo customers. "It can't just be the usual. For instance, we did a special festival in this Year of Pig in the Chinese calendar," says Chauhan. Today, more and more Puneites are going abroad, which explains why the culinary habits are undergoing a transformation. "I was away in Italy on a company project for three years. Some colleagues from there came to meet me last week. They loved the Italian food in Pune," says Jitesh Agrawal, an executive working for a top MNC. Following the corporate boom, there has been a considerable rise in the number of foreigners, leading to an increase in demand for world cuisine. "It's good to get some nice Continental food near my office," says Ronald Cruz, a French national. Restaurants specialising in world cuisine are taking off in localities like Kalyani Nagar, which houses some of the leading international companies like HSBC and Ventura. Even the average Puneite likes to savour unique cuisine. "Preparations have different flavours, and the sauces used are different as well. It's light on the stomach," says Kamini Jaiswal, who loves Greek food. Her personal favourite is Taramosalata, a dish made out of fish roe mixed with boiled potatoes and moistened breadcrumbs. Some restaurants attempt to give a complete feel of the country whose cuisine they specialise in. Gauri Naikanavre of Galaxy Grill explains why. "It is a conscious effort from our side to do that. People love it that much more." These restaurants also import spices and other ingredients. "It is important so that the flavour is intact and authenticity is there. Today, the people are very aware about what they are ordering," says Gauri. Be it the caffe macchiato or the traditional pasta, Italian food with its select toppings has always been popular. That includes Nasi Pecel Rice served with cooked vegetables and peanut sauce, and Opor Ayam Chicken cooked in coconut milk. To cater to the varied tastes, fivestar hotels have been organising European buffets regularly. "It's very popular in the hotel, and not just with the foreigners who are there but with Indians as well," says Jaswinder Narang of Le Meridien. Indeed, there is a huge demand for organising international food festivals. The five-stars spice it up by having European bands like Le Meridien does, or Filippino singers who are brought to the city by Hotel Pride. As international cuisine is catching on, so is European wine that goes down very well with such delicacies. Niche wine, like sparkling wine, is gaining popularity, so much so that Venky's Rock is now thinking of importing it. Various wine testing festivals are regularly organised, and they have fabulous turnouts. Wine experts from all over the globe come over, and interact with people. Wine lunches and dinners comprising international cuisines and quality wines are organised regularly. Now that the food scene is so bright, where are you going today?
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JUFUvMjAwNy8wNS8xMSNBcjA0MDAx&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom
A journey through Pune manifests a range of culinary delights. And, yes, we are not talking about obvious fare here. One does come across Indian cuisine, and Chinese or Thai have a serious presence as well. But, if one were to look beyond such cuisines, one can see that Indonesian, Malaysian, Japanese, Greek, and Italian delicacies are clicking in a big way as well. Today, popular food festivals have all kinds of thematic delights, and look way beyond Lucknowi or Kashmiri food. A Sushi festival also does equally well. The taste of foodies in the city is fast developing, and they know what they want. "It's not like before. When customers come to the restaurant, they know exactly what they want to order," says Cookie Singh of Toscana, an Italian restaurant. Various restaurants that specialise in different types of international cuisine have made their way into the city. Le Pizzeria continues to be a favourite for Italian cuisine. Then there is La Dolce Vita, where celebrities both from Pune and Mumbai dine regularly. Asia specialises in South-East Asian food and is another popular hang-out. Then, there is Mad House Grill, which specialises in Irani food (Irani Food???- what was the writer thinking ?). Greek magic is served at Galaxy Grill in Aundh. There is The Ship at Kalyani Nagar. And, then there are the regular Chinese restaurants, with Mainland China continuing to be the biggest hit. Even Mainland China is coming up with a number of branches all over Pune. There are the smaller joints like Thai House in Camp. US chains like McDonald's, Domino's and Pizza Hut have their usual clientele. R Chauhan, manager of Mainland China, explains, "Today, the city is expanding and the average income of people is also increasing. They want variety which is what we are endeavouring to provide," he says. Chinese food has always been popular in the city, but new methods are being adopted to woo customers. "It can't just be the usual. For instance, we did a special festival in this Year of Pig in the Chinese calendar," says Chauhan. Today, more and more Puneites are going abroad, which explains why the culinary habits are undergoing a transformation. "I was away in Italy on a company project for three years. Some colleagues from there came to meet me last week. They loved the Italian food in Pune," says Jitesh Agrawal, an executive working for a top MNC. Following the corporate boom, there has been a considerable rise in the number of foreigners, leading to an increase in demand for world cuisine. "It's good to get some nice Continental food near my office," says Ronald