A hit with the young and old alike, these places have carved a niche for themselves in the sphere of state cuisine
A hit with the young and old alike, these places have carved a niche for themselves in the sphere of state cuisine
Servingu00a0food is no less than a religion for them. They have made their presence felt through their lip-smacking dishes and delectable deserts and intend to continue with the tradition in the years to come. MiD DAY brings you a community of eateries who serve authentic Maharashtrian food dished out in home-cooked style. 
Gustatory pleasures: Maharashtrian food that is available at Poona
Boarding. Pic/ Vivek Sabnis
When one goes past Asha dining hall, it's hard to resist the whiff of Sitaful Rabri emanating from their kitchen. Located in the conspicuous area of Apte Road, the dining hall was established way back in August 1949 by Ramrao Kini. Now his generation is carrying forward the legacy. Their speciality is, of course, the Maharashtrian thali which comes with chapati, rice, three vegetables, amti, rasam, dahi, papad, koshimbir, chutney, and all this for just Rs 80.
The hall is a hit with Maharashtrians but what is surprising is non-Maharashtrians too flock in large numbers to satiate their palate. Arun Kini, owner of the hall, said: "Many foreigners including, Italians and Europeans come here and they like the food because it is not spicy and less oily too, most importantly, it gives a homely feeling."u00a0u00a0
Madhukar Bhatawadekar (78), a regular for the last 30 years, says, "I can have both my lunch and dinner at this place and not feel heavy, as the food is light yet filling at the same time." Another place that can not be missed on any mention of authentic Maharshtrian food, is the New Poona Boarding House.
It has made a name for itself for its delicious thali cooked in pure Maharashtrian style. Started in November 1925, the place is swarming with students as well as office-goers. Says Suhas Udpikar, owner of the mess: "This place is a boon for bachelors and office goers and our food can be had 365 days and never has anyone complained on the quality."
Every year when the Sawai Gandharva is held at Ramanbaugh school, many people come here to beat their hunger pangs, because of the proximity. "Not only Americans but Japanese too like the food and they make it a point to appreciate it before leaving."u00a0
Their regular Maharashtrian thali is served on all days with Thursdays and Sundays being the special ones wherein they serve aluchi bhaji and moong dal khichdi with kadhi. The regular thali is priced at Rs 60 and the special ones come at Rs 80 only.u00a0u00a0
Udpikar has also provided the Maharashtrian food to Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai during the shooting of Khaki at Khatav Bungalaw at Lulla Nagar 4 years back. "They all loved our 'Birdyachi Usal' the most," Udpikar pointed out.
The nearby Badhshahi Boarding is another place where many big people had dines in the past. "This place is most popular especially for the students from other states and they prefer this 'homely food'. This boarding had developed a taste in them for the best Maharashtrian and typical Puneri food," said Pradeep Nibandhe, who had worked in the boarding as a cashier. "Many North Indians like puran poli," he added. So, all those homesick students and office-goers, go ahead and dig in. Bon Appetite!
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