It was a trip not planned on my way to Mumbai from Pune via the Old Highway, i took a stop at a restaurant named "Dada Kondke's" Bhagyashree restaurant. It like any other highway restaurant but the name intrigued me to take a closer look plus it had a ac section and i was feeling too hot ridding my Papu (Motorcycle).
As i tried to enter the non-ac section the attendant said ''Boss yahan aajaon', reason i was with my wife and he wanted us to sit in the family section which had AC. On being presented the big menu card, i enquired whether it was the marathi film actor who charmed his audience with his double meaning dialogues in movies who owned it. The attendant who was not from Maharashtra replied, yes it is of Late Dada Kondke, it was started 25 years ago and just 10 years back we have got liquor license. Only last year we started this ac section. Earlier all the private buses used to stop here but after the the construction of the Mumbai-Pune expressway business is low. Our guest are mostly locals or you people who by chance drop in but we mostly cater to large parties now. Just yesterday we had a group of 25 people enjoying a birthday party he said.
The resto is run by the actors sister now. It serves mainly cuisines, like Moghlai, Chinese, snacks. Since we were not in a mood to have a three course meal we ordered batata vada and to our surprise it was lovely. Stuffed with a lot of meethi and well cooked the vada melted in the mouth. Tea was too sweet but very milky the kind i like and the one my partner hates. Overall the place has good ambiance has kept ducks in the courtyard, small play area for children and ample parking space. But on a highway near Khopoli, this is a restaurant not going to be visited by outsiders only for food. It will only cater to locals.
PS: The expressway gave and took away employment for many.
As i tried to enter the non-ac section the attendant said ''Boss yahan aajaon', reason i was with my wife and he wanted us to sit in the family section which had AC. On being presented the big menu card, i enquired whether it was the marathi film actor who charmed his audience with his double meaning dialogues in movies who owned it. The attendant who was not from Maharashtra replied, yes it is of Late Dada Kondke, it was started 25 years ago and just 10 years back we have got liquor license. Only last year we started this ac section. Earlier all the private buses used to stop here but after the the construction of the Mumbai-Pune expressway business is low. Our guest are mostly locals or you people who by chance drop in but we mostly cater to large parties now. Just yesterday we had a group of 25 people enjoying a birthday party he said.
The resto is run by the actors sister now. It serves mainly cuisines, like Moghlai, Chinese, snacks. Since we were not in a mood to have a three course meal we ordered batata vada and to our surprise it was lovely. Stuffed with a lot of meethi and well cooked the vada melted in the mouth. Tea was too sweet but very milky the kind i like and the one my partner hates. Overall the place has good ambiance has kept ducks in the courtyard, small play area for children and ample parking space. But on a highway near Khopoli, this is a restaurant not going to be visited by outsiders only for food. It will only cater to locals.
PS: The expressway gave and took away employment for many.
