Journalism of Courage
Restaurants across the city have started serving breakfast. Here is our pick of the five best places to have your first meal of the day
The etymology of the word is so simple,its almost boring. Breakfast,which comes from the words break and fast,refers to the meal with which we break our daily self-enforced fast starting from the last meal of the night to the wee hours of the morning,when we wake up. Everybody,from doctors to soothsayers,from poets to philosophers,stresses upon the importance of having a good and hearty meal in the morning. But then again,the breakfast has traditionally been a meal had at home,as opposed to lunch and dinner. Until now. The influx of thousands and thousands of students and young professionals in the city has resulted in breakfast being served in restaurants as well. Heres a look at five such eateries that have started this trend.
Grubshup,Law College Road
A favourite with college students,this cafe has quickly become popular with an older,working generation. Always packed,the sandwiches here are legendary. A saying is that you havent been to college in Pune if you havent had breakfast at this cafe. It started off with an idea. This area has always had lots of students,thanks to the large number of colleges nearby. So I thought,why not open a cafe where these kids can have a wholesome meal,be it breakfast,lunch or dinner. Of course,it really is the sandwiches and the omelettes that have hit it off with the kids, says Urmila Parajape,owner of the joint. An enormous advantage with the place is also the ample parking nearby,a godsend in these times of cramped areas.
Yolkshire,Kothrud
They say everything started with an egg. Well,Vinod Shastri,the owner of this restaurant certainly thinks so. The concept of an egg-speciality joint had been on my mind for a while. Usually,the only places that serve eggs are dodgy roadside stalls,that open up in the evenings and arent exactly the kind of places that women can visit. The result was Yolkshire, he says. Boasting of a whole menu of egg-related dishes,the breakfast speciality here is mouth-watering: the Spaniard Omelette,which consists of four eggs,fried onions and potatoes and served with baked beans on toast.
Simply Idlicious,Aundh
Idlis and dosas are a favourite among breakfast dishes,but to make them at home is a difficult job. Even those who have mastered the art find it a torturous effort. This probably explains the crowd that throngs this eating joint at the early hours of the morning. Idlis,dosas,vadas and pongal what is there not to like, says Michael Pokish from the restaurant. Weekends are especially crowded,since those are the days when people have the time to leisurely walk down for breakfast. And of course,this joint also serves a mean filter coffee,which is guaranteed to make your day start with a bang.
Terttulia,Koregaon Park
A stark idyllic reminder of what the ambiance at the street cafés of Spain might be like,Terttulia gives off a ‘where time stands still’ vibe. While the settings make a hungry early morning breakfast-hunter feel comfortable,the breakfast menu is wide and varied. Owner Imrun Sethi says,Right from the various types of coffees and teas,to the bagels and the doughnuts – they are all there. Fluffy Omlettes topped with side dishes of fried bacon strips,toast or even the stuffed Omlettes are a huge hit with the customers. For the ones who wish to indulge in healthy eating there are the porridges and even fresh fruits that make for a wholesome breakfast. More importantly,there is no rush here. One can just come here to have his or her breakfast at leisure,forgetting about the madness of the outside world.
Cafe Good Luck,F C Road
Established in 1935,this Iranian restaurant makes for an interesting slice of history. The Bun Maska,and the Bun Maska Jam along with chai have since then been able to melt the hardest of critics into submission. This is not a place where the world stops: it is a classic reminder of the office goers early morning diner,where a simple breakfast coupled with coffee gives them the strength to pull on through the day. From the likes of Dev Anand to Subhash Ghai,the restaurant holds a special place in their hearts for all of them. Subhash Ghai has showered praises on the restaurant in one of his interviews,saying,The Cheese Omelette Bun and chai was what we survived on when we were students. And I am glad that the same tradition continues.
