Cuisine: Modern Indian
A departure for Indian food in Pune, Joravar and Priyanka Sachdev who are veteran restaurateurs here in Pune have come up with their dream concept – Zora at Ishanya Mall. It’s huge step for them in terms if concept and cuisine so you have to applaud the effort.
It’s a pretty big space with a large outdoor seating, wrought iron and wooden tables and a smaller intimate air conditioned area with low as well as traditional seating. It’s quite quirky with feather lamps and glass artifacts but it looks quite upscale except for the plastic chairs which will hopefully soon disappear. The theme is white and it works very well for this kind of food.
Start with a Zora cocktail curated by Nupur Joshi. What is wonderful is that you can have either a cocktail or a mocktail with the same ingredients. The Maharaja – mango, basil and coconut water was delicious as a mocktail. Gents will love the whisky masala which transforms the otherwise ordinary Blenders Pride Reserve smoked with khada masala, into something very special. My favourite was the Caiporoshka with pomegranate, rosewater and elder flower syrup.
The menu is extensive. Don’t miss the soups accompanied by in-house baked lavash “bark” sticks. The Indian summer chicken soup is summer in a bowl and the soup comes in a French press. It’s a little gimmicky but serves the purpose of an infusion. The kumbh adraki and broccoli cream is also outstanding. I loved the spicy okra salad with an amchur vinaigrette. The recipes are clever and the twists quite ingenious. Most of them work but even if they don’t quite hit the spot you have to commend the effort. Vegetarian starters include a melt in the mouth badami dahi kebab and the paneer tikka with jalapeno pesto. The mushroom galauti is okay but the red bell pepper achaar which accompanies it, is simply superb. In the non-vegetarian, the bhut jolokia tandoori murg, though very spicy, is a real treat for those who love chilli and the curry leaf chutney which accompanies the saffron murg tikka is another winning accompaniment. The mains are rather heavy – some regional specialties but the North Indian reigns supreme, well executed with lashings of cream and butter! Nothing too “modern” about the quantities and cream! The grilled baingan steaks with a coconut curry leaf gravy with peanut and tamarind pilaf is an enormous portion, quite enough for two and will satisfy any discerning vegetarian. The soya chops in white makhani gravy is not for those on a diet and is a great vegetarian twist on the traditional chicken dish. In non-vegetarian, do try the sukha tava chicken masala with the most ingenious butter milk waffles and the lal maas with sharp cheddar naan pancakes. The prawn balchao with theplas, needs re-working. Delicious though it is, it’s not balchao. We tried the resh malai chicken tikka biryani where the cream seeps out making the rice really moist. It’s not your traditional biryani but very tasty all the same. In desserts the chocolate pani puri is something you must try as well as the rum soaked chocolate cake. If you enjoy Indian food, you will enjoy the twists and turns of Zora. The ‘modern’ is the fact that most of the main courses come pre-plated but it is still “Punjabi” in terms of the amount of butter, cream they use and the generous portion sizes.
Chocolate Pani Puri
WOW FACTOR – 8
WATCH OUT FOR – Out on a limb and alone in Ishanya mall right now
PORTION SIZE – Generous
ALCOHOL – Yes
VEGETARIAN – Lots to choose from
And… IF … Danesh serves you, it’s a treat
Meal for two: Rs. 3000
Food: 4 Décor: 4 Service: 4.
Address: Ishanya Mall, Arcade 6, Opposite Pune Golf Course, Yerawada, Pune
Tel Reservations: 9172205060
Timings: 11.45pm to 3:30pm and 7.00pm to 12.30am