Travelling to Pune? Here's a handy list of new restaurants for you

When it comes to food Pune has always had an adventurous side Culinary masterpieces by celebrity chefs regional delights from across the country craft cocktails single estate coffees and artisanal teasmdashthe cityrsquos new food establishments promise to tantalise tastebuds in unique and complex ways We tested a few new places on the block to see if they are worth the hypeBharat BhavanLocated on the buzzing Balewadi High Street Bharat Bhavan has one of the most diverse and vast menus wersquove come across lately The restaurant takes the foodie on a journey across the different states of India through their food drinks and mithai The place has a cheery vibe with large glass windows allowing natural light making the seating feel spacious We found our table opposite a light pink wall with geometrical patterns that reminded us of a similar one in Jaipurrsquos City Palace We were also pleased to see that the restaurant was almost full on a weekday afternoonGenda Phool and Zafrani kulchaWhat to eat and drink We started with the paan sherbet Rs 140 which was garnished with a whole betel leaf it was a tad too sweet for our liking Next came genda phool Rs 450 a marigoldinfused gin with turmeric shrubmdashlight and refreshing for a hot afternoonOur orders took painfully long to arrive The chandani chicken tikka Rs 450mdasha cream and almond marinated chicken boti with a mild spice mix from Kashmirmdashwas luxuriously soft and melted in our mouths The beetroot kofta Rs 380 cooked in a thick curry of Lucknowi spices had complex flavours and was delicious It paired perfectly with the light and airy zaffrani naan Rs 100 our favourite of all the dishes we tried While the Mangalorean rotti Rs 100 a crisp rice roti made on a tawa was great the kori sukka and gassi Rs 450 a Mangalorean household delicacy of chicken cooked with red chillies and coconut crossed our threshold for spice We could hardly taste any other ingredient besides the chillies The interesting mithais that we could choose from a display at the restaurant saved the day You cannot miss the mishri jamun Rs 42 a different yet delicious take on the gulab jamunWhere S No 20 Unit 7 Balewadi Tech Park next to Balewadi High StreetCall 950380900Cobbler amp CrewFor late evening tipples and a perfect date night try Cobbler amp Crew an elegant new bar in Kalyani Nagar Unlike the usual night spots this one is refreshingly designed keeping in mind an audience that ascends from the thirties Much to our relief we love that you can hear the person sitting across you while jazz and blues play in the background The cocktails and food are made using locally sourced ingredients and natural sweeteners The interiors are warmly lit giving the place a cosy and inviting vibe The open bar and the action in it take centerstageFeeling Good and Mist from the seaWhat to eat and drink At this cocktailforward bar drinks are served with interesting sides such as bhakarwadi and khakra While not all experiments are successful some combinations are stellar The feelin good for example is gin infused with basil cucumber and coriander seeds and garnished with a crisp strip of parmesan which adds a new layer of flavour Another favourite is mist from the sea with strawberry compote and honeydew melon clarified using an inhouse technique and garnished with a strawberry crisp The bar also serves great food We tried the cregraveme fraiche smoked salmon and arugula sourdough tartine roasted sweet potatoes with feta cheese chipotle and romanesco romaine lettuce crisps R239 You could even go for the soft lamb doughnuts R279 filled with cream cheese glazed with lamb floss and mintmdashan interesting taste profileWHERE Cobbler amp Crew Ground floor Barons Club North Ave opposite Joggerrsquos Park Joggerrsquos Park Palace View Society Kalyani NagarCALL 9860665262Bai Mu DanNestled in a peaceful green lane in Koregaon Park Bai Mu Dan looks like a cottage straight out of a fairy tale The Japanesestyle interiors with light shining through paper lamps low wooden tables tucked away under canopies and a green cover by plants make a pretty setting Owned by tea blender Dinshay Luthiya also the founder of Kefi Organics and an interior designer the cafe reflects their love for beverages especially the speciality teas and single estate coffees We love that the menu explains in detail the origin and essence of the brews listed The food is mainly plantbased dairyconscious and glutenfree with a focus on local produceWhat to eat and drink We tried the whole leaf white tea that the cafe is named after Bai Mu Dan R300 is a rare white tea which is the result of fine plucking during summer at the oldest tea estate in Assam It is delicate and sure to impress those with a palate for mild flavours We also tried the relaxing stress buster R200 a blend of fennel mint nettle leaf chamomile rose petals lavender blossoms St Johnrsquos wort a plant native to Europe with yellow starshaped flowers and liquorice root used in herbal medicine It had a soothing taste profile From the coffee list the espresso macchiato R180 an espresso topped with a small amount of foam or steamed milk was brewed to perfection We also liked the raw cacao with a shot of espressomdash it was dense and delicious R300 In food our favourite was the meltinthemouth Korean bun R250 with buttery garlic and sweetened cream cheese fillingWHERE No 1 Plot No 19 Within Sunderban Resort amp Spa A Lane next to Osho International Commune Centre Koregaon ParkCALL 9595614141NoraWhile Pune has earlier sampled awardwinning chef Amninder Sandhursquos cooking via her delivery kitchen Ammu Nora meaning light in Hebrew is the chefrsquos first restaurant in the city While the terrace bar is perfect for breezy Pune evenings we prefer the indoors for a quiet meal What we love about Nora is that the food takes centerstage sans any gimmicks Sandhu excels at her craft Her flavours hit the right spot the portions are generous and donrsquot burn a deep hole in thepocket eitherButter Chicken Kulcha and Salmon CevicheWhat to eat and drink Hearty desi dishes such as butter chicken and the mutton seekh get a chic bar food style makeover The butter chicken R375 also Sandhursquos favourite dish is stacked on a kulcha and served with a hung curd dip while the mutton seekh is served on a sheermalmdasha saffronflavoured traditional Irani flatbread with a Sandhu twist Our favourite on the menu is the nonvegetarian grazing platter complete with housemade truffle and pistachio crusted cheese Wayanad pepper cheese along with prosciutto chilli chorizo and chicken mortadella a soft pullapart bread among various other accompaniments The small platter R900 is perfect for two to four people and the large platter Rs 1800 serves six to eight Therersquos a vegetarian version of the platter too Sandhursquos salmon ceviche with orange and beet laced with coconut milk Rs 375 is almost too pretty to eat but we suggest you dig right inWHERE Nora 1st Floor Sakar 10 Building FP No 152 TPS No 1 Sasoon Road Above Fab India Dhole Patil RoadCALL 9665550084