On a lazy Sunday afternoon, my sister and I were trying to decide a place for having lunch. When it comes to food, we are in no mood to compromise. With good food comes good conversations, hence it is always important to choose the right restaurant. We had a bunch of options to choose from, but eventually decided on Pandora. Oh boy! We were in for a real treat!
Pandora is located on Nagar road, near Gunjan talkies. With an indoor and outdoor seating, Pandora welcomed us with a warm smile. As soon as we were seated, the host introduced us to their modern cuisine concept. Pandora’s menu has been designed by the famous Chef Ajay Chopra and their food ranges from North Indian to Asian to Italian.
Starters are served in two portions, small and large, which helped us settle in for two small portioned starters. The first was the Kafir lime chicken served with pineapple chutney and it stole the show right away. Chicken was so soft that it was easily cut using a butter knife and the combination with pineapple chutney goes well with the chicken. The second starter was the Gilafee kebab and it was just the right amount of spicy for me. I just cannot have kebabs without a generous squeeze of lemon and that is exactly what I did and the kebabs tasted amazing after that.
For main course, we chose a Bengal inspired dish called, Chingri Malai Curry. Rice was extremely buttery and Prawn curry was literally served in a green coconut shell which was covered with chapati dough to preserve the flavor and steam within. The curry had an Indian flavor to it but it also preserved the modern touch which the restaurant claims to have. Prawns were cooked to perfection.
Desserts are the best part of any meal for me and Pandora made sure I was left awe-struck. They got the hazelnut molleux first and I couldn’t stop clicking pictures. Served in a half-broken dish, I hesitated just for a second before digging into it with my spoon because of how perfect it looked! The dense chocolate, the roasted almonds, the chocolate mud layer and the raspberry filling inside the molleux blended beautifully together.
Next came the Rose phirni parfait and I cannot stop raving about it ever since. Have a look at the picture below and you will know how it stole my heart! They actually put on a show for you by dipping the rose in liquid nitrogen and crushing it on top of the phirni. The phirni is served chilled with the rose flavors blended at the right places and is totally irresistible! If you are a fan of Indian desserts, then I would highly recommend that you try this phirni.
After having so much food, we barely had place in our tummies for another dessert. But the host was kind enough to give us a taste of their Red Velvet Cheesecake and we couldn’t say no! Very few restaurants get the cheesecake right and Pandora definitely did that! It is served chilled with liquid nitrogen smoke coming out of it. The cheesecake was creamy and rich and didn’t disappoint. Although our favorite still remains the phirni. Check-out my Instagram profile (@thefamishedreader) for more videos.
Price-wise, I would say, Pandora has kept it quite affordable for all. They did not have an alcohol licence when we visited them last, but they will start a bar pretty soon. They do serve mocktails which are made from fresh fruits and juices, so refreshing, it will change your mood! Make sure you drop by for a laid-back lunch or a relaxed evening dinner with friends or family. The food will surprise you and desserts will melt your heart!
Happy Eating! đŸ™‚
The Famished Reader 