I visited Zostel Homes Bhor with my family and was on my way back to Mumbai when we decided to stop for lunch at Gong located at Balewadi High Street in Pune.
My family was craving some Asian food and decided to pick this spot after reading the promising reviews on Zomato.
A quantitative review of my experience at Gong
- Drinks Included: No
- Cuisine: Pan-Asian
- Sub-cuisine: Pan-Asian
- Locality: Baner, Pune
- Price per Person: ₹1665
- Food: 3/5
- Service: 4/5
- Ambience: 5/5
- Repeat Value: No
Summary
Overall, Gong did not live up to the raving reviews mentioned on Zomato, I expected quality Pan Asian food like that found at Yuatcha or Foo in Mumbai but I was left disappointed. The service was fast and thoughtful, the ambience was great as well.
If you were to dine here I would recommend sticking to the basics like Prawn Tempura, Cheung Fun and Sushis and not trying any of the fancy items or the specials on the menu. Given my experience here, the food was not value for money and I would not be dining at Gong again.
What I tried
Butter Garlic Fish Bao: 3/5
The Bao did not taste Fresh or Moist and the Sauce did not have a distinct butter garlic flavour.
Soft Shell Crab Roll: 3/5
The soft shell crab was crispy and flavourful but the Sushi rice didn’t taste like it was of the highest quality
Peking Poached Dumpling: 1/5
This dish was part of the special menu, the sauce just tasted too caustic which made the dumpling difficult to eat.
Crispy Prawn Cheung Fung: 5/5
The best dish I ate here, the prawn was crispy yet moist on the inside and the outer gelatinous layer was of the perfect texture and thickness.
Prawn Tempura: 4/5
Light, crispy, and fresh, would have been shocking if even this went wrong.
Crispy Lotus Stem Black Pepper: 2/5
Lacked the expected sweet and spicy flavor, making it quite disappointing.
Avocado and Asparagus Textured Roll: 4/5
There was a burst of freshness as soon I put this in my mouth, well executed.
Chicken with Chillies and Hot Garlic: 3/5
A basic Indianised Asian gravy making it taste not very special.
Pan Fried Noodles with Chicken: 3/5
Pan Fried noodles do taste relatively bland, but the taste here was too flat.
Khao Suey: 4/5
This dish had the right texture and balance of coconut flavor and spice, making it quite enjoyable.
Blue Jasmine Fried Rice with Crispy Garlic: 4/5
The rice had a soft chewy buttery texture that paired well with the gravy
Should you Visit Gong?
The food at Gong tasted more like a staple Asian restaurant in your locality where you usually order from or have been eating since you were a child. It most certainly did not live up to my expectations of being an upmarket fusion Asian restaurant and the food I ate was not money that was paid.