I always wanted to get a grill for myself. Why, you may ask. Because no one has ever heard of someone calling friends over for a microwave. Nor has anyone thrown a pool side microwave party. Replace “microwave” with “grill” in the above sentences and things start to become exponentially cooler.
That being said, I had almost gotten a grill for myself if not for the tormenting and overwhelming thought of “who the hell is actually going to cook the meat, because i can’t”. Fortunately for us, we were invited to Ignite Bar and Grill for its limited period Holiday Season BBQ brunch menu which ends on 1st Jan.

The restaurant is a part of the Hinjewadi property of Courtyard by Marriott and is located right on the Wakad Hinjewadi main road. We have been there before but the place always manages to surprise us. The place has a very relaxing and soothing vibe to it. You could either choose to sit in the cabana or on the tables outside depending on your preference and mood. We chose to sit right under the sun in the open.

Ignite has a great variety of cocktails and wines to try from. We tried the Thicker which was orange bitters with spiced infused whiskey. It had a very citrusy feel to it and was something i enjoyed. We also tried the Spiced Mojito and the Wonder which was made with rosemary and gin infusion along with sugarcane syrup and tonic water. It has an overwhelming taste of rosemary to it.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, we headed over to Phoenix Market City, Viman Nagar for a completely unique and potentially fun-filled activity. For the past year we have been food blogging, here was a food event that promised good food and also a bit of healthy competition.

Phoenix MarketCity Food Trails 1.0 organized in collaboration with Carpe Diem turned out to be a food tasting with a twist. The Pune food bloggers were invited to the venue and randomly allotted a restaurant and an ingredient.
The bloggers would have to select a dish from the restaurant menu which they think highlights the ingredient in the best way. That sounded exciting!

We reached the designated meeting spot, 212 All Day Cafe and Bar, a tad bit later than everyone else. (Curse of living in the edge of the city. Wakad.) We spotted quite a few of our fellow blogger friends engrossed with their plates of food, trying hard to capture the best picture in the best light.

We ended up with 212 Cafe itself, which was happy news because we love the food there. It is a beautiful cafe with cosy indoor seating as well as a outdoor seating that overlooks the plaza and the fountains. It makes for a great place for a quiet date.

But it wasn't turning out to be too ideal of a situation for us. As much as we had hoped for a 'Chicken' ingredient (Kukkad lovers through and through), we were handed a chit that spelled 'fish'.

Mr. TKD looked down at the piece of paper a bit askance but we knew we had to make the most of the situation. So fish it was. We aren't the biggest fans of fish, but Bengal-based upbringing has made sure I tell my Rohu apart from my Hilsa.

After some serious consultation with the manager and Chef, who were all so friendly, we decided to start off with something a bit.. risque? So we opted for a shellfish dish. In our defense, the WASABI SHRIMP COCKTAIL was jumping off the page. What can I do readers? They had me at Wasabi.

The chef did an excellent job with the presentation. The cocktail came in a martini glass that gave a clear view of all the ingredients. The bright greens of the lettuce, the popping reds of the cherry tomatoes, the wedge of lemon brightness and the quintessential orange of the Nasturtium flower that made the dish look complete.



It made me happy just looking at the dish. And happier still devouring it. The shrimps were beautifully cooked and it had that crunchy and firm texture that I like. The smooth Wasabi sauce was coated on the shrimps and brought in that familiar kick into the dish. That being said, I would have loved if they had served some of the Wasabi sauce on the side as a dip. For us wasabi lovers, just the smear on the shellfish is just not enough.
The iceberg lettuce was fresh and crisp with a light sprinkle of dressing. The parmesan wafer brought an element of crunch that made the texture of this salad so interesting.



In entirety, this dish was full of flavors and textures yet so light and refreshing. We were glad we kicked off our meal this this beauty.

We decided to invest a bit more on our fish ingredient and picked the Grilled Norwegian Salmon. The main idea of the dish was to hero the beautiful fillet of Salmon and keep everything else to the minimal.

So we had the beautifully grilled fillet with a sprinkling of olive oil and dash of salt. The meat was firm yet tender. It fell yielded readily to my fork and fell apart to reveal the pretty pink within. The skin was crispy on either side and was served with a side of roasted baby potatoes and grilled vegetables. The lemony, creamy dressing brought the much needed citrusy relief.



For a person that doesn't prefer seafood, Mr. TKD devoured much of the dish. Every element in the plate just came together in symphony to celebrate the salmon. No spices, vegetables or flavors took away the spotlight from the fish. The tender, melt-in-the-mouth fish with the crunchy, grilled vegetables and the creamy, acidic dressing made this dish a winner.



Needless to say, we were very sated at the end of the event. Whether we chose the winning dish or not, we don't know. But we sure had lady luck smiling at us for choosing some great food that day. It was a really great event in the light of the fact that they made us go for an ingredient we don't usually end up choosing. (The Macchi Diaries, anyone?)

So, all we can say is 'Phoenix Market City Food Trials 1.0' was O-FISH-ALLY a success! 

