ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Phone: 020 71967460
Address: Shop 21, Level 2, Pavillion Mall, Next to JW Marriott, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune, Maharashtra India
Time: 12 Noon to 4 PM, 7 PM to 11 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,000
Cuisines: North Indian, Rajasthani, Gujarati
Facilities: –
Maharaja Bhog, a Mumbai born premium Rajasthani Thali brand, has opened its door in Pune at the Pavilion Mall. The thali experience at the restaurant is not just about serving sumptuous Rajasthani food, but also the warm hospitality which Rajasthan is known for.
Maharaja Bhog, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune: Decor
The restaurant has two sections of which the outdoor section opens to the mall’s corridor and has traditional decor.
Here they also have tables which serve one large shared thali for four. The indoor section has a grand and royal look which makes the overall vibe quite welcoming.
Maharaja Bhog, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune: Food
Once seated, we were welcomed with a Kesar Chandan sherbet which was unique and refreshing. After the drink, different servers started filling the thali. We started with the farsan items which included the daal bati churma, bharwa palak roll and ring dhokla mariwala. The bati (wheat flour ball) was crunchy and went well with the daal (lentils) perfectly. The server doused this with spoonfuls of ghee which elevated the taste. The dhokla mariwala was lightly peppered, soft, and spongy, served with coconut chutney. Among the sabzis our favorites were the shahi gatta, a thick and creamy curry with soft, well cooked gattas (balls made from besan) and the tindola chips, crunchy fried tindola tempered with mustard seeds, hing and other spices. The daal and the kadhi served had two versions each – Rajasthani and Gujrati. The Rajasthani version of dal and kadhi were spicy and delicious and the Gujarati ones were flavorful with a sweet tinge. All three rotis – pulkhas served with ghee, satpadi roti (traditional Gujarati roti made with seven grains and spices) and bajra roti served with gud (jaggery) and makkhan (white butter) complemented the curries, dal and kadhi.
After the elaborate spread we didn’t think we were going to finish the sweets, but the dry fruit basundi had us asking for second and third helpings. The basundi had the perfect amount of sweetness and the roasted almonds added a balancing crunch. The rose halwa, a khoya based halwa was cooked well in ghee and had a distinct rose flavor.
Maharaja Bhog, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune: Plus & Minus
Maharaja Bhog is not just a thali, but an experience with some authentic food and warm hospitality to match. The restaurant claims to serve a different menu for each day of the month. Probably in the bargain, paneer makkhan masala was served which seemed a departure from the other Rajasthani or Gujarati items. We just hope that this does not happen too often.
