QORA: Cocktail Bar & Kitchen, Koregaon Park, Pune

Restaurant Name: QORA: Cocktail Bar & Kitchen, Koregaon Park, Pune
Phone: +919579224420, +919699378605
Address: Shop 1 & 2, Marvel Alaina, Lane no. 5, Suyojana Society, Koregaon Park, Pune, Maharashtra 411014 India
Time: 12:00 Noon – 01:00 AM
Meals for two: Rs. 2,200
Cuisines: Modern Indian, Asian, Salad, Desserts
Facilities: Home Delivery, Full Bar Available, Nightlife, Indoor Seating, Smoking Area, Desserts and Bakes, Live Sports Screening, Outdoor Seating, Serves Cocktails

QORA: Cocktail Bar & Kitchen, Koregaon Park, Pune

Pune and Koregaon Park, in particular, are home to some great resto-bars. Qora is the latest addition to that list. Qora is a cocktail-forward bar and restaurant located in Koregaon Park. At the helm are restauranteurs Aman Talreja and Siddharth Katyal and their team of chefs and mixologists.

QORA: Cocktail Bar & Kitchen, Koregaon Park, Pune – Decor

Located in Koregaon Park, it has an al-fresco area as you enter, which is currently covered for the monsoon currently. There is an indoor section along with a private dining area for parties and gatherings. The decor is chic and contemporary. The muted and earthy colour theme uses hints of copper, terracotta, rust, and beige throughout the space. The seating is a combination of high chairs, comfortable couches and patio chairs. Keeping up with the theme, there are stone accent walls and the space is surrounded by greens.

Food:

The impressive cocktail menu has a selection of signature, classic and reinvented classic cocktails that use fresh ingredients and innovative concepts. All the cocktails we tried were excellent and each had a distinct character. Our top picks were Nectar (Vodka, raw mango, coconut water, honey and citrus), Elixir (Gin, coconut water, lemongrass, vanilla and tonic) and Halo (Absolut, yuzu, galangal, caramel). Our drinks were accompanied by son-in-law eggs, a take on devilled eggs and ema datshi with naanchos, crispy naan chips topped with Bhutanese spicy cheese dip. The elaborate small plates section has a lot of great options to pick from. We started with chicken ghee roast golgappa. The crunchy puris were filled with a fragrant chicken ghee roast. We also tried the mushroom version which was equally good. The khada masala chicken kebab was tender, succulent and very tasty. Next, we got the butter chicken tartlets. The Sikkimese chilli pork was served on a bed of congee. The sauce, meat and congee combination worked really well, but the pork was cooked unevenly. The mustard coconut prawns were marinated and cooked with kasundi, fried coconut bits and a dash of makrut or kaffir lime. The Asian green and shitake dumplings came next. They were crafted beautifully and delicious. The big plates are mostly meal combos with dishes from across the country along with pan-Asian dishes. We got the unique raw banana kofta which had crisp raw banana koftas in a green mango curry served with steamed rice. This one was definitely a surprise package. The mango curry was tangy, spicy and slightly sweet which was perfect with the rice. We also tried my personal favourite orange chicken served with garlic rice. The familiar, classic flavours of the orange chicken were spot-on. There are some great dessert options. The chocolate mud cake served with a caramel sauce was excellent. But the best of the lot was the baked rasgulla topped with rabri and served in a pool of jaggery chantilly.

Plus & Minus:

Qora is emerging as one of the most popular hangout places in the area. The cocktail forward bar menu impresses. So does the food. The modern take on classic Indian dishes works because it is not overdone. The staff is friendly and courteous and the service is prompt.