July, 2009

Rating: 8 out of 10

The Tariff: lunch for7

• Rs. 85 each for basic thali
• extra for desserts
• plus tip
• Probably still under $20

Atmosphere & Location

On the ground floor of a large Pune hotel, Hotel Shreyas, is a well known local restaurant serving traditional vegetarian Maharashtrian Thali meals. There is a small waiting lounge area for this very busy restaurant, and then long communal seating tables in one large room. The appearance of the dining area is not fancy, reminiscent of a banquet hall, but it is clean and somewhat modern.

Service and Food

Once guests are seated, service begins.  First drink orders, diners often drink spiced buttermilk. Next, the large stainless steel tray that will be your 'plate' and small stainless steel bowls called vatis of side dishes, and condiments like salt, lime, chutney, achar (pickle), raita, and koshimbirs salad. Some of the types of dishes served are dals like varan or amti dal, a 'dry' vegetable such as potato subzi, and a vegetable curry, all mild. There are also breads or other starchy preparations: chapati, puri, papadum, surali wada, plain rice, masala bhat, as well as bhuji (fritters). Each of these items are all you can eat and the various servers bring them around replenishing the supply of anything requested. I am far from an expert on this style of dining, although I am a fan who is quite impressed by it.  Thus, forgive me if I have incorrectly identified or spelled or described any of the dishes.  Additionally, those who are experts know that even the arrangement of the items on the tray is significant!

For desserts there are a variety, with only several types being available at a time.  Gulabjam are tasty, soft and sweet, like a dumpling soaked in syrup. Ukadiche Modak, a specialty dessert,  are little dumplings filled with granulated brown sugar and coconut and then drizzled with warm ghee is .

Shreyas
1242 B, Apte Road
Deccan Gymkhana
Pune 411 004