Sunday, January 03, 2010

Cafe Good Luck - Legendary food places of Pune




 You know a restaurant is successful when it is used as a landmark by anyone and everyone throughout the city. Good Luck chowk on F.C.Road is just that. A prime busy crossing deriving it's name from the Irani establishment that lords over the corner.



Since 1935 is what their hoarding proudly proclaims and 75 years in the business is no mean feat. Even donkeys years feels short of an adjective to describe the legacy of this place. From octogenarians to the now college going crowd, everyone fondly remembers at some time having had a cup of Irani tea with brun maska in it's hallowed confines.






 Cafe Good Luck is primarily a non vegetarian place with the mutton biryani, mutton cutlet curry and mutton kheema being the mainstays of its eclectic menu. However, many a vegetarians are found enjoying the thali during lunch hour and breakfast time is when I believe the place truly offers a unique experience with the most varied egg options. From omelette's, fried eggs to the most soft and fluffy scrambled eggs on toast, you'll get them here. French toast is served either sweet, salty or both to your taste while the baked beans allow the most fitting accompaniment to the spread. Keep an eye out for that waiter though, he's not going to make way to your table in a hurry nor he is going to greet you with a 32 teeth smile unless you are a regular and are known to tip generously.

 

Café & Restaurant Design
Nostalgia pervades the surrounding with glass mirrors decorating the main hall. Antique decoration adds the quintessential touch. For that Good Luck has retained it's original character. It still is at face value a true blue irani joint. Cheap food with no frills service.



 Food pilgrimage if there is such a thing ends with the shrine of it's premises where to find a solitary gentleman reading his morning paper with the customary cup of tea gives you a deep sense of satisfaction. At that moment you know, that every thing is alright with the world and there's nothing that a lazy hour spent in the gastronomic temple cannot fix.



 There comes a time when you don't just visit a restaurant for the food it offers but as part of a ritual. An arcane rite of passage that isn't complete till you confess to having succumbed to it's marble top charms. For you haven't really experienced the culture and the soul of the city if you haven't tried to absorb it looking out of the window, seated on its chairs wondering about the person who might have sat on the same seat as yours 50 years ago staring out of the same window as the world nonchalantly went by.

 So if you are in Pune with a little time to spare, visit this place and you'll find one piece of the puzzle that makes the city complete.

Food - 4/5
Value For Money - 4/5
Ambiance - 3.5/5
Service - 2.5/5
Hygiene - 2/5

Overall - 3.2 + 1 for old times sake = 4.2/5


Please share your opinion on this post in the comments section.

10 comments:

  1. Nice blog about one of the landmarks of the city. Who can forget the famous Bun Maska with the Irani tea at Cafe Goodluck, and if you haven't had it, then you are really missing something. I'll rate it as 4 overall, deducting 0.2 for the Service :)

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  2. Hey love the way you write. Also, it's a great pleasure to read your description of food...makes my mouth water! Great stuff!

    This particular post reminded me of my favourite Irani Cafe in Mumbai - Bastani's - which shut down a few years ago. Thanks for sending me on a trip down nostalgia lane. :)

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  3. Nice post dude, specially the pics..keep up the gud work. Awaiting more reviews.

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  4. Wow Vishal!!!!.....when i met u for the first time, i got to knw that u r working in somt IT firm...plus a detective style survey on personal fund mgnt co...yes, i r'ber that HSBC story...co-ordinating 2 commities in orkut(if more, then m not aware of it!!!! trust me that will not surprise me!!!)...after few days I told u abt quiz thing in boat club...i was just thinking abt joining it...n u were already there...mailing updates of its quiz events...along with it u came with surveying or writing on food joints in pune...

    n now this YOUR VERY OWN SITE!!!!! u r one guy who is always on a go!!! Am sure u r just following all ur passions....u r one of the rare guys who does not let their passions take a back seat in the course of making a CAREER!!!m glad to knw someone like u...i hope lot of ppl get inspired by u...at least i'll try!!!!

    yeah, now abt this post on 'Good luck cafe'....here in Singapore, every moment i miss indian food...pune restaurants...n amongst them good luck cafe is on top 5...i used to love its matar paneer subji with kolhapuri mirchi( its supposed to burn ur tongue) with roomali roti... I seriously, want to make one trip to pune just for food!!!!


    Payal(i hope u r'ber me!!!!)

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  5. payal, thank you for your kind comments. this is as close to any fan mail that i have got! haha. your encouragement is really motivating and has filled me with renewed enthusiasm. if you do make it to pune, drop me a line and we can sameple the cities gastronomic delights together.

    yes i do believe in following my passions and there has been one simmering for a long time that I am going to indulge in soon. You might wanna bookmark http://www.iinindia.in or just follow me on facebook and you'll soon get some interesting updates!

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  6. goodluck for me is like gud food that will make u lick ur fingers and caramel custard to compliment it and top tht its sasta :) and i m impress wth when u been since many years... love it and proud of u with ur new goalllll go india go. :)

    - jindam

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  7. thanks prasad. appreciate your feedback and it really motivates me to continue pursuing my dreams :)

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  8. Saw your FB page and then somehow got here. I spent 5 best years of my life in Pune, and this place was a weekly thing. Even the odd midnight biryani. This post brought back so many memories, thanks :)

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  9. thanks tamanna. the blog has kind of taken a backseat in face of my www.facebook.com/iinindia project but i hope to put up some new content soon. Glad you liked the feature.

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  10. A nice review,
    do check this blog on Life in Pune

    http://punelive.blogspot.in/

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