George Restaurant

George Restaurant - East St, Pune

Ever since I was a kid .. the sight of chicken roasting at the rotisserie inside George Restaurant in Camp always made me want to visit it. I think so once we even ate there .. and I was surprised to find that I didn't really care for the roasted chicken. That was a long time back.

George Restaurant is probably one of the oldest standing restaurants in Pune .. definitely pre-independence .. and they changed the decor probably a decade back. Anyways .. its one of the better dressed Irani joints in the city. [Though I confess the experience at these Irani places wont be as enjoyable without their typical 'look']. But what George lacks in ambience .. it makes up in food. The place is always busy .. always a good sign .. and the service is fast.

So Today George stands for a quick, filling meal .. necessarily non-veg and decidedly including tandoori chicken, chicken biryani and caramel custard. [I know .. biryani ~ mutton .. but you get better mutton biryani elsewhere in Pune]. The tandoori chicken is always good, the caramel custard .. depends from day to day .. but its worth a shot and people swear by its rotisserie chicken. The sizzlers are supposed to be great too.

Food: *** Ambiance: ** Price: $$
Last visited: mid-2007

Erik's Deli

Erik’s Deli - Sunnyvale

Erik’s Deli has more than a few locations across the Bay Area and yet it manages to give you that ‘family-owned’ kind of atmosphere. First up - this Deli is all about sandwiches. They are sumptuous! I was introduced to this gem by a colleague on the first day of my job in the Bay Area. I have been a fan since. Needless to say its packed during lunchhour.

They offer a variety of sandwiches [$5 - 6] - veg, chicken, turkey, beef. My personal favourites are the ‘Turkey walnut pesto’ and the Thanksgiving special .. with cranberry sauce. A very memorable evening spent in the Muir woods with a bag of Thanksgiving special sandwiches and a bottle of wine comes to mind. The salads and soups are worth trying. Erik also offers combos - the half s/w combo and the square meal .. pretty good stuff for the money.

Erik’s Deli
Food: **** Ambiance: *** Price: $$
Last Visited: Early 2007.

Dish Dash

Dish Dash: Sunnyvale Downtown

I absolutely, totally love mediterranean / middle-eastern food. I love the kebabs, falafels, shwarmas and the baklavas.

There. Now that that little disclaimer is out of the way. I can harp about Dish-Dash at will.

DishDash is located on Murphy Ave in Sunnyvale. Now, Sunnyvale itself lacks a bit in the good-restaurant department; but DishDash more than makes up for it. DishDash is almost always packed. Thats always a good sign - though it also means crazy waiting times in some cases. The place itself is tastefully decorated and the seating area is comfortable and welcoming. The crowd is mostly young and varied and I have always found the restaurant itself in good cheer.

Being slightly on the expensive side [$16 - 25] for regular dinner [not an occasion], I generally opt directly for the sumptuous main course; but the appetizers are pretty decent too. The Babaghanouge is good but I remember not liking the Grape leaves much. For dinner I recommend the Shish Taouk with the house yogurt drink. Shish Taouk is marinated and diced chicken served with vegetables and rice. Ah - a whole meal if there is one. I didn’t care much for the Beriani. For vegetarians there are plenty of options available - theres a dish with some kind of tomato-yogurt sauce - be sure to try it.

The entrees are cheaper [$10-14] during lunch hours - haven’t noticed if the portions are smaller too. Alternatively, they have some good wraps available for lunch [$8-10].

For dessert they have an assortment of Middle-Eastern desserts - which I suggest you have some other time. Go for the Turkish Coffee. You will not be disappointed.

DishDash
Cuisine: Middle-Eastern
Food: ***** Ambiance: **** Price: $$$
Last Visited: mid 2008

Pita Inn

Pita Inn - Wheeling

Pita Inn invokes memories of a time long gone .. when I was looking for a job and money was sparse. Pita Inn played its part by serving lip-smacking, healthy and inexpensive food. Its a mediterranean place and we used to frequent the one in Wheeling .. right on Elmhurst St. The place is freaking packed during lunch .. and you will see all kinds of vehicles in the parking lot .. right from old dirty pickups, to swanky new Mercedes. Which is why I used to go in the late afternoons, park my rickety GrandAm in the emptying lot and enjoy a delicious, filling lunch with my friends.

The falafel is amongst the best I have tasted .. its crispy on the outside and moist and grainy on the inside. The hummus is good too and comes with warm Pita. Quite a lot of vegetarian options keep the veggie-ppl happy and succulent shish and lamb kababs keep the rest fully satisfied. The portions are huge and the combos make a good meal.

Food: **** Ambiance: ** Price: $
Last visited: Mid-2004

Vaishali

Vaishali - Pune

How can I start the Pune category with any restaurant other than Vaishali? This is actually not because its my favourite or anything .. but I heed to social pressures. Puneites living outside of Pune always have Vaishali in their list of things they miss - It has a cult status in Pune. However, don’t expect out-of-this-world food or an elitist kind of place. Its more like a mix of nostalgia, atmosphere and food that makes it what it is. Vaishali is for the masses. From the young children with their parents, the college crowd of hip youngsters, to the busy office-goers stopping for a bite and the elderly reminiscing over old times. Its a place to come, eat and enjoy.

The food is undoubtedly good - simple fare - Udipi types - but its also the location (bang on FC road), atmosphere(youthful, relaxing) that makes it such a revered restaurant in Pune. Whats interesting is that it is a very popular hang-out place for a variety of people throughout the day. The tekdi-goers and badminton/tennis players in the mornings, the college crowd in the afternoons and whole families in the late evenings. When in college in Fergusson - right across the road from Vaishali - we have spent many an afternoon at the place sharing a few teacups amongst friends.

Avoid the evenings (especially weekends) if you want to sit at leisure though. There’ll be a considerable wait and you will constantly be under pressure to eat, pay and leave.

On to the food. Being largely an Udipi affair .. its mostly dosa-uttappa-wada that dominates the menu. The sambhar at Vaishali is the best I have ever eaten. Its always piping hot with the right mix of spice, vegetables and tang to it. Have a bit of wada with the spicy, hot sambhar and then soothe your palate with the perfect coconut chutney. Excellent. The SPDP (sev potato dahi puri) is what really made Vaishali famous. But I don’t think its really the best dish there. My personal favourite is the veg cutlet. The cutlet itself is a mix of beetroot and potato and who knows what else, and the green chutney and ketchup that accompany it make for a great combination.

All in all, a visit to Vaishali is always satisfactory.

Recommended: Wada-Sambhar, Veg Cutlet, Mysore Masala Dosa.

Vaishali
Cuisine: Udipi
Food: **** Ambiance Atmosphere: **** Price: $$
Last Visited: Mid 2007