Cruz, a French national. Restaurants specialising in world cuisine are taking off in localities like Kalyani Nagar, which houses some of the leading international companies like HSBC and Ventura. Even the average Puneite likes to savour unique cuisine. "Preparations have different flavours, and the sauces used are different as well. It's light on the stomach," says Kamini Jaiswal, who loves Greek food. Her personal favourite is Taramosalata, a dish made out of fish roe mixed with boiled potatoes and moistened breadcrumbs. Some restaurants attempt to give a complete feel of the country whose cuisine they specialise in. Gauri Naikanavre of Galaxy Grill explains why. "It is a conscious effort from our side to do that. People love it that much more." These restaurants also import spices and other ingredients. "It is important so that the flavour is intact and authenticity is there. Today, the people are very aware about what they are ordering," says Gauri. Be it the caffe macchiato or the traditional pasta, Italian food with its select toppings has always been popular. That includes Nasi Pecel Rice served with cooked vegetables and peanut sauce, and Opor Ayam Chicken cooked in coconut milk. To cater to the varied tastes, fivestar hotels have been organising European buffets regularly. "It's very popular in the hotel, and not just with the foreigners who are there but with Indians as well," says Jaswinder Narang of Le Meridien. Indeed, there is a huge demand for organising international food festivals. The five-stars spice it up by having European bands like Le Meridien does, or Filippino singers who are brought to the city by Hotel Pride. As international cuisine is catching on, so is European wine that goes down very well with such delicacies. Niche wine, like sparkling wine, is gaining popularity, so much so that Venky's Rock is now thinking of importing it. Various wine testing festivals are regularly organised, and they have fabulous turnouts. Wine experts from all over the globe come over, and interact with people. Wine lunches and dinners comprising international cuisines and quality wines are organised regularly. Now that the food scene is so bright, where are you going today?
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Pune Times - Restaurant Waiting Queues
he ! he!! its kindda spooky .. the very thing i mentioned in a few of my posts actually made it to Newspapers. !
here's a clip from TOI today.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Pune/Waiting_to_eat_in_Pune/articleshow/1986274.cms
The Waiting Game
Serpentine queues outside restaurants in the city have become very common on weekends and even on weekdays. How do Puneites deal with the situation? PT finds out.
It's a really tricky situation. You go to your favourite restaurant with your family or girlfriend, only to find that there is no place to sit. You have to wait for your turn to come. And in some cases, the wait can be really long. Yes, this is a new trend in Pune's culinary culture. Most of the top restaurants in the city are absolutely full on weekends and even some part of the weekdays, compelling you to wait! Because of parking woes in the city on the rise, the problem is greater.
Rajan Ghai can't remember one instance in the last six months when he could find a place in a restaurant on weekends. "Invariably, I have to wait for about half an hour. There is no point in going to some other place because the traffic and the corresponding waiting there will just add up to the same," says Ghai. For some people, clubbing is passe and they would rather go for a quiet dinner with their better half. "But you never seem to get a place instantly. Mostly, we roam around the malls adjacent to the restaurant to kill time. Sometimes the clock just doesn't move. At other times, we completely lose track of time...only to wait again!" says Ketan Agrawal. Restaurants agree that tables are almost full on weekends.
"Pune has always had a great eating out culture. It is only increasing," says Sunil Chandani of Nawab. Cookie Singh of Toscana feels that the solution to this problem is to make prior reservations and come. "That is a better way and saves time," he says.
But it is not something everyone agrees with. Ankita Mehta says, "One mostly makes plans at the eleventh hour, so it becomes difficult to make reservations then. And, when you want to do booking just before coming, mostly it is very late," she says. Her friend Sandip Agrawal seems to have found a way out. "I just pick up some pizzas and diet coke, sit in the car and enjoy. Who is going to take so much effort in waiting? Even my friends enjoy," he says.
Well, not a bad idea!
Well, am happy to note that I am not the only one that feels that eating out on a weekend, in Pune, is fast becoming a torture rather than an adventure.
here's a clip from TOI today.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Pune/Waiting_to_eat_in_Pune/articleshow/1986274.cms
The Waiting Game
Serpentine queues outside restaurants in the city have become very common on weekends and even on weekdays. How do Puneites deal with the situation? PT finds out.
It's a really tricky situation. You go to your favourite restaurant with your family or girlfriend, only to find that there is no place to sit. You have to wait for your turn to come. And in some cases, the wait can be really long. Yes, this is a new trend in Pune's culinary culture. Most of the top restaurants in the city are absolutely full on weekends and even some part of the weekdays, compelling you to wait! Because of parking woes in the city on the rise, the problem is greater.