As much as I am a fan of the Asian cuisine, it is just as difficult to find a restaurant that serves authentic and delicious Asian food. Especially when I am sushi hunting. Its everywhere now-a-days. But there's only a handful of places that you will get a smashing platter of sushi.

Of course, Indian Chinese is always around to the rescue but sometimes when you are craving for a steaming plate of Dimsums or a piping hot bowl of Pho,it just won't make the cut. You know what I mean?
And dimsums reminds me, can we talk about the dismal options for Tibetan food in Pune?

But I digress. So recently, the popular Asian restaurant from KP, Asian Box, opened shop in Baner making us folks living in this part of the city extremely happy. We dropped in for a mandatory dinner and boy, the food lived up to the hype.


Incredible, incredible food only left me a bit concerned. Why? Because everything is so good, that you'll have a tough job choosing what you want. (The point might be moot because anything you end up choosing will probably be stellar)

But I have my favorites and I'm sharing it with you in the hopes that it helps you not miss the good ones from the menu. And if I missed out some of yours, drop me a message!

• CHEESE LUMPIA is a vegetarian starter but I'll beat down any vegetarian in the house for a plateful of this! This finger shaped snack with light, crisp coating and insides oozing stringy, gooey cheese is what food dreams are made up of. Dip it in the home-made schezwan sauce and you wouldn't want anything more. Until you get your hands on....
  

• MUTTON KEEMA SAMOSA! Now mutton is not my favorite form of protein as the name of our blog would suggest. But here is a samosa, filled with such delicately spiced minced mutton that I basically stole samosas the whole evening from random plates on the table. Do try!

• THAI LETTUCE WRAPS perhaps had a mixed reception at the table. But that's probably because of the fervent carnivores at the table who will probably be outraged at the sight of a salad. But I found them light and delicious and fun at the same time!

• So the dish comprised of lettuce leaves served at the side with a bowl of spicy minced tofu (I know! I know!). You can make your own wraps with the tofu and lettuce and the various dips that are already on the table. For a vegetarian dish, I found it really yum!

• DIMSUMS: Now, I'm not being specific because the dimsums here are really good. I'm sure no matter whci one you choose, you'll end up liking it. I had the mixed vegetable dimsums and I loved it!
  

• EBI TEMPURA URA MAKI ROLL: Even if you haven't really warmed up to the idea of sushi (Read: Mr. TKD) this sushi is sure to make way into your favorites list as well. To begin with there is no raw fish but this incredible crispy tempura prawns rolled into little bites of satisfaction. Plus the wasabi served is A1 and I can tell you how bad Wasabi can ruin a sushi experience. I have had a couple of those lately.
  And cherry on the top, you get to watch the Sushi master at work on the separate sushi bar!
  
  
  

• If KHOW SUEY is one of your favorite dishes as well, give Asian Box a try! The beautifully prepared noodles is served with a side of rich, creamy and aromatic curry. The curry just does it for me. It's the right level of spiciness with the authentic flavors shining through. Plus there's this cutest box of quintessential condiments.
  

• PANDAN PANACOTTA. Arrrgh! This dessert is so good, such a delight, I could hardly stop at one! After we had had our fills with all the delicious food, bursting at seams, ready to hit the bed, we got served with these Pandan flavored desserts.  I kid you not. We actually went for seconds. Or was it thirds?!
  Any which way, the point is. Drop what you are doing and get to Asian Box to really try this to know it yourself. I'm already making a bee-line that way.
  

Asian food lovers of Pune (yours truly, included) have lately been spoiled for choice with all the experimental and traditional places opening up. It just means we have more options when planning for a good Asian dinner.

Recently, Panash - the Asian themed restaurant at Four Points by Sheraton revamped the place and relaunched the menu. Chef Tenzin has personally curated the menu and it boasts of pan-Asian dishes and flavors.

It hopes to introduce Asian flavors with Indian twists so as to make the food much more comfortable for newbies who are just testing the waters. Hence, in comes fusion sushi with new and interesting flavors like tandoor cottage cheese for stomachs too weak for raw fish.

The interiors spell class and is done beautifully with the signature oriental reds and wooden accents and soft light.

We were welcomed with glasses of delicious Sangria which kept magically refilling :D


We kicked off the tasting with the sushi. The HARU MAKI which was a refreshingly crispy maki roll of tuna and salmon. The crispiness of the outside with the gooeyness of the mayo and the fish made for a delicious sushi.


I also quite liked the CALIFORNIA MAKI with the cucumber, crunchy prawn bits and mayo. However, I didn't quite warm up to PANASH FUSION MAKI with the paneer tikka in it.

Though vegetarians and people averse to raw fish might want to give it a go. But why would these people want to eat sushi in the first place is something I won't comprehend.

The DIMSUM course treated me quite well. I loved the CHICKEN JIAOZI which was steamed dumpling with filling of minced chicken and mushroom. The filling was seasoned very well and was juicy and tasted amazing.

