Pune Food Spot

After it’s comeback some three years ago , Mocha has emerged to be one of the most popular hangouts in koregoan park with an ensemble of dishes from various cuisines and a lovely cozy ambience . Situated at the ground floor of a small complex in lane no .7 , Mocha has been delighting the customers with superb food options and probably one of the best dessert menu in the city .

Mocha Salad Bowl : For the calorie conscious salad loving people who are tired of Caesar’s Salad , Mocha Salad Bowl is a good option . It comes with lettuce , orange , mushrooms , carrot , wheat flakes corn with low calorie dressing.

The menu seems to have evolved over time and has undergone some changes in the last few years , but the latest one is perfect to suit the young crowd . The menu includes appetizers , soups , sides , sharing platters , all day breakfast items, burgers , momos , pizzas , Panini , sizzlers , pastas , desserts , smoothies , coolers , shakes and an interesting section called back2canteen invoking memories of our favorite food during college days .  While one or two visits are definitely not enough to relish the varied spread of dishes across Indian, Chinese and European cuisines served here, some of the dishes which we found interesting are as follows

Tempura Vegetables : For those who are vegetarians this is an interesting start with fried vegetables tossed in schezwan sauce . For non vegeterians  mocha fried chicken marinated with peri peri or malabari chicken lollipop which is tempered with curry leaves and kerala masala as well as bhatti ka murg , butter garlic prawns , Lebanese kebab are good options.

Pink Lemonade is a perfect cooler to accompany your food with a cranberry twist.

For the mains this place offers numerous options . Some of the interesting ones worth trying are Paneer Tikka Masala Roll , Burmese Khowsuey , Triple Schezwan Rice , sizzlers or one can opt for different options in the back2canteen section. Kheema pao is worth a try.

Desserts: Mocha offers one of the best desserts and so you need to keep some space in your stomach. Whether it is chocolate fondue or avalanche , kit kat or oreo cookie and fudge brownie shake , mocha dishes out some amazing desserts, shakes and coolers. But the star at the end of the meal has to be molten chocolate ball which is decadent chocolate sphere being poured over by hot chocolate and cracks to open up a hidden vanilla scoop. The process of seeing this happen is enjoyable makes the dish more tempting .

The ambience is cozy and pleasant with refreshing hues. One needs to climb down couple of steps to get to the door. The seating has two sections inside with comfortable chairs and sofas and outside with simple chairs and bamboo swings. This place is worth a number of visits and still it will have something new to offer you . Hope post lock down Mocha magic continues!

The current times have become tough for everybody , especially the foodies who are just waiting for things to restart again .  A huge majority of restaurants and food outlets are providing deliveries , but nothing like going to there and enjoying the ambience and food . It is just a matter of few days before eventually everything gets going again .  So don’t lose heart ! Here’s a wish list of a few popular dishes to look forward to and visit! 

1.        Filter coffee: While everyone is busy making Dalgona coffee, a good majority of Punekars miss starting their day with a steaming cup of hot frothy filter coffee especially the one at Pune’s favourite restaurants Vaishali and Rupali. These places have become a popular hangout for people to start their day refreshingly before office hours. People from Deccan and Shivaji Nagar area are sure to frequent these places in groups again when the lockdown period is over.

2.        Bread omelette, and bun maska: It is said that  ‘a hearty breakfast leads to a good day’. Who better to prove this true than Punekars. The city’s two most famous and oldest breakfast places: Vohuman cafe and Good luck café are sure to get a huge  response on reopening. People usually line up to have the famous bun maska and chaai, and bread omelette to begin their day with a culinary bang.

3.        VadaPaav: Be it summer or winter, vadapaav is the easiest and the most popular choice of satiating that need for spice. The city has several famous VadaPaav outlets dating back more than two decades like Garden , Joshi Vadewaale , Rohit Vadevale and many more . No matter how diverse the street food game goes, one thing is guaranteed – there’s the compromise with the popularity of vadapaav.

4.        Misal: A plate of lip-smacking delicious misal has been the most favoured Sunday breakfast/ brunch option for Punekars. Be it from a small tapri or big brands like Bedekar , Katakirr’s, Thorat and others . New variations like cheese misal, barbeque misal have seen immense popularity over the last few months and it will continue to grow. 

5.        Pavbhaji:  Nothing beats a good plate of pavbhaji on hectic work nights. It is finger licking good when it is served with a generous dollop of butter and crispy golden paav. It’s only normal to miss your favourite pavbhaji joints during this lockdown period. But don’t worry !  Supreme Corner at JM road, Kirti on F.C Road , Relax at Sarang , Rajee’s , Anand Juice Bar and many more are all amazing places to have a sumptuous pavbhaji meal.

6.        SPDP: During these uneventful evenings at home, the mind often wanders to the  spicy, sweet and tangy taste of the famous ShevPuriDahiPuri from Vaishali and Ganesh Bhel. Puri stuffed with potatoes, chopped onions, curd, sev, chutneys and spices, is a mouthwatering dish, even in thoughts. They say, Pune mein SPDP nahikhayatohkyakhaya? So this dish is a must-try to spice up your palate after a long period of eating at home.

7.        Momos: Street food culture in Pune has evolved much in the last few years and has been enriched with many foods from all across the country . Momos has gained unparallel popularity in recent times .  After the lockdown, once the streets are filled with the lively bustle of evening shoppers, street vendors selling momos will be a hotspot for people to satisfy their momo craving. Let’s not forget the insane demand for extra sauce! In addition to steamed momos (chicken and veg), tandoori momos and Malaysian momos have also become a favourite.

8.        Amba barfi: The mango season is here and once the lockdown gets over, all of Pune’s favourite and trusted sweet shops like Chitale Bandu , Ghodke sweets , Kaka Halwai  are going to be filled to the brim with variations of mango sweets, like ambapedha, amba barfi, ambakalakand. Amongst these amba barfi is the most loved sweet for the season. The taste of amba barfi is like summer in a box, which you can enjoy as soon as the lockdown is over.

9.        Kulfi and ice cream: Kulfi, ice cream and summer go hand in hand, and Pune has no dearth of famous and delectable cold dessert places. So to beat the heat with a cold bite after the lockdown, JM road’s Mohan Ice cream parlour is the perfect place. They offer the best MalaiKulfi, GulkandKulfi, Stick Kulfi, PistaKulfi, Anjeer Ice Cream and Chocolate Ice cream. 

10.     Mastani:  Over thelast few years, there has been a boost in mastani outlets in the city. But in these ever changing time, Sujata Mastani has stood the test of time with people happily reminiscing the taste years later, especially their ‘Mango Mastani’.  With an all-natural milk base into which goes cream, natural fruit pulps, fruits or fruit extracts and ice cream, each scoop then guarantees a hint of nostalgia. Kavre Cold Drinks also remains one of the all time favourites .

So until the lockdown period ends, keep drooling over your phone and list out all your cravings. Then you can head to all of these super awesome cafes and enjoy the lovely food they serve as soon as you’re set free. Until then stay safe to stay healthy!