Taste Of The Orient

GONG, a new modern Asian restaurant in Pune, has delectable food to offer from the continent, leaving quite an impact on the palettes of its patrons.

When it comes to any restaurant, the food, without a doubt, is crucial and must be outstanding. But as we all know, it’s not all just about the food anymore. The ambience and environment make a world of a difference, making the whole experience even better as you devour your delectable food. Standing outside Gong, Pune’s latest modern Asian restaurant on Balewadi High Street, I walk in and I somehow know that I won’t be disappointed.

Gong is a dazzling place, tremendously soothing, with comfortable warm honey coloured light flooding it. It’s where you feel that you can have a relaxed meal. But a distinct feature of the restaurant that will come to your notice right away is the design, which is a modern take on traditional Japanese temple architecture that has its roots in modular wood construction, simple grids and orthogonal geometries. The grid, infused with dynamic lighting, reconfigures itself through the space, giving it an idiosyncratic, unique appearance like no other.

Sitting down at our table, we first get the Hot Guava Punch, a drink, which as the name goes, is hot. This drink, served in a whiskey rock glass, has guava juice as its prime ingredient, with a garnish of Thai chilli, a lemon slice and lemon grass. Taking in the first sip of the drink, it is slightly spicy and very comforting to swallow, making one drink deeply. One can taste the discrete flavour of Tabasco sauce and oyster sauce.