EAT PUNE - Part 02

Welcome to “EAT PUNE” series. Part 02 of EAT PUNE will taste out another 4 items – Pav Patis, Kacchi Dabeli, Vada Pav, Pav Bhaji- Pulav and Cold Coffee. Here we go –
Pav Patis –
1. Dangi Pav Patis – This is probably the only location where a Pav-Patis is exclusively served, with a specialized taste of pav-patis. This spot offers ONLY Pav-patis. Located at Dip Bungalow Chauk Road, off Senapati Bapat Road. I guess this shop opens only in the evening.
2. Bipin Snacks – Undoubtedly a good taste of Pav-Patis at a popular snacks/breakfast stall, located next to Garware School.
3. Heaven Snacks – Nice taste. It tastes even better when served hot, most of the times it is served hot here. Located near More Vidyalaya, Paud Road.
4. SS (SP College canteen) – Well….all hardcore SPians die for Pav-Patis served in SS and I don’t know why really!! Taste is not bad, but may not be great. Try out, all except SPians may agree with my rating.
Kacchi Dabeli-
1. Dabeli stall at Hongkong Lane corner (Deccan Bus Stand side) – Good dabeli served with cheese or shev. Hot selling spot (not because of the girls roaming here). Open throughout the day.
2. Corner stall on Dnyanprabodhini Road – Tricky location to explain – If you are coming from Two Wheeler’s bridge – Poona Hospital - New English School Road – come straight 100 meters for dnyanprabodhini road. Before you take left on the T, your left a stall crowded with school children. That’s the spot. Good taste of dabeli. Exclusively instruct him to toast more - dabeli bread. I tasted dabeli here about 15 years ago, when one of my mentors- Ameya Kunte (super gem of Income Tax law) treated me.
3. Corner stall next to Bedekar Ganpati Mandir – Important – this stall is run by a Marathi man!! Of course, his stall reference comes here due to quality content in Dabeli.
4. Stall next to Gadgil Jewelers, Paud Road - Cheese…cheese dabeli. I liked it a lot. I do remember that once me and my wife started a 1 week diet program- called “GM Diet”. While my wife could finish it successfully, I ended up my challenge on the evening of Day 1 with two Kacchi Dabelis with extra cheese J J. This was the spot where I enjoyed Kacchi dabelis with cheese, otherwise I am not a big cheese fan.
Vada Pav-
Important Note – I am not a great Vada Pav fan. Hence my knowledge about Vada Pav spots may be challenged. But, still here I attempt to list down some popular spots –
1. Yenpure Wadewale – Good taste. Located near New Friends Society (opp. Union Bank) on Paud Road, chauk before Kinara Hotel, Vanaz.
2. Prabha Vishranti Gruha – Kelkar Road, near Kesariwada – Good quality batata-wada.
3. Bipin Snacks – Next to Garware school.
4. Stall near Garden Café, off Moledina Road – Always crowded with Vada Pav fans.
5. New Sweet Home – Kumthekar Road – only batata wada – excellent quality.
6. Stall next to Bank of Maharashtra, Bajirao Road branch.
7. Khatri Wadewale – Nice Vada-pav. Located on Ahilyabai Holkar Bridge.
8. Bharti Wadewale – Opposite Balgandharva Rangamandir
9. Joshi Wadewale - Opposite Balgandharva Rangamandir (tastes well if served hot only)
10. SS (SP College canteen) – Special Bun-wada with tomato ketch-up. Taste is okay but inserted here to keep respect of Mr. Kaustubh Vaze and Mr. Nikhil Ukidwe.
11. BMCC Canteen – Bun-wada with tomato ketch-up. Canteen always flooded with cigarette smoke.

Pav Bhaji and Pulav-
I believe that my father and my wife are the best Pav-bhaji cooks in the world. However, due to public demand, I will try to list down some of the popular spots for Pav-bhaji in Pune. Typically, it is observed that the Pav-bhaji spots are also appended with Pulav which you may enjoy after the Pav-bhaji.
