The Kukkad Diaries

There's actually a thing called Asian-food craving. We go through it every month. At least once. It entails a sudden craving for tangy chicken or big bowl of wanton soup or nice pho.

However there are only a few places we have discovered in pune that we actually like and frequent. Not to mention that one of the eating joint we loved for its Vietnamese cuisine closed down. Smiley House as it was called was run by a couple of Vietnamese ladies and they ladled lip-smacking dishes until they decided to pack up and leave for Vietnam.

So it was of utmost necessity to get a replacement stat! We spent an evening at work poring over Zomato, wishing we could taste food off the internet and somehow we'd know that it was the One. Like sorting hat for restaurants.....You know like the time Harry pulled out the Gryffindor sword from sorting hat. But then Mr. TKD asked 'Isn't Zomato like the sorting hat for all restaurants?' Umm, well? I guess. But anyway, I digress. So after an hour or so of scouting we picked Malaka Spice for dinner.

Weaving our way through heavy traffic we got to the Malaka Spice in Baner. We were greeted with a cycle rickshaw wildly decorated with flowers. The rickshaw brought back memories of Kolkata as its a common sight there but I guess, it comes off as a novelty in Pune.

When we reached the reception at the first floor we were greeted by pretty Asian ladies enquiring us of our table requirements. Asian decoration, Asian food, Asian ladies, Asian servers.... It doesn't get any more Asian than that I suppose. We were pretty pumped (and starving) by the time we got to the table. The menu was massive. It was hardbound with pages and pages of dishes from Vietnam to China to Malaysia. The good thing about the menu was all the exotic sounding dishes had an apt description underneath it to help you decide better.

But it was not only the description helping us. It was our main server for the evening, Basant. He thoughtfully placed pamphlets about him on each tables so that we knew a little bit more about the person who was to handle our food for the evening. The personal touch was endearing. Basant was well versed with the menu and he gave his insights on which dishes would be suitable for us.


In the end we picked D FOR DUMPLING, CHICKEN FRITTURA, HONEY GARLIC CHILLI CHICKEN and SINGAPOREAN NOODLES with chicken.

The DUMPLINGS were a result of the Asian food craving. We ordered it steamed and stuffed with vegetables just as Ms. TKD remembered from back home. Well, it didn't really make up for the momos from back home but it was good on its own right. It was served with soy sauce and schezwan sauce. The schezwan sauce and dumplings seemed to be match made in heaven. A better love story than twilight at least.



The CHICKEN FRITTURA were chicken fritters with slices of chicken dipped in batter and fried crispy. It was actually served with a candle in the middle, hidden right inside a hollowed out tomato and we really didn't know better than to blow it out and attack the chicken. The twist was it came with a sweet mango dip and it went famously with the fritters. We loved the entire concept and we licked the whole thing till the end.



The SINGAPOREAN NOODLES were like any other tossed noodles. It seemed to have cooked with eggs and chicken. The quantity was quite filling, in fact a lot, for two people.


The HONEY GARLIC CHILLI CHICKEN was a type of stir fry. It had mild spices as promised and it had sweet salty flavours in the gravy. We had ordered it for sides with the Singaporean noodles. The chicken was tender and yummy. Though the dish might come off as meh for some , it was subtly delicious to us.



The place as outdoor seating for non AC as well as indoors air conditioned seating. The whole gallery leading to the seating area are interspersed with white cushioned couches and ornamental walled plants and decked up rickshaw.


It's a great place for a date or a dinner with friends. The service is attentive and food authentically delicious. So you k ow where to head if you ever get the Asian-food

The city is burning up. Temperatures are soaring and tempers running high. It's a bit uncharacteristic for Pune because it's always been known for its all year round cool weather.

One of the consequence of the sweltering climate has been to fill us with sloth and lethargy. It's been a chore just to imagine going out to scorch in the sun.

On a Saturday we decided it was enough lounging around the house. So we picked ourselves up and drove all the way to Phoenix mall. A mall because it's always centrally air-conditioned, has the choicest selection of eating joints and it doesn't hurt that it has stores to carter to your sartorial needs. We made sure we carried our cameras because you are all ways sure to meet new people, find new faces.

By the time we were hungry we already had our eatery selected.  We had heard and read quite a bit about the place and we were raring to have a go. The place is deceptively small but it has got an outer seating area too. The inside seating comprises of plush cushioned couches and tasteful white chairs with warm lighting and artful wall art.




