EAT PUNE 04 – Punjabi Khana

Every hotel aim to offer Punjabi khana in Pune by default. In fact, if you analyze the hotel business, Punjabi food can get more margins as compared to breakfast snacks. Another interesting business factor is – Hotels are happy if couple comes for dinner/lunch and order Punjabi food as they can earn more margins with less overheads. Anyways…. Following are some of the popular and good hotels offers quality Punjabi khana in Pune –
1. Bhagatsingh Tarachand – A Mumbai based chain hotel. Fantastic taste of any sabji. Buttermilk and Lassi is served in a beer bottle. Don’t know where he gets such a tasty buttermilk. I can drink upto 5 bottles of buttermilk after lunch/dinner. Located at Shagun Chauk, Lakshmi Road – Park your car at Vijay Cricket Club’s parking near Patrya Maruti.
2. Horn Ok Please – Theme based restaurant located at Fergusson College Road near Sagar Arcade. This restaurant has built dhaba interior where you get chance to seat on ‘Khatiya’. People love playing the truck horn placed at the door as a decoration item. Clean and perfect Punjabi khana.
3. Hotel Aloha – This place was a regular dinner spot when I worked N number of workaholic nights at T-Systems. Do try out Kadhi – Khichadi here if you dinner out here. I love the taste here. Located at Senapati Bapat Road, opp. Muttha Chambers (Old BMC Software office). T-Systems employees (now Cognizant Technologies) get 7% discount J J.
4. Shivsagar Hotel – Anna run hotel. But still good taste of Punjabi food at both Aundh as well as J.M. Road vent.
5. Hotel Banjara Hills – Chandani Chauk, Paud Road. I like this hotel although many claims that service is pathetic. But food taste is good.
6. Veer Da Dhaba - Well….in case you plan to go out for dinner with your family. You can go to any hotel other than this place. Have you seen any restaurant where all youngsters on almost every table are loudly roaring, making climate noisy for no reason? This is the place where you need to forget that there is any world outside this hotel. Trust me, if you are a non-drinker like me, you would enjoy the party like anything. My school friends had a great party here once and we still laugh with those memories. We were dining and one drunky came to my table dancing….drunk glass of water kept on my table….did not say thank you nor asked for any permission and went away. One person was hitting drums hard without any music sync for no reason. A sardarji runs this hotel, good food taste and keeps tight control only after things starts getting out of control. Located at Hinawadi Road.
7. Bhajansingh da dhaba – This is popular for non-vegetarian Punjabi food. Located on old Pune-Mumbai High way – near Dehu Road Toll Naka. Good taste. Garden restaurant for family.
8. Agatya Hotel – Tulshibaug. Nice taste. Marathi style Punjabi food. Do try out Veg Bhuna here.
9. Rahul Restaurant – Aundh – Peaceful spot. Any paneer based Punjabi sabji may be tested here.
10. Chaitanya Paratha – Paud Road and F.C. Road – Run by Punjabi Sardar. Ok taste. Try out Parathas. I love Methi Corn Paratha.
11. Nebula Restaurant – Located in Bavdhan. Good and very clean restaurant. Excellent quality Punjabi food. Try out Paneer Kadhai.
Other Hotels such as Khana Pina Jina- NDA Road, Punjabi Masta Khana at Bavdhan Road, Gandharva Hotel at J M Road, Hotel Palvi at Anandnagar, Paud Road, Savera at FC Road, Rangoli at Bhandarkar Road etc. are also worth trying.

Disclaimer: Writer is not Punjabi. Writer is a Maharashtrian Konkanastha Brahmin. 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.