Malaka Spice is my regular meet-up place. Over the years, I have visited the Koregaon Park branch umpteen times which is why I was eager to give their Baner branch a try. When I was extended an invite via Team #FoodProwl to visit their Baner branch for a tasting, this puppy was only too happy to oblige. ;)
That afternoon, I opted for a simple Virgin Mojito but
for all of you who love beer, Malaka Spice at Baner has a vibrant Tap Room.
Though they do not have a brewery of their own, they bring in stellar brews
from various breweries in Pune. The new Kimaya beer is also available there. I
have to be honest; I am a teetotaler hence this reliable info comes to you from fellow foodies who enjoy beer.
Our meal began with Top Hat, the signature dish at
Malaka Spice. It was perfectly done, as always! There are some dishes that I
would term as 'a perfect mouthful' and this is one of them.
Next, we were
served Thai Mutton Chops. The meat was beautifully cooked and was juicy and
delicious. A few of the chops though were too bony and could have done with a
bit more meat on them.
I can find nothing to complain about the Pepper Fish
with Garlic and the Lemony Salt & Pepper Prawns. Both were excellent. I did prefer
the plump prawns but that is merely because I prefer crustaceans to fish.
They
also served us a Tangy Green Papaya Salad. I did not try it as I do not eat
salads but I do trust the palates of those I dine with and everyone at the
table enjoyed it.
Chicken Thigh Thai was the only dish that did not work
for me. Firstly, they were drumsticks, not thighs. Secondly, the meat was overcooked
and lacked seasoning and flavouring. It was merely a bland piece of fried
chicken. This was the only dish of the afternoon that fell flat on its face.
The chefs definitely need to work on this one.
For the mains we ate Malaka Kari Kapitan with Roti
Canai. It’s a combination no one should ever miss at Malaka Spice. The curry is
rich, creamy, coconut-y and the flaky Roti Canai is a (perfect) match made in
the MS kitchen.
The Labour Curry Chicken was nice but did not wow me.
The Burnt
Garlic Rice, though, was very flavourful, so much so, that it could be had by
itself without any accompaniment. I loved the rice!
Our meal ended on a sweet note: Chocolate Brownie with
Ice cream. Warm gooey brownie with crunchy walnut bits nestled within, spooned together
with vanilla ice cream: how can a dessert so good ever go wrong?
Rarely, if ever, does Malaka Spice go awry with their
food and this afternoon was no different. The chilled out atmosphere, the ever
smiling servers and of course excellent food, all combine to make Malaka Spice
what it is. Thank you Team Malaka for hosting us. Visiting your restaurant has
always been a pleasure and with the love you guys put into your work, I’m sure
that it’ll continue to be so.
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