We chose to sit by the glass facade which had a nice view of the outdoor seating area. The outdoor seating is nicely done up with lots of green shrubs, strategically placed fans and with the central fountains to be admired on one side. We would have liked seating outdoors only if it wasn't boiling over outside.



Apart from all the decor you can also choose to play boardgames with your friends while you wait for your order to arrive. You can choose between Jenga, monopoly, pictionary, Taboo or other games on offer. But we hardly got to play a few rounds of Taboo when we got our food brought. The service, needless to say is pretty quick,  very courteous and attentive.

The other good thing here is there's 50% off on alcohol post 4pm up till 8pm. So you have that going for you on a hot afternoon. We took advantage of the situation by indulging on tangy MIMOSAs.



For eats we ordered TENDERLOIN BURGER, MEDITERRANEAN BURGER and HOUSE STYLE CAESAR SALAD.  The portions sizes weren't that great especially for the salad but the taste just blew us away. The flavors were on point and had very authentic taste.

THE BURGERS came with a side of freshly fried fries (wow,  there's some alliteration for you) and fresh salad. The burger was decently sized and came stabbed with a steak knife (literally). The filling was scrumptious and had a good balance of patty and cheese and vegetables. The bread seemed fresh too. It might just have been one of the best burgers we have had in Pune.
The French fries too were really crispy and fresh.



The CAESAR Salad has always been a favorite and we've seen its the dressing that's seems to be the most crucial bit that makes or breaks the dish. The dressing here was punched with flavors. The salad and chicken was nicely coated with a good amount of dressing and with croutons on top. The greens were fresh and crunchy and the chicken was well done. The quantity was a bit of a bummer but the taste was impeccable.



Our experience in the 212 Cafe and Bar was certainly a great one and we are already planning our next visit here. There are some great stuff on offer and it's high time you pop in to sample some of their goodies.

"Gustozo", as the menu read, comes from a Spanish word 'Gustoso', which means enjoyable or tasty. It was nearing 12 pm when we trudged in on a Saturday morning for our ritualistic breakfast out and this was the first words we read out of the laminated menu. 'That's a rather tall claim naming your eatery tasty', the thought vaguely drifted through our sleepy tired heads; right after 'I wonder if it'll live up to its name' and right before 'oooh they have eggs!'.
Though they serve breakfast only up to 11 am but a quick consultation with a attentive server and we were informed we could still have a chance to redeem our tardiness.


The place is a comfortable sized cafe/bistro styled eatery with a cosy and relaxed vibe to it. Its on the stretch of Aundh-Baner road that also houses The Funky Kona and 2 minutes away from Hoppipolla. Its easy to miss Gustozo but not if you are really looking. When we got here we wondered how we hadn't seen this cafe before with its deck with white tables and chairs and those ubiquitous cafe black boards announcing the bistro menu. Insides was better. There was the happy music playing with sunlight streaming in from the large windows all along the walls and couches lining up the far end of the cafe. Seats were nice beside the bay windows, with tall tables and high chairs, soaking in vitamin D as we pored over the menu.
The kitchen was at the other half of the cafe partitioned by a glass wall where you could watch your food being prepared and chefs busy at work.


We ended up ordering some breakfast with EGGS ON TOAST, THE BIG BEN SANDWICH, CAPPUCCINO. We also threw in a OLIVE AND CHICKEN SKEWERS dish for good measure. (The menu was too tempting)

EGGS ON TOAST was a good weekend breakfast. The eggs were a bit too dry for our liking and a bit under-seasoned but toast just the right crispy.


THE BIG BEN SANDWICH was much appreciated for its great filling. It had a load of caramelized onion and chicken with seasoning that packed a burst of flavor. A good solid man's sandwich.



OLIVE AND CHICKEN SKEWERS was the last but they probably wanted to leave an impression because it was great. Good sized chunks of chicken skewered on sticks with green and black olives. It was topped with a red saucy gravy which completed the dish. Only the olives were bland probably because they got grilled too. But we the chicken was great so it was a win.



CAPPUCCINO was just as it was supposed to be. Right amount of caffeine to kick start the day.


The service was really nice. We were tended to constantly and treated well. The service was not the fastest but it was manageable because the food was turning out good.

