Indigo Delicatessen has arrived in Pune and how. Settle down for some serious food talk with a cuppa to hear all about this swanky place that offers down home comfort in every sense.

2017 got off to a slow start blogging wise. After my Vegetable Juice post, I pretty much didn’t blog the rest of the month. Hopefully, February will be better. I am, however, working in full swing on my next cookbook, hoping for an early Spring or Summer release.

 

The Phoenix Marketcity mall remains my favorite in the city. Now they have a third floor that promises to be the foodie destination of choice for Punekars. A special elevator B11 whisks you off directly to this newly constructed area, so you don’t have to walk across the mall at all. Less shopping, more food! The moment you step out of the elevator, you see the impressive façade of the Indigo Deli. This sign is so huge it pretty much occupies your vision.

Although Indigo Deli is part of a chain – they have already earned rave reviews in cities like Delhi and Mumbai – there is something different and special at each location. They have 365 day specials, something new every day of the year! Imagine that.

Chef Tushar Deshpande is master of his art, and no wonder. He’s studied at the Le Cordon Bleu and trained with several Michelin starred chefs in London. His love for contemporary European cuisine finds a perfect vehicle in the Indigo Deli menu.

There is a wide array of drinks to choose from, starting with fresh juices, smoothies, slushes and shakes. Tea lovers are spoiled for choice with Assam, Darjeeling, Oolong and of course Masala Chai. Caffeine lovers need not feel left out. They have the pick of the Indigo Deli House Blend, Aged Monsoon Malabar, coffees from Kenya, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and of course, the celebrated Jamaican Blue Mountain.

I went for a Green Apple and Melon Slush which was just tart enough to snap me awake. The Chef presented a menu with several specials of the day. The meal started with soup. Soup and salad are some of my favorite foods. I loved the way they serve the soup. The soup plate is first placed on the table with some cheese and garnishes on it. Then the server pours the soup for you. It makes you feel special. The cheddar and black pepper bread they served with the soup is a total winner. I restricted myself to a small piece, only because there was a lot more to come.

The Red Wine Poached Pear salad is a must try for salad lovers. The poached pears were infused with spices and herbs, the arugula/rocket made the perfect bed of greens, spiced pecans and a syrupy dressing set the stage for a brulee of gorgonzola. The sharp blue cheese provided a perfect contrast to the sweet pears. The menu offers several other options for salad lovers like the Caesar, Panzanella, a Citrus salad and many more. Vegetarians note – a veggie Caesar dressing option is available. Full points for that.

Truffle Eggs Divinity is a casserole type bowl of comfort. Chef Tushar was kind enough to provide an eggless version for me. Think hash brown casserole meets creamed spinach, wrapped in cheese. Layers of potato rosti, buttery and sweet with the caramelized onions, creamed spinach, and a cheese topping, served in a giant mug. This is what I call comfort food.

The Deli Falafel wrap is another sumptuous option for vegetarians, with spicy falafel patties, carrot beetroot pickles and creamy tzatziki sauce. The Mushroom & Brie sandwich is great for mushroom lovers and vegetarians. Sliced mushrooms, caramelized onions, crusty bread, and melted brie – yes, I can get a load of that. The veggies and spinach sandwich is another sandwich I loved.

If you are a pizza lover, take a deep breath. The Indigo Deli pizzas are going to be a game changer. I’ve hardly ever met anyone who doesn’t like pizza. It’s kid friendly so parents hope they’ll have pizza on the menu to make the kids happy. Indigo Deli redefines thin crust. The 3 Peppers and 3 Cheeses Pizza is so delicious, so delicious. The Bhavnagari peppers give it quite a kick, but the roasted yellow and red peppers balance it out with their natural sweetness. Buffalo mozzarella and smoky scamorza with a light tomato sauce make this pizza one delicious bite.

Fettucine pasta was presented next, with a creamy sauce studded with roasted pumpkins, dried cranberries and caramelized onions. When I worked on my pumpkin book last year, we ate a Lot of pumpkin for two months but in Indian dishes. I missed my pumpkin pasta and this fettucine made up for it.

Beetroot Risotto is another great vegetarian dish with spiced pecans and blue cheese brulee. The chewy, creamy risotto scores a 10 on the comfort food scale.

Indigo Deli has homemade ice creams and I was very eager to try these. The Butter Pecan was my absolute favorite, followed by Dulce De Lece and Roasted Hazelnut, followed by Rum Raisin, followed by Sour Cherry, followed by Blueberry…Yes, the ice creams are something you must save room for.

Pie lovers and cake lovers won’t be disappointed either. The Strawberry Mascarpone Tart is the best manifestation of strawberries and cream you’re going to see for a while. Strawberries are in season, and the strawberry cheesecake provided one more dessert option with these. The cheesecake was fresh and light with a fresh strawberry compote drizzled on it.

If you like liquor based desserts, the Whiskey Pate is for you. This creamy, chocolatey dessert is adequately bitter from the dark chocolate and quite potent. A fitting end to a decadent meal.

Indigo Deli makes everything fresh without any preservatives. This place is worth a visit just for the artisanal bread. But of course it offers much more than that. A pleasing and warm ambience, a homey feel with chalk board menus, and simple, wholesome food in a gourmet wrapping. Everything is perfectly spiced and seasoned. I found it very close to my style of cooking. I loved the candied nuts and the bruleed cheese in many of the dishes.

This particular review highlights the vegetarian food at Indigo Deli, but they do have several options for the carnivores. You can read about those at MovieRecipe, my other blog.

Indigo Deli is a great place to hang out any time of the day, and a must visit for any food lover.