The GREEN DUMPLING was a vegetarian dimsum and was stuffed with spinach, mushroom, celery and like. It did dull in comparison to the JIAOZI but it put up a good fight.


I also loved the PHUKET STYLE BARBEQUE CHICKEN  which packed bang on spicy flavors.
LAJIAN LIAN OU was crisp lotus stems which were sticky, sweet and spicy. Served with peas and delicious to boot, this was definitely one of my picks of the night.


Mains consisted of LOTUS LEAF CHICKEN with the chicken served in lotus leaves which made sure the chicken came to the table all tender and juicy. The seasoning was on point and the onion and garlic mix was beautiful to taste.


Now, I am a sucker for good PHAD THAI and I found the noodles here very delicious. As the chef mentioned, their plating is directly inspired from the street food of the Asian countries and they want to serve the dishes as it would have been found while strolling through the streets of say, Thailand.


So the PHAD THAI noodles were served separately with all the condiments around it, leaving the diners with the decision of how the dish ought to look.

The best of the mains was the PRAWNS IN XO SAUCE for me. I haven't had XO sauce before but I have heard a lot of this spicy seafood sauce that's popularly used in parts of China. The sauce did justice to the fresh prawns and it made the dish delectable.
XO has to stand for hugs and kisses, because it made the dish just as warm and comforting. :D

One of the major let down of the night, however, were the desserts. And as you'd know me, I survive all the courses for dessert. Needless to say, I was a bit dejected and had to actually go somewhere else to make sure I had good dessert to end the night.

The LEMON GRASS PANACOTTA sounded good concept wise and would have tasted just so if the panacotta wasn't as rubbery as it was. Was it because the panacotta was sitting out for a while? I don't know, but it refused to be spooned out when I tried. The unyielding and thick panacotta was a downer for me.

COCONUT PANCAKE is usually one of my favorite things to have. Not only because its Asian inspired but also because you find adaptations of it in Bengal as well. Its a festival time favorite and simply delicious. The pancakes in Panash were definitely a good attempt. But I found them a bit dry and mealy. But it did taste a lot better than the PanaCotta that definitely hated me. (Well Panacotta, the feelings were mutual!)

Hence, the Panash tasting was a mixed bag for me. There are certainly incredible dishes to try and enjoy. However, personally, desserts are a big deciding factor when it comes to choosing a restaurant. Hopefully, the highly proficient chefs at Sheraton will work on them to make it just perfect.

A big thank you to Devendra and Bhakti for the invite. And immense amount of love for being so patient with me :D

As you walk the South Main Road, the newly-opened Pashah grabs your attention. Self dubbed as "A Mughal Bistro", the spacious eating joint welcomes you in with rows of tempting skewers of kebabs and delicious aroma of grilled chicken wafting from the open tandoor.


 There is an outer seating area right in front of the tandoor area and a air-conditioned indoor seating. We chose to sit indoors as it was a sultry afternoon.

We started off immediately with a delicious plate of HUMMUS and PITA BREAD served with a generous garnishing of olives and side of pickled vegetables. The hummus was delicious and was one of the tastier ones I have had in Pune.


This was followed by FALAFELs which was amazingly crunchy and beautifully prepared. The tahini sauce in the side was a perfect. I would highly recommend the Falafels and in fact, hummus and pita here at Pashah.


The tandoori starters were a hit too! The MUTTON SEEKH KEBABs were juicy and spicy. It was seekh kebab goals right there.
My personal favorites from the others was the MURG KALI MIRCH which was beautifully grilled kebabs with a good hint of black pepper. Seasoning was apt and the meat was incredibly tender. Minimal and to the point, just the way I like it.


MAKRANA KEBABS were chicken legs seasoned in spices and cream, cooked to such perfection that the meat just yielded as you bit into them. Mmmm, Kukkad heaven.


Usually, by the time I'm done with the appetizers, I'm already looking forward to the desserts. The mains are not my favorite course of the meal and it takes a very delicious plate of food to grab my attention and hold it.


Hence, the mains were a bit of a hit and miss for me. I quite liked the MURG LAHORI which had nicely cooked chicken in decently-spiced curry. A good squeeze of lemon and it went quite well with my naan.


I also liked the CHICKEN DUM BIRYANI which was not overtly spiced and good meat to rice ratio.


The dessert wasn't a big affair but it had a pretty good GAJAR KA HALWA, which I polished off because you don't just NOT eat gajar-ka-halwa!
The GULAB JAMUNs though was a bit too sweet for my taste. Because though I love my dessert, too sugary sweet is always a turn-off for me.

Overall, Pashah is a good option if you are looking for a quick fix for a hunger hour. You can always go for the starters which trumped the mains incontestably. There is a pretty good kebab spread so you won't run out of options. To add to that, Pashah does pretty good wraps and SHAWARMAs at incredible prices!
Buy one get one wraps for Rs.100?! Now if that is not a pretty good incentive to give this place a visit, I don't know what is.


Finally, a big thank you to Sasha for the inviting and hosting us all. And huge cheer to team Pashah!!