Posted On Friday, August 24, 2012 at 07:59:06 AM
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Shahji’s Paratha House
1037, Laxmi Road, Raviwar Peth
The origins of Paratha House lay in the fact that owner Jaideep Manchanda wanted Pune to savour and relish flavours and varieties of authentic North Indian food — especially ghee-laden ‘Maa ke haath ka khana’.
“While dining out, we tend to look out for meals that match what your mom makes at home. The idea was to cater healthy, authentic, homely food. My mother, Sudarshan Manchanda, has been supervising the masalas and curries in our kitchen since day one,” says Jaideep.
Setting
The location is bang on the road, but the route to reach there can get a bit confusing. The proprietor says he wanted to maintain a ‘dhaba-style’ atmosphere at his joint. The venue is a bit small with just eight tables.
Jaideep justifies, “I want to be accessible to my guests. It makes no sense having a huge place and then paying no individual attention to customers.” The walls are filled with food pictures and the owner is quite particular about hygiene.
What to chow
Sudarshan takes special efforts with masalas and basic ingredients for authentic North Indian khana here. “Chaat and garam masala are called in from Delhi and others are made under her supervision,” says her proud son.
The Chur Chur Naan Thali, Amritsari Naan Thali, Paneer Bhurji Paratha, Dal Lasooni Paratha and Veg Biryani Paratha are the best of the lot.
The dough for the Dal Lasooni Paratha is made in water used to cook the dal, bringing about a wonderful texture and flavour.
It not only melts in your mouth but leaves behind an aromatic aftertaste. Parathas here are served with alu subzi, chole, raita and salad. “We also serve meals like Chola Bhatura, Dal Chawal, Alu Mutter and Alu Paneer.
Our Veg Biryani Paratha is a huge hit because of the flavour the rice filling has,” adds Jaideep. The food tends towards the oily, to which the owner says, “Honestly, the oil — in culinary terms the rogan — is a symbol of quality cooking.
The right amount of frying of onions and tomatoes brings that oil in and it is healthy, unlike fat or cream used elsewhere.”
 Shell out
Nothing here exceeds Rs 150 and as a result, a meal for two is not more than Rs 300.
The parathas and thalis are filling and after a heavy lunch at this place, you’ll probably feel like you’ve eaten enough for the whole day.
Verdict
Enjoy ‘ghar ka khana’ type yummy food here in a distinctive desi style — the ambience, food and cutlery are all homely. The menu is easy to understand and simple. Our advice would be to skip breakfast and head here to relish a hearty meal at very reasonable rates.
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03:37:55 PM