The Fish Thali — Restaurant in Pune

Wow ..giving a 5 star does not come easy with me. But I just couldn't think of anything to cut down on the score. And its worth a 5 star rating. Firstly they respond on the what's app which is reassuring. Its an open plan kitchen with the cooks wearing shower caps to make sure of the cleanliness around. There are only 9 tables. When you enter, you need to take the stairs. On the first floor there are 9 tables and believe me, they are always full. Service is quick and waiting time 15 - 30 minutes. They have take away but the fun is in eating right here .... They are known for their Thalis. But you can have A la Carte dishes too.

When we reached the place at 1230hrs they were ready to serve. Dishes were discussed and we had the special fish (pomfret) thali. I wanted the prawns khichadi which is served wed - fri/sat. Today being Tue, it wasn't on the a la carte menu. So, we settled for the special fish thali which has a portion of prawns khichadi. The thali was sumptuous. The full pomfret was succulent and crisp. Rare combination. The prawn masala was lip smacking and the surmai curry was so home cooked type. No extra masalas .. Just right cooked by your mom type. The icing on the cake was prawns in onion bhaaji, served only for the special fish thali. Maharashtrians would understand Kandyatli prawns (kolambi). Like home made without the oil floating on top. This bowled me over completely !!!! Was feeling content with the meal when I heard someone ordering fried prawns !!! So we ordered it with the intention of taking them home as we knew we would not be able to eat all. Amazing but we walloped 8 prawns !!!! I am a foodie and this is definitely a place I am going to entertain my friends from Mumbai who constantly claim that they have the best seafood restaurants. And the last, its value for money. Go for it, you will not be disappointed. The owners are always there ready to assist you with the dishes. The masalas iare made by the mom and these are home made and freshly ground every day

08 November 2020. The first restaurant for lunch after Mar 24th and so looking forward to it. But honestly, the food wasn't a 5 star. Would give it a 3.5 Service, hygiene and courtesy still stands at 5 star. But the food taste, masalas were not up to the mark. I am a true foodie and I write what I taste. I asked if the main chef or masalas were changed. The prawn khichadi- its famous signature dish was a big disappointment for me. I actually left half of it and I hate wasting food. It was more like rice mixed in prawn curry and served. The quantity of prawns was less too. Even the prawns in onions, the onions were cut differently and the taste was not what my palate had experienced before. Don't get me wrong. The sea food was good and preparation was good too. Just scaled down to when it was launched, which for me is a let down. But for those who have not eaten at Fish Thali, you will enjoy the maharashtrian cuisine. For me, I will set my sights in search of a better restaurant. Bon...

I’m a big-time sucker for seafood, and if it’s a seafood thali, then my happiness knows no bounds! Places like Fish Thali give a different kick of joy. If you don’t know already, the place was started by a mother-daughter duo, with the mother running the kitchen. They began with a quaint outlet on FC Road and have now expanded to a second outlet in Baner. There's no doubt how much Pune loves them and continues to do so.

As the name suggests, they are a seafood-first place and specialize in thalis. The menu is small, but they bring their A-game to every dish they serve. I really like it that way—keep it small but impactful.

Here’s what we tried:

Prawn Stuffed Bombil (Photo not attached, as no one could resist) Crab Vade - The masala with the juices of crab stole my heart—perfectly cooked, decently spicy, and superb in taste. The size of the crab was big enough. Kheema Vade - Minced mutton cooked to perfection and moderately spicy. I love my kheema spicy, but I wouldn’t mind trying this again as the taste was absolutely amazing. The vade tasted superb too—not at all oily. They know their flour and the perfect frying technique. Special Fish Thali (Ravas & Surmai) - The special thali is the thali of your dreams. It includes fish fry of your choice, surmai curry, prawns curry, prawns sautéed, prawn khichadi, solkadhi, jawla chutney, prawn loncha, mirgunda, and 2 bhakri/chapati! I got tired of writing, imagine polishing the thali clean. Everything on the plate is made with love, and it reflects in every bite. I was super satisfied with everything—100 marks! Ukadiche Modak - How can you say no to dessert after a soul-soothing meal? And when it’s ukadiche modak, saying no would be a crime. A hot modak with a dollop of desi ghee is a total foodgasm!

I came in excited and left satisfied. This is how I would narrate my experience at Fish Thali. I loved everything I tried there and will definitely recommend this place to everyone. Kaku knows what she is doing, and her confidence shines through in every item that comes out of the kitchen. Thank you, team Fish Thali—you guys...

Response to owner- Next time you should check your security cameras, consult your staff & point of sale system before accusing a customer who paid for the substandard meals you offer.

If you’d checked, you’d have discovered that your account of events is completely fabricated,in other words,the whole thing is a lie.

To save your inflamed derrières, you smoothly defame a customer with blatant lies, saying that we “shared” a special thali worth Rs.700/- + taxes each.

Your reply is a total sham, & you should be ashamed of yourself, if for no other reason than the example you’re setting with your pleasant customer service.

Since you’ve jotted things down in a point system,let me do the same for your understanding. It was 2 of us. We ordered 2 special thalis. Fish and prawns died a fresh new death in your pans and woks. Mirgundas were forgotten on both the thalis. Recipes are not a patch on the other towering legends of Pune.

For those taking the time to read this reply, I’d also like to point out that, not only is the owner a fabulous story-weaver (since she & her manager were sitting right next to our table loudly discussing the books, which is yet another odd practice but hey, who am I complain),they clearly don’t take their service & food preparations seriously.

That being said, I’d definitely visit again, with all my most despised acquaintances, since revenge is a dish best served overcooked.

Rest of my beloved seafood lovers, save your wealth & head to one of the many other deserving seafood meccas in Pune! Nothing to write home about, tried two of the special thalis and the only impressive part was the prawns sautallela. No white rice included with the special thali makes no sense to me either. Might come back and try the regular thali...