Monday, April 26, 2010

Pune Dining: Five Senses

Grilled Norwegian Salmon at Sen5es PuneI was suitably impressed by the chic, ultra-modern interiors of Sen5es (yes that is how this restaurant is stylistically named). The contemporary glass and wood interiors of this bright and airy restaurant would make many a five-star resturanant in this city look downright dowdy in comparison. Therefore, iI wasn't very surprised when I discovered this place had been designed by Masafumi Sanada from the Japanese company M-Style, one of the top restaurant designers in the world.

Oakwood Premium is located just after the Sports Stadium at the end of tony Koregoan Park and is a new addition to Pune's burgeoning upscale serviced apartments. The restaurant consists of a lounge area overlooking the pool and a dining area alongside open kitchens.


The menu contains sections for Oriental, Indian, Western Grill and Italian selections. There is also a section for Soups and Salads as well as a selection of popular coffee-shop snacks.

We ordered a Mango and Raw Papaya Salad from the special seasonal menu on the table followed by Grilled Norwegian Salmon, pasta and a Lebanese sandwich.

You can get your pasta cooked to order here. Mine was spaghetti with mushrooms, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, brocolli and zucchini and grilled chicken in arrabiata sauce. Arrabiata is a Roman sauce of garlic, of garlic, tomatoes and red chilli cooked in olive oil, sometimes with a hint of basil. The pasta was perfect!

The salmon was equally appetizing. The grilled fish was served on a bed of asparagus and orange-citrus sauce which complemented the dish very well.

The Lebanese sandwich, a falafel with grilled chicken and veggies was served with a side of hummus. Filling but not particularly memorable.

Which brings me to the salad. The taste of not-quite-ripe mangoes mingled with grated raw papaya was particularly refreshing this time of the year. The light spices and thin slivers of red chilli made every morsel tingle in the mouth.

I have to be back to try their Indian dishes - they even some Fusion dishes on the menu. This place is probably also a great choice for a few drinks in the lounge area. If you are in the Koregaon Park area and want to give this place a try, here are the details: 81 Mundhwa, Koregaon Park Annexe (turn right on North Main Road after you cross the Sports Stadium). Ph: 4142-8888.

Update, May 7: This place is even more amazing in the evenings. Fire-pits on the water-bodies that surround the restaurant are lit, and the combination of fire and water transforms the surroundings. Do try the lamb-chops or the T-bone steaks, they are among the best you can find in Pune!

13 comments:

sshalini said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Deepak Barua said...

Dear Shantanu, really nice to see ur blog, iam chef myself and I must to say you have visited almost all the restaurants which we admire and are like a jewel to a industry

Aathira Nair said...

I have to visit Pune after reading your blog... there are just so many new places which keep opening up there!

The pasta looks delicious! ( and I just had horrible office lunch)

HAREKRISHNAJI said...

must try. Doesn't your family members gets distrubed when you take the snaps of the food ? My wife and son gets very upset.

Shantanu said...

@Deepak: Thanks for visiting and writing in!

@Aathira: Heh! Office-lunches I guess are never good. :)

@Harekrishnaji: They are now used to my idiosyncrasies.

Karthik Sankar said...

There is a good place in chennai called The Noodle House. It is not star outlet but the food is really good. I suggest you try it when you go to Chennai next time.
My favorites : Devil Rice and Gobi Manchurian
I would not recommend the deserts, but the Jasmine Tea is worth trying :)
Address:
#137
Ground Floor
Plot No 183, By pass Road
Velachery
Chennai -600042

Unknown said...

Visiting your blog after a month almost..hope i havent missed much!!The banner for 5senses looks very appealing..haven't visited the place though.Now that we have closed our FY09-10 :).I am going to be trying some new eats outs opened in the city..5senses should def be one among them.

Shantanu said...

@Karthik: Thanks for the input.

@Aarti: Welcome back! And let me know how you like the place...

KamalKitchen said...

Hello,
Congratulations on a fine blog. I am returning to Pune after several years and am looking for places that offer different cuisines in a good ambience without also breaking the bank. I can't wait to check out some of the places you have mentioned here.

Thanks ..

KamalKitchen said...

Hello,
Congratulations on a fine blog. I am returning to Pune after several years and am looking for places that offer different cuisines in a good ambience without also breaking the bank. I can't wait to check out some of the places you have mentioned here.

Thanks ..

Shantanu said...

@Kamal: Thanks. Let me know how it goes!

payal chakraborty said...

hello..i've been staying in pune for the past 4 years and never heard about this place.. thanks for posting this.. it was a great help..

Shantanu said...

@payal: Thanks! And yes, Pune is getting bigger...more choices that are hidden all around the city.