Virat Kohli's Restaurant One8 Commune | Resto-bar in Pune

I recently had a privilege to dine in at one of the branches of one8 commune which is located at Bund Garden, Pune. Even though it was almost midnight the weekend crowd was very lively and happening. The fun atmosphere and excitement of the youngster could be seen reflected and complimented in the delicious food.

One8 Commune is a beautiful Restro bar. They have a vibrant, multi-cuisine, menu that caters to a global palate.

This cafe is known for it's relaxed, comforting vibe and ofcourse menu. One8 commune at Pune is a suave eatery serving Continental, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Mediterranean, North-Indian and Asian cuisines. The menu is incredibly detailed and the starters comprise a whole lot of options including salads, baos, tempura, dimsum, cakes and more. 

One8 commune also offers all the classic cocktails and mocktails you can hope in a restro pub. The interior and decor are beautiful and fantastic. 

You will be reminded it as a Virat's restaurant by the big cricket score board on the wall. No wonder, it is one of the favorite restaurants of Cricket lovers and let's not forget about the food. The restaurant has some innovative menu and the food you have probably never heard of!

I loved how he listed he favorite meals in a section on the food menu. It has some interesting vegan food options - Super Food Salad, Avocado Tartar, Mushroom Googly Dimsums and Pearl Barley Risotto. 

Virat Kohli's Restaurant One8 Commune | Resto-bar in Pune

The desserts, especially the 5 Rivers Mud Cake And Oven Based Cheese Cake are simply delightful. Do try their Superfood Salad, Mushroom Googly Dimsums, Signature Hummus, The one8 Mezze, Communing Indian Way are way too yummy. 

 

One8 Commune has so much to offer. It is that one food trip you would want to remember.

1. Corpse Reviver

They have a bunch of cocktails and mocktails. I tried Corpse Reviver. It's a gin based cocktail with a tinge of orange in it.

2. Mushroom Googly Dimsums

Dimsums is everyone's favorite and Virat's too. These dimsums are prepared with truffle oil and is filled with assorted wild mushrooms, cream cheese and vegetarian broth. They come with a beautiful tomato garlic sauce.

3. The One “8” Mezze

This party platter serves with a bit of everything like Spanakopita, Falafel, Vegetarian Sishtouk, Sumac Rice Kofta along with Hummus and Pita.

4. Communing Indian Way

This Indian platter also serves lot of Indian dishes like Soya Keema Puff, Tandoori Cottage Cheese, Bandel Mochar Chop, Soya Boti Kebab, along with Mint Chutney.

5. Five Rivers Mud Cake

For Dessert, go ahead with Mud Cake. It's a Decadent layered chocolate mud cake and chocolate mousse. This is my favorite dessert of all. It was the ideal end to the full meal.

This cozy restaurant has left the best impressions. The ambience is very welcoming. Hospitable hosts, delicious dishes, beautiful presentation, wide wine list, amazing cocktails, mocktails and wonderful desserts. I'm bowled over by the salads, fine food, drinks and dessert. I would recommend it to everyone. 

Review: 4/5

INR for 2: 2500

Timings: 12 pm - 12 am

Address: Unit 5, Raha Bahadur City Centre, Raja Bahadur Mill Road, Sangamvadi, Pune, Maharashtra, 411001

Rainbow Buddha bowl is a healthy, filling and a delicious wholesome meal. It's a colorful bowl composed of vegetables proteins, healthy grains and nutrients.

Rainbow in my bowl!!

Rainbow Buddha bowl is a satisfying bowl of goodness, filled with cooked rice, boiled red kidney beans, blanched broccoli, roasted bell peppers and sliced cucumber. I combined this with almond butter lime dressing to give it a touch of sweetness and it just turned out perfect! Buddha bowl is a simple way where you can also use your leftover food which is sitting in refrigerator. 

I had the most indulgent weekend ever. I had lots of chocolates and yummy treats, so I decided to make Buddha bowl for lunch. I picked up these gorgeous broccoli and colorful bell peppers at the farmer’s market this past weekend. Luckily, I had enough cooked rice and beans in my refrigerator to make this power-packed meal.

While each portion of this plate has its own individuality and uniqueness. Red kidney beans are full of protein, fiber, vitamin and nutrients. Though rice doesn’t offer much in terms of nutrients but is a good source of carbs. You can always switch white rice with brown rice since it has more nutrients and is relatively low in calories. I totally love the combination of broccoli and bell peppers as they add crunch, color and sweet flavor to the meal. Broccoli is one of my favorite cruciferous vegetable. It is rich in dietary fiber, minerals, nutrients and antioxidants and bell peppers are rich in antioxidants and other vitamins.

