Dear online friends, Hope you are ok with such addressing. Don’t you think we are online friends?? Yes, we know each other through mouthshut.com which has provided us platform for interaction ( pl. refer my review on General thought on mouthshut.com). Matter here I am handling is mouthwatering once again. Just visited ’’Rutugandh’’ from Manas group of hotels. It’s an Indian cultured hotel just behind Deccan Gym.bus stand, so easy to locate in Pune City. It’s centrally located with well furnished A/C rooms and suites also (you can visit https://hotelrutugandh.com or email at hotelrutugandh@vsnl.net for tarrifs and other arrangements). My brother offered a nice family lunch party and everybody who was visiting for the first time was excited about it. You must have seen advt.on cable- performed by Prashant Damle-famous marathi actor enjoying lunch there. Parking for cars, scooters has enough space which is on the opposite lane of Kohinoor Institute near Z pool. I feel that area of the road needs maintenance by Pune Municipal corporation. Then you see the entrance with four/five decorated steps with greenary.
Right from brass-carved entrance door you recognize the ambience and Rajasthani art which has become matter of attraction worldwide these days. It seems as if we are entering Rajsthani Maharaja’s palace with warm welcome of a person wearing rajasthani clothes with colourful pheta ( Like Puneri Pagadi). You must have seen colourful phetas and rajasthani clothes in Hindi film ’’Dil de chuke sanam’’ in song ’’A gori taro dhol baje, dhol baje, dhum.... ke dhum dhum baje dhol’’. So, you got it. Ambience, my goodness, verrry excellent!!! Rajasthani decoration all over the lunch hall. First floor is called ’’Chittor’’ (Rajasthani name of Chittorgarh) where we see decorative false windows with drawings, ceiling with decorative lamps, chairs, metal coloured wooden furniture which gives brass look. Then their pooja ghar with brass carved decoration with brass boundryline. My cousin is doing diploma in interior decoration so it was feast to her brain and eyes. For atleast 15 to 20 minutes we were observing all carving, painting, decoration at walls, ceiling, pooja ghar, windows, sofa borders, chairs etc. Wait, wait, I know we are not going to eat ambience. So may I tell you about food served?? At this Chittor hall we had Rajasthani thali which was bit sweet tasting than our usual habits. We had first jaljira in glass then in our thali there were 7/8 bowls containing two three veg., two dal curries, one for sweet angoori (rasmalai type), small phulke (rotis), bhaji, potato-wadas, kadhi (made of buttermilk), dahi-wadas, fried puris, fried gawar (new item for me) sweet puris (don’t remember the name which was rajasthani item), buttermilk and then white rice with kaju with ghee as per liking. Due to Sunday rush at 1.00pm, waiters ( rajasthani clothes wearing ppl.) served little slowly. However, I can assure you, it was with all politeness. Everything was unlimited and costing Rs.135/ per head. So, it’s good only when one is sufficiently hungry. I felt it was real maharaja lunch and tried to taste everything with less no.of chapatis. After this, sweet pan (traditionally eaten after lunch in India) is also served to everybody. Only drawback I felt that they made us go to wash basin and no bowls with warm water/lemmon for handwash were served which made bottle neck traffic in the hall. May be due to Sunday it happened. Still I feel they should think over it. Near pooja ghar we see staircase going up for ’’Rutugandh’’ hall where pure veg.Maharashtrian thali is served. and ’’Nishi gandh’’ is named for terrace garden for parties and get to-gethers. I will write more on ’’Rutugandh’’ hall when I will taste Maharashtrian thali or enjoy at ’’Nishi gandh’’ with family party. In the meantime, friends, if you happen to visit, write on it and let me know your opinion about it. By visiting Rutugandh- I could realise the marathi saying, ’’Anna he Purnabrahma’’. Happy mouthwatering!! © Mrs.Medha, Pune.