Deewan Khana, Balewadi, Pune – Review
All regional Maharashtrian cuisines covered under one roof is Deewan Khana. It brings together food from the Khandesh, Marathwada, Kokan, Vidarbha and some recipes from Mumbai too.
The Ambience
Deewan khana is Persian for a place for the royal guests tomeet, spend time together, talk and dine.
Royalty is exactly what this place depicts. The moment you enter to the building, then the restaurant and when you are seated, you are treated to royalty. Rustic but royal. The ambience of this place is created with a lot of delicate detail. From a door which is 100+ years old to the flooring which has been custom made for specific carvings.
I can see a lot of research gone in to the making of this place. The owner, has taken a lot of efforts to get things just right.
The Location
Located at the end of Balewadi high street, this place is exactly something that I was looking out for, in terms of the variety of food. The entrance is large and the seats spacious and air conditioning powerful. I, repeat myself, it is a place designed for royalty.
The variety in the Menu
Coming to the menu, they have dishes you will find rarely in a restaurant. For example, I do not find maswadi or a surali wadi in a restaurant of this nature.
The nonveg fare has even better variety, mutton chops hirwa fry or a kaleji fry. How often do you get a kalelji fry in such a restaurant? Kaleji fry is what I have always got on the streets or then in some fine dine places and an exorbitant pricing. Then which restaurant would dare to sell chicken cooked in tender coconut (shahalytali kombdi). How often do you see Pathare prabhu kombdi masala on a menu or Sangameshwari kombdi. Conclusion, the menu does look very genuine and sure the restaurant does justice to the regional masalas used in each of the cuisines mentioned.
The starters I ordered
Chops are one of my favourite parts of mutton and I like to tell the chef, how I would like the meat on the bone. I had ordered a Mutton chops hirwa fry, true to the name was filled with greens and spices. A coating of palak and methi and a good amount of black pepper gave a distinct flavour to this starter. The chops were perfectly cooked, and I was able to break them off the bone very easily. The chops were also cut well as there was enough meat on each of the chop.
Based on the recommendation of the owner also tried the DK’s Special Chicken. This was boneless chicken cooked in tandoor but with a lot of tanginess. Although, subdued the spices also showed their way to the taste buds. Making it a good sour and spicy starter.
Finally, the Mutton Thali
I had heard the name of this place in relation to their mutton thali but was amazed to see the amount of variety that has been added. As usual being a big fan of the Mutton thali, I ordered the large thali. I am a poor eater so asked them to keep the portions less so that food is not wasted in my plate. The regular question while ordering a thali is whether I wanted Chapatti or bhakri. And if bhakri, what type of bhakri? Now, the look and feel of the restaurant, does not make you believe that this question was asked. So, it is a genuinely Marathi place, is what I can gather.
In came the thali, quickly enough, with my choice of jowar bhakri and hirwe bhaath. There was a mutton gravy which I am told was made in home made masalas. Then there was the lalsukke mutton, basically mutton fried in kolhapuri masala. Accompanied by Mutton kheema, pandhra rassa, tambda rassa, dahikandha, mutton lonche and solkadhi.
A very good spread, indeed!!!
To start with the solkadhi was just about ok.
The curry was made using home-made masalas and the warmth of the gravy was only for the tongue to feel. There was a higher black pepper feeling left on the tongue. The mutton cooked perfectly, just about falling of the bone. The highlight of the thali was the well-cooked meat, very tender and perfectly spiced. For a change the tambda rassa was not a lift off from the gravy but it was prepared separately with different masalas. Again, a welcome change from the regular restaurants serving mutton thalis.
The pandra rassa or mutton alani soup was thicker than what is served in other places. Its basically mutton stock served with some spices and a little bit of flour mixed to give some thickness to it. I thought here they had over done that part a bit. Although, the taste of the pandra rassa was good.
The kheema was good but as I said the mutton gravy and the sukke mutton were highlights.
The last part of the thali was the lonche or the mutton pickle and believe me I am becoming a big fan of the pickles now. In the last few weeks I have had excellent prawn pickle and mutton pickles. Want to learn the art of cooking non-vegetarian pickle.
The hirwa bhaath or the rice cooked in different greens, some khada masala and topped with fried onions is a good way to end the largish thali you are served.
The dessert served with the thali was chikki ice-cream. Pieces of Nagpur peanut chikki, dropped on vanilla ice cream. Nice combo.
Overall, again, I am not doing justice to the review of this restaurant as I have not tasted the variety that they have on the menu. So, I will keep my comment open ended still on this.
But it is a place worth more than multiple visits, for the genuine love of Maharashtrian food and for the sheer variety and the warmth that this place serves it with. Family friendly place with a lot of space. They also, plan to start live Marathi folk music to add to the royalty of the place. Highly recommended for Maharashtrian food lovers like me.
A little feedback though would be to ensure food reaches the table piping hot, the air conditioners somehow get the food cold sooner than expected.
A mention, of the owner Shivraj Kale, who has done well to get the concept out, which has also made his restaurant win a regional cuisine restaurant award in Delhi.
