Food ‘n’ fun

Located at the edge of the city,Chandni Chowk,offering a great view of the city,has blown a new life into the dying breed of picnickers. Another reason why people visit this area is the large number of attractions nearby,like the Mulshi dam and the Panshet dam. Over the last five years,sprawling garden and terrace restaurants have cropped up in the area. While the Garden Court and Ambrosia are old timers here,the new crop includes Up & Above,Banjara’s Hill Resort,Nebula and others.

Rupesh Shetty,of Banjara’s Hill Resort,says,“Sometimes,people visiting the dams halt at our restaurant for a break and then carry on with their journey. On weekends,the restaurants are almost always overcrowded.” The favourite picnic spot is the Mulshi Lake. Formed in the catchment area of the Mulshi Dam,the lake,with its scenic surrounding and unexploited hilly terrain,is a perfect spot for a weekend outing. It is about 35 kms from Pune and one has to take the road leading to Pirangut from Chandni Chowk. This is the reason why more and more restaurants are coming up here.

Crowds pour in through the day; they either spread out on the green spots around and munch on homemade goodies,or on their way back from picnic spots, spend their evenings relaxing at the restaurants here. Evenings are particularly beautiful here,and the twilight hours have both couples and large groups driving in. Shivank Chahal,a regular visitor,says,“My weekends are almost always spent here. This area is like a one stop shop for a good time. My friends and I first chill at Apache,near the Chandni Chowk junction,and then head to a neighbouring restaurant for a good dinner.” When they’re done enjoying the beauty of nature – the soothing greenery and the soft,cool breeze,they head to Zaha,situated close to Chandni Chowk. “This night club is a perfect end to a weekend picnic. The DJ plays great music,and the interiors,with its funky colours that keep changing,make for a good time,” he adds.

Trikaya is fine dining restaurant in the area that has really picked up. Manager Ganesh Khanna says,“We entertain a huge crowd even on weekdays. The advantage that this area has over others is the lovely weather. It’s always pleasant here,which is a major attraction for families as well as youngsters. Plus,there are a lot of IT professionals living in the area,and they like having a good time after work,so the restaurants here largely cater to them.”

People from all over the city drive down here to have a good weekend. Sharada Singh,a mass media student,says,“I live at Dhole Patil Road but I still come here so often. I’m a big fan of the delicious food at Garden Court,and I make sure to eat there at least once a week!” Naina Singh,a working professional,adds,“My friends and I come here just for coffee and a good conversation. The area is beautiful,and though so many new restaurants have been constructed,it still boasts of a lot of greenery. We don’t find that within city limits. Plus,Pune doesn’t really have any place to go to as it’s a small city. So the drive and the hours of chilling here are worth it.”

Naina has also picnicked by the Mulshi Lake. “My friends and I were actually going rafting,but that didn’t really work out. So instead,we carried sandwiches,juice,and packed some tikkas from one of the restaurants at Chandni Chowk,and then spent the day by the lake.”