Sep 13, 2012 08:10 PM
4650 Views
(Updated Sep 13, 2012 08:09 PM)
Decent food in good ambiance.
Last evening my family wanted to take me out to Dinner to celebrate my birthday. They asked me where I wanted to go. Unhesitatingly, I said: “Let’s go to Sadanand”. Sadanand is near my house in Wakad (I can almost see it from my balcony). It is a value-for-money restaurant which suits my budget and the food and ambiance are good for a family to eat together. And most importantly, to the best of my knowledge, it is the only eatery in Pune which serves my favorite Mutton Dish – DABBA GOSHT.
So we all went out for dinner to Sadanand which lived up to our expectations and we thoroughly enjoyed the eating experience.
Sadanand Resort is one the oldest restaurants in the Baner – Balewadi – Wakad area of Pune. I remember eating in Sadanand, way back in the 1980s, when the Dehu – Katraj bypass connecting the Mumbai – Pune Road to Pune - Satara Road was built (the Express Way was built much later and completed in 2002 or 2003, I think). After a rigorous drive from Pune on the old Bombay – Poona Road (as it was then called), negotiating the treacherous hai-pin bends in the ghat section, we stopped over at Sadanand for a hearty lunch, before proceeding to our home in the city. (Those days, the drive from Mumbai to Pune took at least 5 hours, or sometimes 6 hours, so if you started from Mumbai in the morning, by the time you reached Sadanand, you were hungry and it was time for lunch). When I lived in Mumbai I developed a fascination for Dabba Gosht
(Click the link at the end of this blog post for the recipe of Dabba Gosht)
The first time we decided to eat at Sadanand, I was pleasantly surprised to find Dabba Gosht on the menu. I had not seen this dish featured on the menu of any restaurant in Pune and that is why whenever I yearned for Dabba Gosht I headed for Sadanand.
The best thing I like about Sadanand is the ambiance. It is a well-designed restaurant. The main dining hall is circular in shape and is airy, roomy and spacious with a high ceiling, and is brightly lit and not dark, claustrophobic, drab and dreary like many Pune eateries. The moment you enter you get bright positive vibes and you can look forward to an enjoyable meal over delightful conversation. We visited this place yesterday, on the 12th of September, to celebrate my birthday. The Mocktails are good, and there is a well-stocked bar too. Of the kababs we ordered as starters, the Chicken Malai Kababs were exquisite and the other kababs were appetizing too.
My regular order, Dabba Gosht, was okay – looks like the quality has gone down a bit – the gravy was yummy but the meat could have been more succulent like the dabba gosht you get at Noorani or Jaffer Bhai Delhi Darbar in Mumbai. The Dabba Gosht at Sadanand is good, but this inimitable dish is never as good as the ones you get in Mumbai, mainly because the quality of mutton in Pune is not as good as the mutton you get in Mumbai. Our random order, Murg Masalewala, was a real surprise – it was an excellent chicken curry, as were the vegetarian dishes – Methi Malai Mutter and Navrattan Korma. The fish over here is worth a try too.
For dessert, I always like the fruit salad with ice cream and the kulfi is very good too.
Sadanand is a decent affordable place for a family outing. It serves tasty value-for-money food and is not too expensive like the overpriced eateries in the Western Suburbs of Pune (thanks to the bulging pockets of the IT Nerds who dominate these localities).
If you live in the Western Part of Pune, around Wakad, Baner or Balewadi, or are driving down the bypass road, and are looking for a value-for-money fulfilling meal in bright and airy ambiance, then Sadanand is a good restaurant to visit. And don’t forget to try out their signature dish – the Dabba Gosht.
Happy Eating.
