A HEARTY MEAL IN THE HEART OF PUNE

By

VIKRAM KARVE

My wife is a pure vegetarian. So when we eat out together we prefer a pure vegetarian restaurant. And when you are really famished there’s nothing better to satiate your hunger than a sumptuous wholesome vegetarian thali. When we were in Mumbai our favourite Value for Money Vegetarian Thali guaranteed to satisfy the most voracious appetite and discerning taste buds was the Thali served by Bhagat Tarachand near Zaveri Bazar. Both taste-wise and price-wise, Bhagat Tarachand is unmatched – it’s the best value for money vegetarian food in Mumbai. So this afternoon, finding ourselves famished and thirsty on Laxmi Road in Pune we decided to have a hearty meal at Bhagat Tarachand’s Pune restaurant in the heart of the city.

The first thing you notice in the contrast in ambiance – unlike the hustle-bustle, hurly burly, hurried eating in a hot, humid, crowded atmosphere you are overwhelmed with in Mumbai, here, in Pune, the mood is set for serene, tranquil, relaxed, leisurely dining. Also, there is no “beer bottle” of chilled chaas (buttermilk) to quench your thirst and soothe your parched throat, and there is a stylish menu card, not the Mumbai-style wall-menu. I read the menu – quite expensive – now in this aspect Pune’s Bhagat Tarachand is different – certainly not frugal Value for Money dining! But then Pune is an expensive place, especially for food.

There isn’t must choice as far as Thalis are concerned – there is only one type of Thali on the menu and it’s called the Deluxe Lunch Thali [there is no ordinary thali for an “ordinary” foodie like me!]. The Thali costs a steep 120 rupees and we order it.

The food is plentiful and very tasty. There is melt in the mouth delicious Paneer Bhurji, flavoursome aloo methi sukha, a tangy samosa, nutritious dal fry, three special ghee-rich rotis, rice, papad, and rabdi. We leisurely savour the substantial meal in relaxed ambience. The food is as good as the one served in their Mumbai restaurants – what disappoints is the Chaas – they serve only a tiny glass of chaas and when I asked for a refill the waiter rudely told me it would cost me an extra eighteen bucks – now that’s not fair as it is the accompaniment of the lip-smacking chaas that truly enhances the enjoyment and eating experience of this type of cuisine. Also the chaas here lacked the soothing zing of the “beer bottle” chilled chaas they serve in Mumbai. And as for the service – I suggest they send their staff down to the Mumbai restaurants to imbibe some of the down-to-earth businesslike warmth.

If Bhagat Tarachand wants to carve a niche for itself in Pune [like Shreyas or Mayur for vegetarian thalis] it better focus on its specialities and uniqueness of cuisine – what’s the point of having things like Bread-Butter-Jam, Sandwiches, Pav-Bhaji and Chole Bhatura on the menu when there are so many good established places for these in Pune? Remember, it’s those matchless varieties of rotis, unique taste of vegetable and paneer dishes, the inimitable lip-smacking soothing chaas and most importantly the tasty wholesome Thalis which are going to attract foodies and save this restaurant from becoming one of those run of the mill eateries one sees proliferating all over Pune. And please make the food more affordable, especially the thalis and have some variety too – a common man’s thali should not be more than fifty rupees.

If you happen to be in the heart of Pune City, do have a hearty meal at Bhagat Tarachand, and tell us if you liked it. We’re sure going to visit the place again – and this time we are going to focus on the variety of rotis, the rich paneer and mouth-watering vegetable gravies.

And if you want to read about my delightful experience at Mumbai’s Bhagat Tarachand just click on the links below:

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/12/food-travels-in-mumbai-a-veg-foodie-day.htm

http://foodiekarve.sulekha.com/blog/post/2006/10/the-best-value-for-money-vegetarian-food-in-mumbai.htm

Happy Eating!

VIKRAM KARVE

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