Pune Food Festival @ Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre
I consider food to be an integral part of travel and whenever I am in a new place I always try to enjoy the local cuisine. I am a vegetarian at heart but that not stopped me from trying out the Salmon in Norway, Calamari in Barcelona or the king prawns of Melbourne, amongst a host of other interesting stuff in many other places. I am yet to experiment with snakes and other exotic animals, but I think I will take life as it comes :)
However, there are times when you get to try absolutely wonderful and unique food without even leaving your city, or experimenting with your taste palate. This is exactly what happened when I got an opportunity to try out Marathi thali with a twist over dinner last night at Courtyard by Marriot Pune City Center. Basically I am a fan of Marathi thali and I love continental food as well (I know its sacrilege to use just this word to describe so much variety, but please let me for the sake of convenience), and so was much delighted by the vert successful combination of these two by Executive Sous Chef Merajuddin Ansari.
Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre is hosting Pune Food Festival from 11th to 20th July at their lovely MoMo cafe. I was there on the inaugural night to try them out and share my review with you all.
The Chefs have successfully donned their creative white hats and worked their magic on some popular local Puneri fare. Picture a Chocolate Puran Poli or a Shrikhand-stuffed Croissant. And how does Masala Bhaat with Arborio Rice sound? Expect to also be surprised with more fusion dishes like a Lasooni Chutney Pizza and Corn Meal Modaks! But, of course, not all like to experiment, so they have left the vada pav and bhajjiyas untouched and just the way the locals like to enjoy them. Apart from the above, there is much much more to try on along with some refreshing quintessential Marathi beverages - boondi taak, aam panna and kokum sherbet!
We were four of dining together and by far the winner of the fest was Lasooni (garlic) Chutney Pizza - everyone simply just gobbled it up. It's basically a thin crust pizza with lasooni chutney (along with chef's other secret ingredients) baked to perfection at the oven right next to where you sit and eat :) I was so intrigued by it that I decided to follow the chef in the kitchen as he worked his magic on it :) Its not every-day you are allowed to do photography in the kitchen, so I made the most of it!
Here are some images of the pizza in the making!
I also have a sweet tooth and quite enjoyed the croissant stuffed with shrikhand. I think it was quite a delicacy!
Here is the detailed menu:
So if you are in Pune and planning to try out some exotic local cuisine with fantastic balance of desi and videsi, you have to head to the MoMo cafe at Courtyard by Marriott. The hotel is very conveniently located right next to Jehangir Hospital. Follow the link below for directions!
View my map in a larger map
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| The beverage chariot at the entrance |
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| MoMo Cafe |
Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre is hosting Pune Food Festival from 11th to 20th July at their lovely MoMo cafe. I was there on the inaugural night to try them out and share my review with you all.
When: 11th - 20th July 2014
Where: MoMo Café
Lobby level, Courtyard by Marriott Pune City Centre
Bund Garden Road
The Chefs have successfully donned their creative white hats and worked their magic on some popular local Puneri fare. Picture a Chocolate Puran Poli or a Shrikhand-stuffed Croissant. And how does Masala Bhaat with Arborio Rice sound? Expect to also be surprised with more fusion dishes like a Lasooni Chutney Pizza and Corn Meal Modaks! But, of course, not all like to experiment, so they have left the vada pav and bhajjiyas untouched and just the way the locals like to enjoy them. Apart from the above, there is much much more to try on along with some refreshing quintessential Marathi beverages - boondi taak, aam panna and kokum sherbet!
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| A rather innovate menu card |
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| The chef giving us a detailed overview of food preparations and answering our naive questions :) |
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| And our delicious Maharashtrian thali :) |
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| The meal ends with amrut-tulya tea :) |
We were four of dining together and by far the winner of the fest was Lasooni (garlic) Chutney Pizza - everyone simply just gobbled it up. It's basically a thin crust pizza with lasooni chutney (along with chef's other secret ingredients) baked to perfection at the oven right next to where you sit and eat :) I was so intrigued by it that I decided to follow the chef in the kitchen as he worked his magic on it :) Its not every-day you are allowed to do photography in the kitchen, so I made the most of it!
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| Here is the lassooni chutney pizza! :) |
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| Loads of cheese on the thin base! |
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| And here it goes into the oven |
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| The delicious tikkis getting prepared for us :) |
I also have a sweet tooth and quite enjoyed the croissant stuffed with shrikhand. I think it was quite a delicacy!
Here is the detailed menu:
1. Chocolate Puran Poli
2. Stuffed Croissant with Shrikhand
3. Hurda Pakoras with Tartar Sauce
4. Vegetable Sliders with Pav and Thecha
5. Corn Meal Modak
6. Masala Bhaat with Italian Arborio Rice
7. Ratte Potato Thalipeeth
8. Lasooni Chutney Pizza
So if you are in Pune and planning to try out some exotic local cuisine with fantastic balance of desi and videsi, you have to head to the MoMo cafe at Courtyard by Marriott. The hotel is very conveniently located right next to Jehangir Hospital. Follow the link below for directions!
View my map in a larger map
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