Kebabs have become a rage these days in Pune. Past few months have seen a lot of them opening around the city. With Bighdey Nawab in Viman Nagar, Oudhiana in Model Colony and Sixth Floor on FC Road, which are a few favorites, comes Le Kebabiere at Stone Water Grill in Koregaon Park.
Though Le Kebabiere isn’t for the pocket friendly as it falls under the fine dining category, the place is definitely recommended. But beware; if you’re the one who likes the kebabs and biryanis at dhabas and from the street, this probably might not the place for you as Shailendra’s, the executive chef, signature style always tilts to a lighter palette.
With the right amount of spices and oils, a great taste is lent to the dishes, allowing you to savor the food and yet not sweat it out. Noteworthy were Ajwaini Jheenga (Prawn), Murgh Malai Kebab and Mushroom Galouti (yes, a vegetarian galaouti). On the vegetarian category, Dahi ke Kebabs have always been a favorite. And unlike the ones at Bigdhey Nawab, they are not crusty on the outside making them melt in your mouth the moment they touch the taste buds.
A long search comes to an end with the Kakori Kebab, not for the kebab itself but for the sheermal on which it is served. Sheermal is a sweet red-crusted bread consumed in Northern India along with Mughlai gravy preparations.
Dum ka Murgh
Though the curry tasted heavenly, the Lagan ki Boti and Dum ka Murg disappointed us, as we had to struggle with the meat portions. On enquiry, we were told that the missing tenderness was due to quality of the supplied meat. Sad.
But the Jheenga Kaffir, sautéed with garlic, lemongrass and fresh kaffir lime leaf was brilliant. The prawns were cooked well and the tangy tomato sauce in which they were prepared left a nice after taste. The Dal Makhani, a benchmark test of the chef, was well done. Shailendara piped “In our kitchen, we put the Dal Makhani on a low flame and forget about it for the next couple of hours lending its thick texture.”
Dal Makhani
Luckily the meat in the Hyderabadi Murgh Biryani was tender as expected. As mentioned earlier, the biryani wasn’t the way you’d get anywhere else and was light on the taste buds.
One thing I had learnt at Stone Water Grill a year ago was, never to consume water when you’re eating at such places. Since the food has very light spices and other flavoring, the water neutralizes the palette easily. Always order an alternate drink while eating.
Mille Feuille of Malpua
The Anarkali, or the custom version of the cranberry juice, went well with the food. Le Kebabiere has a wide selection of premium wines, both Indian and international. From the well-known varieties—Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, they also stock lesser known ones like Vernaccia, Trebbiano and Gamay. The servers are knowledgeable enough to suggest appropriate wine pairings with the food.
Badaam Kheer and Malpua are good choices to end your lunch or dinner. The silver foil screen on the kheer was a nice touch.
