There is no dearth of restaurants in Hinjewadi, the IT Park of Pune. One can find restaurants serving food from every part of the world. But BeHive, Kitchen & Brewery, at Hinjewadi Phase 1, which serves North Indian, Chinese and Continental, stands out from the crowd. 
 
Parag Anand, who co-owns the place with Jaisingh Pandit, Ram Kalantri and Anand Kalkute, says, “I already run Publiq in that area and was looking for another space where we could start a new brand. Finally, we found this place which was huge. The IT crowd has the spending power so it made sense to open BeHive in Hinjewadi.” BeHive is Anand’s brainchild. 

He adds that their fusion menu is not the only USP of BeHive but they have kept the pricing competitive. “There are hardly any restaurant in that area which serves fusion food. So we wanted to serve it but at a competitive price,” says Anand, adding, “It took us three months to work out the menu because we wanted it to be perfect.”
 
He also mentions that there are night clubs in Koregaon Park, Aundh and Baner and people have to travel all the way to party. “I wanted to give them a space where they can have a good time, and don’t need to travel far,” he adds.
 
Parking is a big problem in Pune, but let us assure you that the restaurant has ample parking space. As you walk into the 1,000-seater BeHive, you will find that it is divided into three sections. The outdoor seating area has colourful hexagonal beehive-shaped cabanas — the highlight of the place. One can either choose to sit at the cabanas or the tables. 

The bar section has comfortable seating arrangements both inside and outside with beautiful chandeliers hanging inside the bar. If you find the music loud, you can choose to sit outside. Behind the restaurant is an open banquet space. The rooftop is not yet operational but the management promises that the space will be fun and comfortable too. 

When we visited the restaurant on a Saturday night, we found the place buzzing with people, conversations and loud music. Bachelors and families were having a good time at the open area. The bright and colourful interiors added to the gaiety of the place. 
 
For the evening, we chose one of the cabanas, which was cosy. The menu was interesting with innovative dishes like Crispy Chicken Khurana, Galouti Chicken Cigar, Salt and Pepper Relationship and so on. Chef Navneet Choudhary helped us place our orders. He recommended Crispy Chicken Khurana for the starters and we also ordered  mocktails like Raspberry Mint Limeade and Sunburst. Both the mocktails were fresh. The Sunburst was a mix of mango, pineapple and rosemary.
 
Crispy Chicken Khurana had small chicken balls served with mint tartar sauce. Bursting with Indian flavours, it tasted yummy. Choudhary says that the dish was inspired by the Punjabi restaurants in Delhi. “You will find these paratha joints called Khurana and they add Indian masala. I have added our secret masala to the crispy chicken to give it a unique taste,” he says.  
 
Next, we tried Galouti Cigar which had minced meat mixed in mint leaves, desi ghee and Indian spices. It was served with tartar sauce which enhanced the taste of the dish. The meat was presented in a crisp roll and looked like a cigar. One bite and we got the fresh smell and taste of desi ghee. We loved every bite because the meat just melted in our mouth. 

The Cold Club Salad had chicken slices along with lettuce and cherry tomatoes leaves. It was fresh and tasty. Choudhary says, “Usually, we have club sandwiches so I thought why not bring the same flavour to a salad!” The Veg Tikka platter had three items — Beetroot Tikka, Dahi Kabab and Hara Bhara Kabab and was served with mint chutney, which enhanced the taste of the dish. The Hara Bhara Kabab was stuffed with vegetables and was delectable. The Dahi Kabab was cooked with hung curd and was lip-smacking. The Beetroot Tikki was not only healthy but tasty too. 

Though we were done but couldn’t say ‘no’ to Butter Chicken Flatbread (Pizza). We hadn’t tasted anything like this before. It was coated with Makhni gravy, topped with Chicken Tikka and creamy cheese. We loved every bite. 

So the next time you plan to try some  awesome fusion food, a visit to BeHive is a must.

ST READER SERVICE
BeHive, Kitchen & Brewery, located at New DP Road, near Laxmi Chowk, Hinjewadi, is open from 5 pm-1.30 am