Pune’s restaurant scene picks up a few notches in the last 2-3 months each year with new restaurants, bars opening their doors to the hungry souls of this beautiful city. ‘Good News Dhaba’ is one of the newbies in town!
Good News Dhaba is located at Ishanya Mall in Yerwada. Ishanya Mall, which was once nearly defunct, is currently on the upswing with a lot of new restaurants, cafes and bars opening up. This is definitely good news for Pune since the mall’s open layout and location (away from traffic) is a refreshing change.
This Dhaba’s decor is bright, colourful and attractive. The interior is full of curios that generates intrigue and keeps the ambience vibrant. A mix of 3 different indoor/outdoor sections has a total seating capacity of ~70. A full bar is available, which is definitely required for a restaurant like this one, where one can easily spend 2-3 hours.
I loved the vast menu that covers a variety of dhaba styled food from across the country. The specials are neatly categorized by region/state which helped me focus on exactly what I wanted to eat 🙂
Fusion cocktails are the trend these days and my initial apprehension was put to rest after tasting the first one. The high potency (watch out!) cocktails were made to perfection and each one was served with a Popsicle (they call it Lolly). Sounds gimmicky but it’s much better than it appears! Also, the happy hours on all drinks are pretty sweet.
When was the last time a Soup outdid all the food on the table? The Murgh Galliana Shorba is THE comfort food you need on a cold winter evening in Pune. The thick broth with it’s rich flavours will put a wide smile on your face.
The Amritsari Original Special Papad comes complimentary with drinks and is addictive. ‘No one can eat just 1’ would probably be the ideal tagline for this chakna, not the product advertised. Paneer De Sholay and Hara Bhara Beet Cheesy Kebabs were okay, but didn’t really do much for me.
Mutton starters were way better than other meats that were served. My pick was the Gosht ki Bhurri which was sliced mutton fried with lip-smacking masalas. All you need is a pint of chilled beer with this dish on a lazy afternoon! Highway Mutton Seekh Kebabs were soft and full of flavours. Galauti Kebab, is a difficult dish to make, but was delightfully done and comes highly recommended from the chef. These melt-in-your-mouth kebabs were some of the best I’ve had in Pune.
Chicken and Fish starters were pretty decent but completely overshadowed by the Mutton ones. Kadhai Masala Chicken Tikkas and Nazar Na Lagey (interesting name) were tasty and well cooked. Jhinga Kalimiri was slightly burnt and lacked flavour. Mahi Anari Tawa Masala was well made but had a fishy aroma to it which can put off most people.
Langar Dal Amritsari with it’s rustic taste is pretty close to what you’ll get to eat at an actual langar. It’s much different from the regular Dal Makhani or Tadka that we’re used to but glad that this option is available for people who want to try it. Martaban Ka Gosht, like the Mutton starters, was really flavourful and went well with the assorted Naans on offer. Phalgami Macchi Curry is a flavourful dish from Kashmir and Good News Dhaba is probably the only restaurant serving it in Pune – so do try it.
Dessert menu is surprisingly long and continues the dhaba style offerings. Malai Kulfis on stick brought back childhood memories. Bon Bon Pan Choco Shotz are a great alternative if you want to avoid having a full dessert. Rabdi was done right and served lukewarm.
Street styled food is my forte and it’s difficult for restaurants to please me. Good News Dhaba’s food did well enough to pass this test and can be certain of repeat business from me. The fact that they serve alcohol as well will go miles in ensuring they do well coz who eats Dhaba food without Sharaab??
I recommend you to get your fix of Good News at this Dhaba, on a cold winter evening!
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