Cafe Goodluck, Pune

There are not too many restaurants that have a Chowk named after them. This is one of them. The restaurant is one of the institutions of Pune and has been active since 1935. Its a particular favourite of the "filmi" crowd across the country due to the close proximity of the Film and Technology Institute of India.
Goodluck serves Irani food and does a damn good job of it. Irani food emanates from Persia, but is different from Parsi fare. The roots are Mohammedan rather than Zoroastrian, however what is great for us foodies is that the quality of the food does compare extremely favourably.
The restaurant is value for money and hence there are no frills. No AC/ No fancy decor, basic chairs, tables and from what I could gather very hygienic. We were quite a few of us at the restaurant and could sample quite a few dishes. The food was mostly non vegetarian and deliciously so, they do however have a Thali for vegetarians.
We tasted Mutton Masala and Mutton Kheema which we had with Rumali Roti. The Kheema was tasty and pretty much the regular fare you get at decently good eateries. I really liked the Mutton Masala which was a yellowish gravy, the dish was definitely spicy but not overly so.. it had a distinct tangy flavour to ease the chilli and give the dish a delightful taste.
We also sampled the Bheja fry - the dish I will remember most from Goodluck Cafe. The Bheja fry was not the regular fry that you get in Bade Miyan in Mumbai. The Goodluck Bheja Fry is a deep fried Bheja, in appearance not very different from a fish chop. It is obviously a ball of cholesterol so one is not advised to have the same everyday, but if you do go to Goodluck Cafe and are not pukish at the thought of having Bheja, do order and taste it as it is a unique offering and tastes fantastic. I did not sample the deserts but my colleagues swear by the Caramel Custard and the Fruit Funny which is a trademark multi layered fruity offering at the restaurant.
A meal for two at Goodluck Cafe will cost you approximately Rs 200/-
How to get there: Goodluck Cafe is on Goodluck Chowk :) which is at the corner of Ferguson College Road and Bhandarkar Road