Shakahari – JW Marriott, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune Rajasthani Restaurant

Phone: +91 7767803447 / +91 7038257357
Address: Senapati Bapat Road, Shivajinagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411053
Time: 7 – 11:30 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 2,400
Cuisines: Rajasthani, Gujarati
Facilities: Vegetarian Only, Wine and Beer, Luxury Dining, Serves Jain Food, 4/5 Star, Kid Friendly, Variable Menu

Shakahari at the JW Marriott recently retraced its roots by going from a restaurant serving world pan-Asian cuisine to one specializing in unlimited thalis.

Shakahari – JW Marriott, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune Rajasthani Restaurant: DECOR

Silver platters with katoris adorn each table. Servers brandishing serving buckets move briskly to furbish each plate with a choice of dishes. The softly-lit, auburn space devoid of any clutter is definitely one of the most sophisticated restaurants, in terms of decor and ambience, for treating yourself or your guests to an Indian thali.

Shakahari – JW Marriott, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune Rajasthani Restaurant: FOOD

A platter of papad with chutneys and achaar is brought to the table as you wait for the service. Rajasthani is the primary cuisine here, and every other month, they introduce a new cuisine that works in tandem with the Rajasthani food.This time around, it’s Gujarati. The dinner service starts off with cold and hot appetizers. Of the cold salads, it’s the non regional corn salad peppered with masala and plump tomatoes that takes the limelight. The dahi wada and the dhokla sandwich aren’t bad. In a thali, some dishes outshine the others, and in this case, it’s the Daal Baati Churma. Swathedin-ghee baatis served with a panchmel dal (made with five different lentils) and the perfectly-sweetened churma, this one is definitely one of the best you’ll eat in the city. Of the Gujarati specialties, the Undhiyu doesn’t disappoint. Sour was the predominant taste at play with some dishes, be it the super tangy Gatte Ki Subzi or the Rassewala Parwal (where the parwal cooked to perfection was marred by the sour base). While the ajwain and masala puris served as accompaniments were good, wish they were brought to the plate hot. Of the mains, the Moongdaal Khichadi is comforting. If you suffer from a sweet tooth, their room dedicated to desserts, specifically Indian mithais, will definitely be a highlight of the meal for you.

Shakahari – JW Marriott, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune Rajasthani Restaurant: PLUS AND MINUS

The service is good; the servers will goad you very subtly for second helpings and are conscientious to not overbear you with their enthusiasm to lade your plate with more food. For Rs. 1,400 a thali, the one served at Shakahari is underwhelming except for a few standout dishes and their dessert room.