Arthur's Theme, Pune

A hot and lazy Sunday afternoon saw us walking into Arthur's Theme.The place was empty, and I had my doubts about entering. But I've never heard a bad review about Arthur's Theme, which is why I decided to go ahead with this.

A small place with wood paneling and dim lights immediately takes you to a small café somewhere up in the Himalayas. Full marks for the presentations- lights, music, the wine bottle on the table; this is exactly what you want on a lazy weekend.

We took the table by the window, and proceeded to order. Because it was uncharacteristically hot (it’s only mid March!) I decided to go ahead with a non-alcoholic Sangria. The staff is polite, courteous, and extremely humble. My drink was served within 10 minutes. After having spent all of Sunday morning “café-hopping”, in search of that one drink that would make the heat bearable, I had finally found it. Sweet, cold,  and a strong flavor of apple-what more could one ask for? Once again, full marks for the presentation.

We ordered an Alfredo, which is batter-fried calamari, served with a garlic dip. This one arrived in 15 minutes, and just by the smell of it we knew we had ordered a winner. A rich buttery aroma filled the place while I tried to get a good shot. After a certain point I could not hold back any longer, so please forgive me for this poor quality image.

The squids were fresh, not too chewy, and absolutely delicious! Perfect for beer and game nights. The dip compliments it perfectly, and I strongly recommend this dish for starters.

We then ordered a Mariana and a Duncan (I LOVE the names of the dishes here!) Here’s the verdict-

Mariana

I expected potato skins, and was a little disappointed to see them being served like this-

But the disappointment was short-lived. The potatoes are crispy, tasty, and go well with the yogurt dip. You can’t stop after one. The garlic and herbs blend well to give a distinct flavor to this dish. Highly recommend it, do try it out.

Duncan

Classic chicken wings in barbeque sauce. Even though it’s a standard preparation, no one has ever managed to do a good job. This one, however, is as close to perfect as you could get. It looked a little messy to eat, but once we started, we finished off 8 wings between the 2 of us within 15 minutes, I kid you not. The caramelized barbeque sauce does the magic. Try it, please do!

I’m glad Sunday ended on such a happy note. It’s good to see a few old places that have managed to keep up their standards. I am DEFNITELY coming back again, this time with the boyfriend. Good food, affordable prices, and an ambiance that gives you the experience of fine-dining somewhere in the mountains, Arthur’s Theme is highly recommended.