Buddha bowl is a versatile meal. To make this, obviously you'd have to make rice and beans ahead of time. I always try to make it differently, depending on what is available at my home. Follow these few simple steps to make a this beautiful Rainbow Buddha Bowl that I have listed below. 

RAINBOW BUDDHA BOWL

Serves: 2 People

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes 

Author: The Food Root

INGREDIENTS

Red Kidney Beans:

3/4 cup red kidney beans

2 cups water

3/4 tablespoon salt or as per taste

Rice:

1 cup rice

2 cups water

3/4 tablespoon salt or as per taste

Broccoli:

1 head broccoli

2 cups water

1/2 tablespoon salt or as per taste

Roast Veggies:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

3-4 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 tablespoon salt or as per taste

Chop Raw Veggies

1 cucumber, finely sliced

Dressing

1/4 cup Almond butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

2 tablespoons water

Salt and pepper as per taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare Red Kidney Beans: Wash 3/4 cup red kidney beans, under the running water. Drain and soak them overnight or in the morning for at least 4-5 hours. After soaking the beans, rinse them with fresh water. Now place a pressure cooker, add beans with enough water and pressure cook them for at least 40 minutes on medium-low flame. After 40 minutes, turn off the heat and wait for the pressure to release completely. Add salt and stir it for few more minutes till it's properly cooked. Drain the water off the cooked beans and let it cool for some time.

2. Boil Rice: Rinse 1 cup basmati rice with cold water, soak it for about 30 minutes. Place a saucepan with double amount of water to boil. Add salt and loosely cover the pan. Reduce the heat and cook the rice for about 10 minutes. Stir it once and turn off the flame. Let the rice sit for about 5-7 minutes. Drain the rice using a colander or a strainer. Let it cool for some time.

3. Blanch Broccoli: Wash the broccoli and cut them into large individual florets. You can also cut the stem into thin circular pieces. Bring in a large pot of water to boil. When water starts to boil, add broccoli florets and a pinch of salt into it. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with cold water preferably with ice cubes in it. Set it aside. After 3-4 minutes remove the florets with slotted spoon in a colander or a sieve. Now immediately, plunge the florets into the bowl of cold water. After a minute, strain them. Keep it aside.

4. Roast Veggies: Wash the pepper, slice it into half, remove the excess seeds and slice off the thin strips length wise. Heat olive oil in a skillet, add chili flakes followed by sliced bell pepper and sauté until it turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sauté it and season them with salt and garlic cloves. Toss it for about a minute on medium flame and turn off the flame. Set it aside.

5. Chop Raw Veggies: Chop any raw veggies you like. It depends on your taste. I added fresh cucumber in my bowl.

6. Prepare the Dressing: To make a dressing, whisk 1/4 cup almond butter, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger and 2 tablespoons water in a bowl, add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Assemble: Assemble your bowl, add red kidney beans, rice, broccoli, roasted bell peppers and sliced cucumber. Season the bowl with salt and pepper. Drizzle the yummy almond butter lime dressing and gently toss them to combine. Enjoy!!

ENJOY YOUR RAINBOW BUDDHA BOWL, AND LET US KNOW HOW YOU LIKE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

 

HOW TO MAKE SPROUTED MOONG BEAN SALAD

A super busy day calls for a salad!!! There is no denying that at times we all look for fast, easy and no-fuss recipes with full of nutrients and flavor. Whenever I am in a hurry, I prepare eating sprout salads in the breakfast. It's a quick fix for low calories and flavor and great for people who don't have enough time to cook healthy meals. There are different types and varieties of sprouts but moong sprouts are my favorite.

Sprouts are energy boosting enzymes, extremely alkalizing and rich in micro-nutrients. They are loaded with protein, vitamin B1 and B6, vitamin K and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and zinc.

I kept it super simple today, this took me less than 5 minutes to prepare! Moong sprouts, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, a sprinkle of chat masala (salt, cumin and pepper), tossed in a vinaigrette flavored dressing - and it tastes extremely great. Enjoy experimenting with different flavors, vegetables, fruits, spices, dry-fruits, nuts and seeds of your choice. It will boost the nutritive value of your salad.

You can buy ready-made sprouts from the market or make them at home but it's always good and healthy option to make sprouts at home. The sprouts can be made ahead of time and simply boiled for 5 minutes right before serving.

HOW TO SPROUT MOONG BEANS?

1. Wash and rinse 1 cup of moong beans under running water.

2. Add cold water, preferably 2-3 times the volume of the beans, cover and place it in a bowl.

3. Soak the beans for 6-8 hours, depending upon the type and size of the seed, so that they swell properly.

4. Drain away the excess water from the bowl. Rinse them with fresh water and drain the water again.
5. Place the swelled beans and wrap it in a wet cloth.
6. Let soak in a cool place overnight and wait for atleast a day.
7. After 24 - 36 hours they will be properly sprouted (rinse and drain the beans after every 6-8 hours)

8. When the sprouts reach the desire length, they are ready to eat.

Notes:
1. Remember to wash the beans atleast 2-3 times a day.
2. After sprouting you can store them in a refrigerator and eat them in less than 3-4 days.



