Travelling 20 km one way in search of great food – CHECK
Devouring an exquisite platter of food with a bunch of foodies – CHECK
A Bellydriven Delight – CHECK
What more do you want from a food tasting escapade?
That is exactly how my evening ended at Chandralok/ Jumeirah Cafe that is situated near Mahalaxmi Lawns in Karve Road. Even though the place dates back 20 years, one should have a look at their new avatar, absolutely a must go for the youngsters. Run by an amazing bunch of people from Aperto Hospitality- Abhinav, Udit and Aditya Neelgaonkar, Chandralok has 4 sections – A fine dine, an open garden restaurant, a party lawn and a roof top cafe with an Arabian theme that caters to their different target segments.
Talking about Jumeirah- the roof top sit out cafe, the decor and mood lighting will sweep you away to another place and time. Well laid out tables, that seat almost 6-12 pax each, an extra punch of colors, delicious food, chilled beer and a big screen will greet you as you keep foot on this place.
Coming to the food, we started with the karari roti with some pints of chilled beer and oh boy !!! it was an utterly butterly crunchy and delicious Karari Roti, glazed with butter & some tangy masala (Though my male counterparts opined that the butter was a tad less) It was perfect for me.
Next on the table was the Makrana Tangdi Kebab which was simply melt in the mouth with the marination being extremely perfect and the heavenly smokiness of the tandoor. Topped with a dash of lime a bite into the chicken legs transported you in to a foodie’s paradise. To top it all, the Paneer and Chicken Nizami tikkas were also spot on with their flavours and were grilled to perfection. On the menu were corn cheese croquettes which were nice but my non-vegetarian palate craved for a little more spice. And I devoured a plate full of Murg Banjara Kebab that did not disappoint me at all.
THE APPETISERS
In the main course, we tucked into Chicken Handi, Nalli Nihari, Chicken BiryaniDal Makhni along with the roti basked comprising of kulchas and tandoori rotis. The non-veg mains were great but what stole the show was the DAL MAKHANI it was simply par excellence so much so that I almost wanted to parcel it for my north Indian better half, who is a stickler for dal makhani. The creamy texture of Dal Makhani combined with the buttery flavor is enough to make anyone go back for a second helping . Though sinful for health freaks, it was super desirable due to the generous amount of cream and/or butter that went in it. A perfect amalgamation of slow-cooked lentils with oodles of cream and with a smoky charcoal infused aroma. This dish is sure a must try. This is where your search for a perfect dal makhni ends in Pune
THE MAINS
In desserts, we had the Gajar ka halwa and the sizzling brownie with ice-cream. Between the two I preferred the Gajar ka halwa- again a rich sinful union of ghee, khoya and the right amount of sweet. The sizzling browie was bit of a let down for me as I like my brownies rich and soft and the ones served were a tad dry.
THE DESSERTS
But with the lively atmosphere and the owners making special efforts to make sure they give personal attention to all their guests this place for sure deserves a repeat visit. And if by any chance you are a seesha lover head over to this place for a head over heels experience!
