Many new restaurants plan their décor as carefully as their cuisine

Walk into any restaurant and the first thing that strikes you is its interiors. A good ambience really sets the mood for great food. Today, dining out is not only about satiating one's taste buds. It is about unwinding, having a good time, taking a break from the daily grind and feasting all your senses. Many restaurants are drawing in clientèle not just with their great food but with their inviting interiors too.

Koyla, in Koregaon Park, transports you back to the era of the Nizams. Opulence is what it's all about. The entrance door is a replica of Hyderabad's famous Charminar. The ceiling, flooring and walls are done with an interplay of mirror work, stones, brick, granite and bangles. A mural of the Golconda fort of Hyderabad is spread across one wall while another wall is dedicated to weapons, guns and daggers of a bygone era. Above a silver door hang old photographs of erstwhile kings in their royal finery. There are intriguing frames displaying antique silver jewellery, including a silver purse, and zari-work. Even the washbasin is in keeping with the overall scheme, with a metal surai. The nostalgic theme continues till the very last, with the bonnet of an antique car used to serve paan and saunf!

Foodies, off NIBM Road, has worked on creating a tree house effect. The interiors have been crafted from a single Babool tree. "Most of the trunk was used for making the tabletops. The branches were converted into stools while the remaining trunk provided the panelling for the wall and the cash counter," says owner Samir Kakkar. The entire ceiling is covered with chatais got from Calcutta. The wooden flooring completes the theme.

Coffee Connection is another eatery that has an interior with heart and soul. One can't help but feel at home with its cozy and relaxed atmosphere. Wooden ceilings and floors, a dash of the rustic with tables made from haveli windows and chairs from bullock-cart-wheels all lend to its charm. And the most interesting part: You like anything - furniture, art on the wall, hookah, wind chimes, chandeliers or even the crockery? You can buy it on the spot! Not to worry, the owners replace the sold items immediately!

While interiors in a restaurant aim to appeal and draw customers, take-away places can get away with minimal decoration. Usually owners prefer concentrating on faster and better home delivery. An exception is Shanghai, a Chinese take-away on Taboot Street. Its owner, Rizwan Contracter, has worked on giving his 7x10-foot shop the "Chinese look" as well! Red and yellow interiors, a bamboo roof, lanterns, an aquarium, and even a laughing Buddha greet you. "While waiting for your order you can read the jokes I have put up on the wall," says the affable Rizwan.

Foodies, Shop No II, Kubera Colony, NIBM Road, Kondhwa, Pune 411048, Phone: 26832729.
Coffee Connection, 924 Synagogue Street, Next to Gita Society, Pune 411001, Phone: 4003958.
Shanghai, 705, Taboot Street, Camp, Pune 411001, Phone: 26133038.
Koyla, "Hermes Vishal", Meera Nagar Corner, North Main Road, Koregaon Road, Pune 411001, Phone: 30907496.

Khursheed Dinshaw