Blue diamond has lost its charm over the years and mystic Masala seems to be no different - went there for a Saturday lunch and was the only patron for quite a while ! Extensive local Maharashtrian menu and the food was actually quite good ! So guess they need to energise the place in terms of getting a crowd as the chefs do a good job - a bit disappointing not to get sol Kadi but the mutton Sukka and the fish were excellent / very good on the helpings and the speedy service ensured we were more than happy with the experience !

Probably had really high expectations from them considering that we have been here many times before and loved the food... last visit was 4-5 years back. But this visit on Saturday 31 August left me dissatisfied. Was quite disappointed with the food to be honest! Food -2/5 Drinks-4/5 Ambiance -3.5/5 Service -2/5 VFM- 2/5 Overall experience- Visited with families for a weekend dinner at around 9.30pm.. Was surprised to see that the restaurant had 4-5 tables empty (total capacity around 60-70) Loved the fried rice chilli papad they serve 👌 Laal mirch Chicken tikka - was the only good dish, but still couldn’t save the day Mutton raan - was too salty... and instead of serving the raan - leg - it was chopped into tiny pieces ... no idea why they did that Tandoori roti and Naan - were decent but served cold... Mutton Biryani - again was disappointing- felt more like mutton pulav... mutton wasn’t upto the mark and the rice was a little over cooked in the dish inside.. Mocktails were good - Virgin colada and blue fizz went well with the food Loved the live music - Ghazals and old Hindi movie songs 👍🏼 Service was quite slow. Few times felt like we were being ignored... Water refills took a lot of time. Total bill was around 4500

My first experience with Taj was worth a visit. We ordered for Biriyani which was simply fantastic and lip smacking. Definitely would recommend Mystic Masala to all. Please do try Puran Poli as well in desserts.

A wide array of Rustic Indian and Maharashtrian food along with a lovely selection of drinks makes this place my absolute favorite. Honestly, just everything I had here was my favorite, must try dish for a vegetarian – Sarson Ka Phool, Subz Makai Sheekh, Subz Nizami Handi (with multi grain roti), and the mocktail – bartender’s special, was absolute must have!! Detailed review below. Follow me on ankita2710 (Instagram) The ambiance is a classical Indian setting, there was a classic selection of old Bollywood songs being played in the background, which I am not particularly a fan of - but went very well at the place. The best part is that the place overlooks the bright blue pool, which I preferred sitting at. I was warmly greeted by the staff while entering the place. As I entered, I noticed every person definitely had a smile on their face welcoming people! The place gives an elegant Indian dine-in feel. Also, loved the way the menu was segregated with the Maharashtrian food and the other Indian food! For appetizers, we ordered the Sarson Ka Phool, this was delicious, well-marinated tandoor broccoli which went very well with the mint chutney served. Also, ordered the subz makai sheekh (corn with mixed veggies), which came in the form of rolls, very appetizing, a bit on the spicier side though. Ordered the Subz Nizami Handi, which was mixed veggies in cashew gravy, which was homely and luxuriant at the same time!! I had my main course with the buttered Multi grain roti, which was again heavenly and quite filling. Along with the above, I had ordered a mocktail without knowing the ingredients -the Bartender’s special. Absolutely loved this drink. With so many items on their menu and with such a courteous service, I definitely want to go back sooner and try out the remaining dishes, as never have I liked Indian food outside home more than this!

#OnceADiamondAlwaysADiamond #AsRareAsABlueDiamond #TajVivantaToTajSeleQtions #AnAfternoonToRemember If given a chance, who would you be ? A brand like Rolls Royce which has a Market Cap of $20 Bn with a customer base not even in 5 figures. Or A brand like Toyota Motors; 10 times the Market Cap of Rolls Royce and a Customer Base that when compared to the Rolls Royce's seems like 10 times the distance between far ends of Ganges Delta. It needs guts to say Rolls Royce, and very few in the world has that in them to choose depth over breadth. Taj Hotels, a by-product of IHCL and an integral part of Tata Legacy in India and world over is one such brand that chose to carve a niche for themselves instead of going mainstream and they have been extremely successful in establishing themselves as the brand of choice for the crème de la crème section of hospitality patronage. Pune is one of the elite cities to be experiencing the excellence for more than 50 years now since the Taj Group took over Kirloskar Guest House and named it as the Blue Diamond by Taj. Nearly a decade back certain business decision saw this iconic place being carnated into Taj's uber urban brand 'Vivanta by Taj'. Though back then it felt like the legacy was played around with, however over the time Taj Hotels proved that the names can change but the cardinals don't !!! Back to the date, life comes full circle for this paradigmatic place and the 'Once a Diamond, Always a Diamond' theory reinstates itself. Yes, 'Vivanta by Taj' is now 'Blue Diamond, A Taj SeleQtions Hotel by IHCL'. Those who don't know about IHCL's SeleQtion Hotels, its an ensemble of curated experiences, SeleQtions encapsulates an inimitable collection of properties with a distinct character - more often in differentiated locations. Long Live the Legacy !!! I was privileged to be present alongwith the city's beau monde for a tête a tête over the scrumptious Lunch and Choicest Cocktails to witness this reincarnation first hand. We were served the echt Maharashtrian Fare at the Mystic Masala, the only restaurant in a 5 Star Property at Pune to be serving the detailed local fare preserving the essence of Maharashtra and keeping it alive like the group's unwavering legacy. I don't think I am qualified enough to comment on the authenticity of this legendary cuisine or even to be reviewing the delicious spread laid out by the Taj's Kitchen Mavericks. All I can say is that 'It was an afternoon to remember' and a meal to be relished directly from the soul, and I am glad I did that. I don't know if it was bona fide Maharashtrian taste but all I know is that everything that made to this Table Royale was legit delish. I had a great time polishing off the delicacies from that shiny copper platter, you can enjoy this Marathmola Royalty too. These Maharashtrian Thalis in their Veg/ Non Veg/ Sea Food avtars are available at the Mystic Masala and are priced at 800, 1000 & 1200++ respectively. Q for Quality, Q for Quest to remain the Best - Blue Diamond by IHCL Taj SeleQtion Hotels !!!! Go relish the goodness at Pune's Crowning Glory, the good ol' Taj Blue Diamond. Cheers... Ciao !!!