Fish Curry Rice and Nisarg

I have heard of Fish Curry Rice for so long and yet been unable to try it due to its location and the lack of parking. This week I was finally able to sample what many say is the best seafood restaurant in town. Fish Curry Rice brings local coastal cuisine to its patrons in its real form  without the adornments and embellishments of the typical restaurant fare. This is in fact the next best thing to home-made food!



They best way to sample Fish Curry Rice is to choose one of their seafood thalis. We went with the Special Fish thali.  This thali came with a fish fry, a fish in local Malwani gravy, a dry prawns dish, and other accompaniments to complete the meal.  In the fish dishes, we had pomfret, surmai and bangda today. The fish, like we expected, was absolutely fresh.  Every dish had a distinct taste and flavour making for a very pleasing lunch experience.





We had visited their Law College Road restaurant, which continues to be no-frills but is tastefully decorated with old Marathi film posters. The service is fast, efficient and the check easy on the wallet.  It is no wonder, this restaurant comes listed in The Lonely Planet as must-visit food place.



Those who live near Karve Road argue that Nisarg is the place to go if you like seafood.  So off we went to try that one too (but on a different day!).



Nisarg is clearly more up-market with a larger seating area.  The restaurant would be in the same category as Gajalee (which I have reviewed here earlier).

We ordered some fish tikkas followed by a gassi with the local rice-based bread - a Malwani version of the appam. Overall, the fish was good as were the preparations.  While the service was quite efficient, I think Gajalee has an edge.  However, all said and done, if you are in this part of town and craving for seafood, you can do worse than drop in here for a very satisfying meal.



With both local and Mumbai-based restaurants now courting Pune’s seafood lovers with their renditions of Malwani and Konkan cuisine, you have enough places to choose from now. Equally important, these restaurants are spread out over different areas and you can find something good close by no matter where you live.