Timo
Global
Food: 4 | Service: 3.5 | Décor: 3.5
DECOR
Timo is housed in a multi storey building at the busy Chandani Chowk in Bavdhan. It occupies two floors and an open-air section on the ground floor. The contemporary space is decorated tastefully. The dark theme with muted colour and black walls is complemented with the contrasting wooden furniture with yellow and teal upholstery. The seating is very comfortable with different options of seating style available. We picked a table on the first floor by the large glass window overlooking the busy street.
FOOD
While the bar is functional, their cocktail menu is still underway. We started with two refreshing mocktails, Spicy Pomegranate Mule and Cranberry and Elderflower Fizz. With the mocktails, we got the Caesar Cornettos which were pastry cones filled with a caesar salad served beautifully on a bed of puffed jowar. We got the vegetarian and one with bacon. The salad was creamy and perfectly dressed and the crispy cones added the crunch. The concept of serving salad in a cone was extremely novel. We accompanied the cornettos with the savoury waffles from the assiette du soir (Evening Plates) section. The Harissa Chicken waffle topped with toum and pickled vegetables was great, but the vegetarian Caponata and Mesclun with Olive Tapenade waffle was our favorite. The fried eggplants from the caponata, the mesclun greens and the olive tapenade were distinct in taste and each element elevated the dish further.
The world tapas section is diverse and we tried a variety of dishes from here. We started with the scrumptious Smoky Fried Chicken. The crunchy crumb fried chicken legs were delightful and perfectly golden brown. But sadly the accompanying peanut sauce seemed like a misfit here. In fact, the fermented beetroot puree which accompanies the Chicken Cafreal Skewers made for a great accompaniment for the fried chicken too. The chicken cafreal skewers were equally good and the coriander-vinegar flavour of the Goan cafreal masala was spot-on. Another Goan dish on the menu was the Charred Prawns Racheado. While the marinade was perfect and the prawns were cooked right, the prawn heads were a tad bit soggy. We would have liked them to be crispier. Next came the Pindi Chhole Quesadillas served with sour cream and salsa. A great dish and the addition of the chhole to a quesadilla was simple yet creative. Tampering with a classic like pani puri is always risky. So even though we were dreading to try the Mezze Puchka, it did intrigue us. Large, crunchy puris filled with hummus, moutabal and tzatziki served with a puffed grain tabbouleh. This one garnered mixed reactions from fellow diners. While all the fillings tasted good, the amount was a bit much. Similarly, some additional fresh ingredients inside the puris would have helped. We ended on a high note with the flaky tarts filled with caramelized onions and cheddar cream.
The base for the pizzas is sourdough bread. We tried the Garlic Prawns and the Verde pizzas. The toppings and flavours on the pizza were great, but the base was too soft. We ended our meal with the rustic and comforting fusilli pasta in a basil pesto sauce tossed with sun-dried tomatoes, grilled vegetables and parmesan shavings.
Like the other sections, the dessert section is equally diverse with great options. We tried the unique Asian Petite, a pudding with passion fruit, coconut and lemon grass, the ever dependable American Raspberry Cheesecake and the sinful Toffee Pudding. The toffee pudding with a sticky and caramelized toffee sauce, toasted pecan nuts and vanilla ice cream was the best of the lot.
PLUS & MINUS
While some dishes exceeded our expectations, some dishes were slightly disappointing. But there is always a level of risk when it comes to re-imagining classic dishes. Having said that, the team has done an excellent job in re-inventing old European and Indian classic recipes. Overall Timo impresses particularly with its unique flavour combinations and mixing of cooking styles. The creativity extends to the beautiful presentation of every single dish served.
Must Try Dishes: Caponata and Mesclun with Olive Tapenade Waffle, Smoky Fried Chicken, Chicken Cafreal Skewers, Caesar Cornettos, Pindi Chhole Quesadillas, Tarts, Toffee Pudding
Meal for Two: Rs. 1800
Address: A 102, Dharamshi Milestone, Chandani Chowk, Bavdhan, Pune - 411021
Contact: 7249005559
Timings: 9:00 AM - 12:30 AM
Photo Courtesy: Timo
Note: The article was first published in Pune Times on 13 March 2020.