The most complete day ever!!

C's Non-Street Food Diary: 2. Vaishali

Monsoons in India can be depressing or uplifting. It all depends on your state of mind. If you're with that special someone, taking a walk on a beautiful winding road with only trees around you, and the only sound you hear is not that of traffic but of birds chirping, chances are that the monsoon is your favorite time of the year. Add to this scrumptious South Indian fare followed by steaming filter coffee and you couldn't find a better day to spend with someone. Oh, and did I mention that we did all this in Pune, a city that is a 3-hour drive away from Mumbai? Yes, we travelled to another city for food (and even though not acknowledged at the time, to spend some quality time alone)!

We left home at about 6 am, with nothing on the agenda other than Vaishali (honest!). The train ride was uneventful with T being her usual morning self (grumpy, hungry and sleepy). We reached Pune at 9:30 and the weather couldn't have been better. It was overcast, wet and cool....hmmm...i was looking forward to Idlis already. We headed straight to Vaishali, which is on Fergusson College Road. The place was packed. 10 am on a Sunday morning, the wait time was about 45 minutes. But as soon as we entered the premises, we knew the wait would be worth it. The aroma of hot Sambar, fresh Idlis and filter coffee transported us to gastronomic heaven (however cliched that might sound).

We sat down and decided to stick to the basics. Idlis and Sada dosas. Mmmmmmmmmm!!!! The food left me speechless...seriously! I wasn't even ooohing and aahing...I was just stunned! The softest Idlis I've ever had with the perfect texture. Texture is very important in Idlis. It can make or break a South Indian dining experience. These were just purrrfect. We then come to the Dosa. The remarkable thing about the Dosa was the quantity of butter used. My goodness me!! I could literally feel my arteries clogging up. It was the kind of dosa which could give you a heart attack if eaten for 10 consecutive days...but it was SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD!!!!

T loved the food too...and we had a great time. The ambience of Vaishali just adds so much to the experience, especially the courtyard seating. I want to go back there once I get back to India...I still have to try their SPDP which, according to T, is a disappointment.

Once done with breakfast, we went for a walk in the rain :) We walked from Fergusson to Symbiosis through a neighborhood called Shivaji Nagar. This has been my best walk with T...by far. Lush green trees, the rain, the breeze and T with me...it couldn't have been better. Even though I was pretty jolly at the start of this walk, most of the time was spent in silence. The chemistry was palpable (I should've just done somethin there and then :( ). I decided something during that walk. When I want to pop THE question, that street in Pune on a rainy Sunday morning is where I'm taking T :D