Hrishikesh Sea Foods (Assal Malvani) Take Away and Dining — Restaurant in Pune

We visited this restaurant recently. The food was okay, the place was clean, and the waiter was a nice chap too. But would I recommend this place to others? I would probably think twice, and here’s why:

We ordered Pomfret fish thali. Now, as someone born into a Kokansta household, I was all set for a spicy, tangy, soul satisfying Malvani fish curry experience. But what landed on the table tasted like it had taken a wrong turn somewhere on the way from Malvan to Pune. We later found out that they have tweaked the recipe to suit Punekar palates. I guess traditional Malvani curries are a bit much for the local tastebuds. Fair enough! But if that’s the case, can we please stop calling it Assal Malvani' cuisine on your restaurant hoardings and glossy printed menus? Call it Malvani-inspired or Malvani remix, but don’t promise the real deal when it’s clearly been not.

The second (and equally confusing) moment came with the rice bhakris. Our thali priced at a respectable ₹600+ included two bhakris. We had one with our meal and asked the server to pack the second one, because well, we paid for it. But nope. We were straight away denied cos packing bhakris is against restaurant policy. I mean what kind of top-secret bhakri formula are we dealing with here? Were they afraid we would reverse engineer it at home? It honestly made no sense.

Anyway, the place seems to be doing just fine with the locals, so I am sure my little rant won’t shake the foundations. But as someone who came in with high hopes, it was a let down. I just wish the hype matched...

10:30pm Sunday, 05th March 2023

Nestled amidst the bustling streets of Pune's Dattawadi area lies a hidden gem of a seafood restaurant. My mother and I recently had the pleasure of dining at this establishment and were absolutely blown away by the exceptional culinary experience that it provided.

From the moment we arrived, we were struck by the chef's fastidious attention to detail and the immaculate hygiene standards. The starters, including the fish fry, were particularly notable, showcasing the chef's deftness at preparing these classic dishes to perfection.

The Surmai fish thali was another standout dish, artfully composed with an array of complementary sides that elevated the dish to new heights. And the attentive and courteous service provided by the staff, including the warm and grateful response of the chef when we complimented him on his culinary creations, only added to the exceptional dining experience.

Overall, this seafood restaurant is truly a hidden gem that deserves to be discovered by seafood aficionados and those seeking an unparalleled culinary experience. Highly recommended.

P.s. I was so enraptured by the delectable appearance of the dishes that I couldn't resist diving in without snapping a photo to capture the moment, wish I could've taken a picture...

The food was good.The surmai fry thali was excellent and so were the prawns koliwada.Not too spicy but yet tasteful. The solkadhi was delicious .I dont think there were any veg options since the menu card didnt have any,so strictly sea food speciality place. The chef and the manager were very friendly and also asked for feedback after the food was served.Loved how the chef interacted with the customers about the food.Since there is limited seating capacity the waiting time can be high.Not much of an ambience or decor but clean surroundings.Also there is no parking place and cars and bikes are to be parked by the side of the road.Since they had limited staff the service was affected.But the food quality and taste was impeccable. Hoping with a bigger space this was be a delightful place for delicious food .We will be visiting...