1. Relax Pav-bhaji – Sahakar Nagar. Very popular spot. Good quality of Pav-bhaji with reasonable rates. Veg. Pulav is also good. During prime hours (7.30 to 9.30pm), at least 40 minutes waiting if you are in a group. Otherwise, place for two is easily accommodated. Peaceful place despite of being a popular spot.
2. Supreme Corner – J. M. Road – Heavily popular. You need to build a solid patience to get table and this is applicable even for week-days. I remember that once I went there at 8.00pm on Saturday and the waiting number was 79 and the current running number was 8. Looking at the crowd around the hotel, I guessed that at least 50 of the remaining 70 must have left the waiting lobby (which is actually a parking area of next shop). The average waiting period on any day may not be less than 1 hour. Typically, Marwari crowd can be seen here. Pav-bhaji tastes good, but I like Pulav more than P.B.
3. Hotel Mayur – Next to Pratignya Mangal Karyalaya, Karvenagar. Good Pav-bhaji. I haven’t tried out Pulav yet.
4. AJUBA – Karve Road, near Nalstop. The complete name is Anand Juice Bar which used to be a famous Pav-bhaji tapri, but now a class quality standard hotel. Still same pav-bhaji taste even after about 15 years.
5. Hotel Durga (Original)– Paud Road, near MIT College Road. Old Pav-bhaji spot and always surrounded with collegians (includes good looking girls of MIT MBA College many times).
6. Hotel Shivsagar – Aundh – Excellent taste maintained over past many years.
7. Kasturi Mastani – Opposite Kothrud Stand (Opp. Das Electricals, Kothrud) – Another old spot. Good spot for Kothrudians for a quick dinner in Kothrud. Pulav is also okay here.
Cold Coffee –
Although cold doesn’t suit me, I love cold coffee. I keep on hunting places for coffee flavor desert.
1. Hotel Durga (Original) - Paud Road, near MIT College Road. Highly popular spot for Cold coffee. Most of the people do not know that Hotel Durga (original) was famous for Espresso Coffee about 20 years ago. My brother and I used to enjoy Espresso Coffee here after school exams. Cold coffee topped with coco taste really good. You may ask for extra coco after 3 syrups. This spot used to serve coffee throughout the night about 10 years back, but now only till 12.00pm. After 10.30pm, this spot is surrounded only with ‘Datta’ kind of youngsters. They come in group, in a open jeep, wear gold chains and bracelets, hold high-end mobile phones, imported cigarettes, vehicle number plate with ‘DADA’, ‘NANA’, ‘RAJA’ etc., written by cheating numbers and occasionally fight between themselves. Do try out a special dish ‘Masala Pav’ with coffee. Masala Pav is a compact or a showcase version of Pav-Bhaji.
2. Hotel Durga (Duplicate) – Duplicate Durga has got two branches – MIT College and Mayur Colony. Duplicate Durga was formed by ‘Pandya’ and ‘More’ who used to work for original durga for 10+ years. I don’t like and recommend this spot since they do not wash glasses sincerely.
3. KANEPE Tapri – Opens only in the late evening. Located next to fruit stall/sunil tea stall near Kamla Nehru Park. Pav-bhaji served here also tastes good. Nice Cold Coffee too.
4. Stall on Symbiosis Distance Learning College Road – Good Coffee. But the waiters and the owner shows unnecessary arrogant stance. I have tried here cold coffee only once.
5. Relax – Sahakar Nagar – Good Hotel and undoubtedly good cold-coffee.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this blog is to provide reader with interesting food spots in Pune. The spots referred in the blog have only been recommended by writer and unfortunately, he does not hold any control on reader’s tongue ;). It also does not mean that writer never eats at home or writer’s wife cannot cook the food. Please talk to writer before making any perception in this regard.