HOW TO MAKE SPROUTED MOONG BEAN SALAD?

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4-5 people
Author: The Food Root

Ingredients
1 cup sprouted moong beans
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cucumber, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt or as per taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly grounded
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

DRESSING
Ingredients
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
2 tablespoon vinegar (balsamic, apple, white cider, wine)
of your choice - I used balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt or as per taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly grounded

Method

1. Prepare sprouts: Place spouts in a pan with water and salt, cover and boil for 5 minutes or until crisp or tender. Drain the water in a colander and let it sit out at the room temperature.

2. Chop raw veggies: Meanwhile, cut vegetables of your choice and keep it aside.

3. Dressing: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, whisk together. If you are not using the dressing right away, cover and refrigerate it in a bottle, and shake again before use.

3. Assemble: Assemble your salad bowl, add moong sprouts, raw veggies and season it with salt, pepper and cumin powder. Drizzle the yummy dressing and gently toss them to combine. Enjoy!!

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA SALAD

Brighten your day with this fresh and colorful Mediterranean chickpea salad - packed with nutrients and taste! Filled with cooked chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, fresh beets and tossed in a vinaigrette flavored dressing with cumin and dijon. This recipe is completely vegan and gluten-free. Lately I've been a bit obsessed with chickpeas salads. This Mediterranean Chickpeas salad was a pure bliss. It has all my favorite Mediterranean flavors. It's super addictive and super satisfying!

Chickpeas are used in varieties of vegetarian recipes and are mostly added in Indian, Mediterranean and South American cuisines. They are very versatile and easy to cook. They can be added in salads, dips, soups, curries, ground into a flour to make variety of snacks like falafel, fritters, sev, boondi, and many more. Chickpeas are one of the best sources of protein, carbohydrates and fiber. 1 cup of cooked beans = 15 grams of protein


To prepare the chickpeas, soak the beans overnight or quick soak for about 4 hours. Add salt, water and pressure cook it for 15 minutes, over medium-high heat. When done, drain the chickpeas in a strainer and let it cool for a while. I usually cook the whole bag of chickpeas (500 grams) at once and use them up within a week. These are much more tastier and healthier than the canned one's.

This salad is particularly delicious if served when chickpeas are slightly warm. If it has been refrigerated, just be sure to allow it to come to room temperature before serving. To make this salad, you can cook chickpeas ahead of time. This salad has an endless combinations. You can pretty much throw in whatever you like. I love beets, cherry tomatoes and cucumber so I added that. Make a simple vinaigrette dressing, drizzle over the top and toss it well. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately! 

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKPEA SALAD

Serves: 2-3 people
Soaking time: 4-5 hours
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Author: The Food Root

INGREDIENTS

1 cup or 200 grams dried white chickpeas (kabuli chana or safed chole)
2 medium size tomato, chopped
1 medium size cucumber, chopped
1 small size beetroot, grated
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt or as per taste 

For the Dressing 

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (or apple cider, black wine, balsamic, rice)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cumin, roasted
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar or honey

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook chickpeas : Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight, or quick soak for about 4 hours in enough water. Drain the water, rinse it again with cold water. Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt and 2 cups of water and pressure cook it for around 15 minutes, over medium-high heat. When done, remove from heat and let it cool for sometime. Drain the chickpeas in a strainer and keep it aside. You can also refrigerate it for a while.

2. Chop raw veggies : Chop your favorite raw veggies and refrigerate until they are ready to use. You can pretty much throw in whatever you like. I added cherry tomatoes, cucumber and garnished it with fresh beetroots.

3. Prepare the dressing : Whisk all the ingredients - (olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, cumin, lime juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, sugar or honey) in a bowl until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The dressing keeps well for 3-4 days.

4. Assemble : In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, tomatoes and cucumber. Pour Cumin-Dijon flavored vinaigrette dressing over the top and toss it well. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish it with grated beets. Serve immediately! Enjoy!

NOTES

1. Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight, or quick soak for about 4 hours in enough water.
2. Chop your favorite raw veggies and refrigerate until they are ready to use.
3. You can make generous amount of dressing and keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
4. Whisk the vinaigrette 2-3 times, before serving.
5. This salad is particularly delicious if served when chickpeas are slightly warm.
6. If the chickpeas has been refrigerated, just be sure to allow it to come to room temperature before serving.