Diners Club

Happy New Year to you all and welcome to 2014!

I know I've been away for a while but rest assured I absolutely haven’t given up on my love of food. In fact I managed to squeeze in a trip to Dubai as well which I truly believe is a sort of haven for food lovers. The quality of ingredients and the calibre of restaurants will make anyone’s taste buds dance with joy.

But for now, let’s get back to the banks of the Mutha River in the bustling city of Pune. Just in the last few months there’s been a surge of more restaurants and cafes that have sprung up around the city. One of the latest arrivals is The Brooklyn Shuffle Diner.

A typical American styled diner which is done up rather cutely with a chequered floor and red and blue car-seat styled comfy couches.  I particularly liked the graffiti of Billie Holiday (well at least I think that was her!) on the wall and the classics that were playing in the background added a nice touch.

It was rather empty and except for a couple on the table outside sipping an iced tea and a fair few staff hanging around it, was just me and the husband grabbing a quick lunch on his work break. Oh! and let's not forget those pesky flies....we really didn't want an order of 'flies' with that but they never left!

The menu sported American classics like burgers, mac ‘n’ cheese and the classic corn dog but I did notice that there wasn't a selection of pies in the dessert section which they will hopefully add in the future. What’s a diner without some freshly made pie eh? 

After wondering what to choose, we sent off our orders and here is what we had;

I had the Chicken Burger; a well presented, good sized burger but not very flavourful. Basic chicken patty which was a bit dry, browned onions with a basic salad on a buttered bun with a smidge of mayo. Served with a couple of not very nice, over fried onion rings, nice crispy golden fries and coleslaw. Very average. Not one I would order again and I have a feeling that the patty was out of a box and not freshly made.

Luckily the Chilli Beef Fries were a whole lot better. If you like meat this is the one to try. A bowl of crispy fries topped with a tomato minced beef and melted cheese. Does have an Indian tomato kheema flavour to it.

The husband ordered the Beef Burgers from the 'Little Fellas' section in the menu; 4 beef sliders complete with red onions and lettuce. The verdict was, nice but a little melted cheese would have definitely gone a long way.

Over all, the ambience was fitting, the service friendly enough and the food average. Not a place that I would rush back to but nice to hang out over a cup of coffee and plate of fries….and yesss, hopefully some classic American Pie.

Address:

The Brooklyn Shuffle Diner,

390, Sanskruti Lifestyle Complex,

Opposite Post 91,

Lane 7, Koregaon Park,

Pune- 411001.

Facebook:

The Brooklyn Shuffle Diner

Spice Up Your Life

As you've probably figured out by now, I love good Asian food. Thai, Malay, Indonesian, any kind and they are all available under one roof at Malaka Spice in Pune.

A restaurant that has been around for years and has only grown in both size and menu. I remember going there when I was in college and have been back on multiple occasions ever since. Through all my visits and from all the referrals I have got, I can confidently say that they have never wavered in service or quality, not something most restaurants can boast about.

The reason behind their success is the strong husband and wife duo, Praful and Chef Cheeru Chandwarkar, who have managed to grow this establishment by involving themselves in every aspect of the business; especially the food, giving their customers a taste that’s hard to forget.

Unfortunately as I learned on my most recent visit, Chef Cheeru is no longer with us and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones. She was clearly an integral and inspirational part of the restaurant as she managed the food and kitchen and I was told by our waitress Neeta, that she would make many of the sauces, masala's and recipes herself based on her many visits and experiences around Asia. Malaka Spice lives on in her memory and takes forward her motto of ‘Live life, Love life’.

The restaurant has an earthy décor with a beautiful large al fresco seating area that’s surrounded by green hedges and trees, lit with fairy lights and Chinese lanterns in shades of red, purple and yellow. A few typical ‘Asian’ themed props are featured around the restaurant like the colourful flower adorned tuk tuk at the entrance and a large Buddha head sculpture that is seated in the middle of the restaurant. On a hot summer’s night, you’re cooled off with a thin spurt of water that’s let out occasionally from the water spray machine that runs all through the outdoor table area and on a cool winter's day the place is chilly but comfortable.

The menu is extensive with a huge range of delicious dishes on offer, each one sounds more appetising than the next. So after rounds of debates and discussions with the hubs, I'm sure all you married folk would relate, we finally got around to sending in our orders and as I waited patiently for the food to arrive I sipped and slurped away at my cool, refreshing Malaka Spice special iced tea; milky iced lemon tea, flavoured with lemon grass and cinnamon. Slurrrrp!

Our meal for the evening consisted of a few starters and one main. We started with a serve of Thai Special Mutton Chops; beautifully marinated barbecued chops with browned, caramelised onions. Yum!

Chicken Satay; skewers of succulent grilled chicken pieces served with a special thick peanut sauce that had a bit of a spicy kick.

And Papaya Salad; shredded unripe papaya that was soft but crunchy and perfectly dressed with a sweet, salty, spicy sauce that adds a refreshing zing to your palate.

For our main we had the ever so popular Thai Green Curry with fluffy steamed white rice; aromatic green curry filled with tender chicken pieces and a handful of fresh vegetables. This dish was teeming with flavours of assorted herbs and spices including lemon grass, kafir lime, Thai basil, galangal and the works. Just delicious :)

At the end of the meal we were just so full that I still have to re-visit to try out the desserts and honestly I can’t wait! So, if you’re in Pune any time soon make sure you find the time to drop in to this little restaurant nestled between the trees of the popular Koregaon Park and I'm sure you'll leave as full-bellied and happy as me. 

Address:

Malaka Spice,

Lane 5, Koregaon Park,

Pune- 411001.

Facebook:

Malaka Spice