Restaurant Review | FOOD STORY

Food Story’s authentic Hyderabadi cuisine is delicious enough to move you…

Subhash S. is a restaurateur par excellence. His resume boasts of his still-popular 20-year old restaurant ‘Eden Park’ in Bengaluru and 15-year old recently closed iconic 800 cover restaurant ‘Our Place’ in Hyderabad. He set his eyes on Pune for his next culinary venture. Enter ‘Food Story’. June has brought with it not only the monsoons but this old-world Hyderabadi restaurant for the city’s gourmands. 

The restaurant name and décor does not trigger preconceived notions of the cuisine it serves or the kind of experience it will offer. This is deliberate. Subhash wants you to walk in hungry and with a clean slate. We concluded the interiors to be simple, toned-down and unassuming; the only striking elements being two 19^th century-esque chandeliers. The variety of dishes for both non-vegetarians and vegetarians is inviting and enticing. Subhash is hands-on and was rearing to serve us. We happily rested our trust in his recommendations of dishes for our evening. 

  

Shikhampur Kebab

Murgh Seekh Gilafi

Marking off our dinner was Shikampur Kebab (Rs 310). Chunky pan-fried lamb and lentil cutlets were stuffed with a mixture of hung curd and onions rounding off the dish with subtle tanginess. The mildly spiced kebab melted in our mouths and needed no accompaniment of mint chutney. Subhash attentively watched us eat, considering our neglect of condiments as a compliment to his chef. The waiter then served us Murgh Seekh Gilafi (Rs 350). This kebab was colourful with slivers of red and yellow bell peppers. Each bite was a nuanced delight of minced chicken flavoured with garam masala. We then indulged in the vegetarian Navratan Kebab (Rs 210) prominent with carrots, peas, almonds, pistachio and coriander, offering a melodious symphony of textures. Each bite infused with nutty flavours left behind the promising sweetness of saffron. The starter of Machi Rubayat (Rs 425) was a dear one to Subhash. Having lived along the coast, he grew up eating freshwater fish. He spoke of his adherence to maintaining the temperature in storing fish, right from the market to pan to retain its freshness. Maran fish was used for this dish which was seasoned with pickle spices and notably mustard seeds, and cooked to succulence.

Machhi Rubayat

We then waited with anticipation for the main course. Our first main was the Gosht Marg Shorba (Rs 140). Subhash shared that sheermal would have been the perfect accompaniment to this dish but he has faced sourcing troubles with this saffron-infused Lucknowi flatbread. So he cajoled us to soak pieces of nan in the shorba letting it rest for a minute before we eat. The shorba was a broth delicately flavoured with cardamom and mint, juices and fats from the mutton and marrow bones. The meat was so tender and the drenched nan made for a heavenly bite. “This soup is healthy, even for those on a diet”, he quipped. 

Gosht Marg Shorba

Gosht Kachi Akhni Biryani (375) arrived, the rim covered with dough. Its seal was broken to reveal glistening long grain, saffron-stained rice. We were advised to eat it first with the pasty mirchi salan and then with raita. The lamb meat parted from the bone easily to mingle with rice perked with green chili.

Gosht Kachi Akhni Biryani

Khubani ka Meetha

Such an enriching dining experience deserved a sweet conclusion – we found that in Khubani ka Meetha (Rs 140). This was a stew of dried apricots and sugar syrup with a compote-like consistency. It was topped with blanched almonds, pistachios and thick cream. Its natural taste was elevated thanks to the apricot quality (he sources them from Hyderabad). Every spoonful was bliss!

Food Story is a rich flavour repository of Hyderabad’s centuries-old food heritage. Dining here will be your privilege.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address: Ground floor, City Point building, Boat Club road, off Dhole Patil road, Pune

Tel. number: 020-4121 6576

Average price for two: Rs 1500 (excluding alcohol)

Must have dish: Gosht Marg Shorba

This review was also published here.