The only grouse? Limited breakfast. We hope they add waffles or crêpes or pancakes. One half of TKD is a sucker for sweet breakfasts.
But even without it we believe we might have found a new breakfast place to add to our repertoire.

The German bakery is not only an landmark eatery for Pune's gastronomic landscape but is also a symbol for courage in the face of terror. Year 2010 was devastating for every one when terrorists chose the bakery as a site of a terror attack. The bomb blasts razed the place to the ground but it could not kill the Indian spirit of resilience. The German Bakery vowed to be back on their feet as soon as they could manage and it reopened it's doors to the Pune once more on 2012, much to the delight of the foodies.

The German Bakery incidentally has nothing to do with anything German, except for its name which was given to it by a German. The place is buzzing with people at all times. It's frequent patrons not only include the usual college kids looking for cool places to eat or people walking in for meetings over coffee or breakfasts but also foreigners partly because its situated quite close to the renowned Osho Ashram and also because the German bakery is quite famous.


This fame however can not be attributed to just the terror attacks that took place here all those years ago, for the German Bakery has always upheld it's reputation for quality food. Every food lovers worth their salt know that if you are at German Bakery you know your food is going to be good. No wonder that any new travelers or visitors to pune are suggested to visit here before they leave.

As the name suggests, German Bakery is a bakery alright but not just so. The post terror attack German Bakery brought a lot of changes in the eatery which was not just pertaining to the security checks at the entrance but also the menu which has now become more bistro like.
The menu is delightful and you will have to make a lot of trips here before you can hope to cover everything. But it caters to every meal be it breakfasts or brunches or light lunches or afternoon bites. Our favorites from the menu are the Spanish omelette, German sausage omelette, hommus and pita bread, balinese chicken satay, the barbecue chicken burgers, white sauce pastas and salads especially the chicken Ceasar. The list is long but it is just some of the things we have tried and loved on our uncountable trips to this much loved eatery. This doesn't cover the bakery items that we make sure to pick whenever we get the chance. The cookies and biscottis, cheesecakes and lamingtons are always great. You will find cheesecakes in different flavors everytime, we once had pumpkin which we adored. Do try the red velvet cakes and rainbow cakes whenever you feel the sweet tooth hankering for it.


Good places have a habit of getting incorporated in your routine. You know that if you are flying back home to see your folks you need to make the mandatory visit to German Bakery for Shrewsbury biscuits, cookies and Lamingtons; you know if your folks come visiting you, you are going to set one day out for brunch here; And if you are in or around Koregaon Park it's a given that your breakfast/lunch/snacks are unquestionably here. The place not only grows on you but you start expecting greatness everytime you are here. And I guess that's the scariest part. Because now you have to keep increasing the bar to not only delight new patrons but also retain the old clientele that already trusts you.

On our recent trip to German Bakery we tried the CHICKEN SASHLIK, FARM HOUSE SPECIAL PIZZA, BALINESE CHICKEN SATAY, HUMMOS AND PITA BREAD with BERRY COLA ICED TEA and CAPPUCCINO on the side.

CHICKEN SASHLIK was pieces of chicken coated with spices and roasted to perfection. It was served with red sauce which complemented the chicken.




BALINESE CHICKEN SATAY had chicken served in skewers and topped with a white cheesy, mayo sauce. We loved this dish and couldn't get enough of the skewered chicken. It also had a side of vegetable julienne.


FARM HOUSE SPECIAL PIZZA seemed a bit under seasoned and the quantity of vegetables was scarce too. Apart from that the taste was as you'd expect out of an eatery of German Bakery's caliber.


HUMMOS AND PITA BREAD had pieces of pita bread cut up in bite sizes with HUMMOS. The hummos was flavorsome and on point with the taste but again the quantity was very less for all the pita pieces.



The CAPPUCCINO was perfect and it came with a small cookie.


BERRY COLA ICED TEA was a revelation. It was an iced tea made in cola with flavors of berries in it. The drink was cool and refreshing.


All in all, it was a perfect sunday brunch for us. One of the many more to come. We can only hope that German Bakery keeps getting better and better. Being one of the best in a field also means greater expectations. And with so many new and creative eating places opening up in Pune, the competition only gets tougher.

But no matter what, Koregaon Park will always be known as the address of one of the most iconic eateries Pune has had.