Rajan Ghai can't remember one instance in the last six months when he could find a place in a restaurant on weekends. "Invariably, I have to wait for about half an hour. There is no point in going to some other place because the traffic and the corresponding waiting there will just add up to the same," says Ghai. For some people, clubbing is passe and they would rather go for a quiet dinner with their better half. "But you never seem to get a place instantly. Mostly, we roam around the malls adjacent to the restaurant to kill time. Sometimes the clock just doesn't move. At other times, we completely lose track of time...only to wait again!" says Ketan Agrawal. Restaurants agree that tables are almost full on weekends.
"Pune has always had a great eating out culture. It is only increasing," says Sunil Chandani of Nawab. Cookie Singh of Toscana feels that the solution to this problem is to make prior reservations and come. "That is a better way and saves time," he says.
But it is not something everyone agrees with. Ankita Mehta says, "One mostly makes plans at the eleventh hour, so it becomes difficult to make reservations then. And, when you want to do booking just before coming, mostly it is very late," she says. Her friend Sandip Agrawal seems to have found a way out. "I just pick up some pizzas and diet coke, sit in the car and enjoy. Who is going to take so much effort in waiting? Even my friends enjoy," he says.
Well, not a bad idea!
Well, am happy to note that I am not the only one that feels that eating out on a weekend, in Pune, is fast becoming a torture rather than an adventure.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Pune Times- Good food, good news!
A news article in Pune Times caught my eye. Found the on-line link for the same.
If any one is having any further information, please let me know more on the same.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Pune/Good_food_good_news/articleshow/1937337.cms
If you're on the lookout for some fine food and wine, the city has an unusual option.
Are you a connoisseur in terested in savouring some splendid food and good wine? Well, there is an exclusive club for food and wine lovers in the city.
This is an informal group devoted to the pursuit of good food, wine and single malts, and their sole purpose is to introduce members to the art of fine wine and dining. Presently, the club has 38 members from all over Pune.
This endeavour, spearheaded by Shankar B Shankaranarayan, a businessman, has turned out to be a great success. Shankar says, "I was just the catalyst and, gradually, everything fell into the place. My friends were bored of eating the same kind of food at restaurants, and other outdoor joints. We were keen to savour better quality food. So, my friends and I took the initiative to launch this club, where we could get good cooks and foodies together."
Interestingly, this gourmet club has discovered young winemakers from the city, who have trained in France, USA and Australia.
"They have been most helpful by attending our meetings and demonstrating to us how to taste and enjoy wines,"says Shankaranarayan. Rohan Mankani, a member of the club, says, "I have learnt so much here, now I don't have to worry about someone having to cook for me."He also adds, "Today, we have members of all ages, from 18 to 78."
The carte for the first meeting was Tapas and Cabernet Shiraz, the second had fish and chicken BBQ with Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, and the third was authentic Greek with Cabernet Sauvignon. "Everything is cooked by the members. No one orders from outside,"claims another member Subha Nafrey. Members are also encouraged to post reviews of fine dining and 'spirited' experiences.
Each meet of the club is devoted to a particular cuisine and specialised dishes are created to match the wines on the carte. This is definitely turning out to be a very unique club. So, if you need a break from your usual platter, don your chef's outfit and head the culinary way.
If any one is having any further information, please let me know more on the same.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Pune/Good_food_good_news/articleshow/1937337.cms
If you're on the lookout for some fine food and wine, the city has an unusual option.
Are you a connoisseur in terested in savouring some splendid food and good wine? Well, there is an exclusive club for food and wine lovers in the city.
This is an informal group devoted to the pursuit of good food, wine and single malts, and their sole purpose is to introduce members to the art of fine wine and dining. Presently, the club has 38 members from all over Pune.
This endeavour, spearheaded by Shankar B Shankaranarayan, a businessman, has turned out to be a great success. Shankar says, "I was just the catalyst and, gradually, everything fell into the place. My friends were bored of eating the same kind of food at restaurants, and other outdoor joints. We were keen to savour better quality food. So, my friends and I took the initiative to launch this club, where we could get good cooks and foodies together."
Interestingly, this gourmet club has discovered young winemakers from the city, who have trained in France, USA and Australia.
"They have been most helpful by attending our meetings and demonstrating to us how to taste and enjoy wines,"says Shankaranarayan. Rohan Mankani, a member of the club, says, "I have learnt so much here, now I don't have to worry about someone having to cook for me."He also adds, "Today, we have members of all ages, from 18 to 78."
The carte for the first meeting was Tapas and Cabernet Shiraz, the second had fish and chicken BBQ with Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, and the third was authentic Greek with Cabernet Sauvignon. "Everything is cooked by the members. No one orders from outside,"claims another member Subha Nafrey. Members are also encouraged to post reviews of fine dining and 'spirited' experiences.
Each meet of the club is devoted to a particular cuisine and specialised dishes are created to match the wines on the carte. This is definitely turning out to be a very unique club. So, if you need a break from your usual platter, don your chef's outfit and head the culinary way.
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