ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Phone: +91 7758849997, +91 9765509066
Address: Shop 4, Sai Empire, Baner Main Road, Baner, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Time: 11 AM – 12:30 AM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,500
Cuisines: North Indian, Chinese, Continental
Facilities: Home Delivery, Serves Non Veg, Full Bar Available, Live Music, Outdoor Seating, Indoor Seating, Table booking recommended, Wifi
Poona Republic, Baner, Pune: Decor
At Poona Republic, a lot effort has gone into creating a unique space that enhances the dining experience. The decor does not adhere to any specific theme and that is what works here. Each section is different and beautifully decorated. There is an outdoor section which has a mix of metal, patio and wooden furniture along with a wall dedicated to a vertical garden. This section is perfect for brunch with friends, family or even a romantic date. The indoor and the mezzanine sections too have an eclectic mix of seating options right from sofas and wooden high-back chairs to the contemporary hanging bubble chairs. There is an open bar with cabinets decorated with liquor bottles and a LED screen for live match screenings.
Poona Republic, Baner, Pune: Food
The menu features mostly Indian, Pan-Asian and some continental dishes. We started with the succulent chooza tikka which was tender and much softer than the regular chicken tikka. We also ordered for the scrumptious jalapeno poppers which were crunchy, cheesy and rightly spicy. On the insistence of a vegetarian fellow diner, I reluctantly ordered the tandoori khumb (mushroom). The lightly spiced stuffed mushrooms were grilled to perfection. We simply could not get enough and ended up ordering three portions in total. The khumb turned out to be the highlight of our meal at Poona Republic. Like the khumb, we repeatedly ordered the crisp and delicious karari roti which made for perfect ‘chakna’ for the drinks.
After the winning Indian starters, we decided to stick to Indian for main course as well. Our server recommended the railway mutton curry which is an anglicized milder version of the generally fiery mutton curry, cooked during the British Raj. The curry was fragrant and rightly spiced and the mutton was cooked well. We accompanied the curry with garlic naan. We absolutely couldn’t resist the chicken makhanwala which was the perfect combination of a creamy rich curry, perfectly grilled chicken and the aroma of spices and charcoal. Instead of naan, we had this with soft roomali rotis. For vegetarians, we ordered for the delicious kadhai paneer and the hearty and creamy dal makhani. Both these dishes were delicious and highly recommended.
Like the Indian fare, we were impressed by the Pan-Asian dishes from the menu. The kung pao potatoes was an absolute favorite across the table. We paired the aromatic chilly basil prawns with the burnt garlic fried rice and the result was all sorts of delicious.
We felt the dessert menu has limited options. Our top picks from the lot were the always dependable hazelnut chocolate mousse and the sinful kala jamun rabri.
Poona Republic, Baner, Pune: Plus & Minus
Poona Republic checks all the boxes in terms of taste, hospitality and decor and has been a crowd favorite since its inception. Even though the food is delicious, the menu offers a limited range of dishes. Keeping in tune with the decor and ambience, we would love to see the addition of some global and innovative dishes and a variety of cuisines on the menu.
