Farro is the treasured first born of the enterprising and highly creative Chef
Vardaan Marwah. After having worked with Michelin-starred celebrity chefs like Suvir Saran, Gaggan Anand, and Sujan Sarkar, Marwah – Chef and Founder of Farro – lays bare his culinary foundation and expertise, as a solo star chef. He has partnered with the dynamic Pune restaurateur Aman Talreja of Sip & Savour Co. who owns Qora and Oi Brewhouse.
The wooden entrance was inviting and we opted for a dimly lit outdoor seating niche area, which offered a ringside view of the restaurant. Amrita Ravi of Studio Śra has created an earthy, warm and welcoming decor. Sprint a few steps to the indoor dining zone that houses a curvilinear bar. The earthy tone continues with an eyeball-grabbing wall display of handcrafted earthen cups.
Farro, a pearly wheat-like grain, is the mainstay here. It comes in three varieties, and owes its identity to parts of the Middle East and North Africa, travelling through primordial biosphere including India and we know it as ‘khapli’ or ‘samba’ in Tamil Nadu. Expect a soulful gastronomic expedition of uniquely curated food which envelops various countries where farro is embraced as an essential grain. This ingredient-forward place focuses on progressive methods via its menu which tosses in global twists to Indian regional favourites. Lamb Kefta pops to life when Hyderabadi spices play up to the peanut-sesame relish, with the crunch of pine nuts to boot. South Indian-flavoured Charred Maghrebi Prawns has the prawns waltz in sambar-brewed hollandaise, soaking up the familiar aroma of curry leaves.
The menu integrates the three variants of farro, veers from the conventional entrees, small plates and large plates to einkorn (small), emmer (medium) and spelt (large). Parmesan Jalebi is the trickster to get the dinner rolling. Jalebi seduces with its rings cuddling the richness of Parmesan cheese and a creamy saffron dip. The dishes are evocative of Marwah’s Northern roots. Thirty Layer Truffle Latke is an unmissable offbeat entrée. The melt-in-the-mouth, slow cooked (48 hours) latke has thirty layers of wafer-thin potato slices pressed with truffle on cheese and capped off with truffle and Parmesan cream.
Avocado Bhel of charred corn, and puffed sorghum granola on a bed of pickled avocado, crowned with mango sorbet delivers the perfect punch. Empress of the Red Pavilion complemented the food. Hibiscus tequila reposado, strawberry, black currant, goji berry thyme in tonic imparted an herbal, floral and tangy relief.
Desserts surprise too. In Strawberry Mithai Pudding we found Marwah
revisiting his mother’s famous rice pudding. Roasted cashew cake and dulce-vanilla rice pudding get enhanced with cardamom flavour with strawberry being used in varied forms – from fresh strawberries, an ice-cream, a coulis to dusting. We also dug into Pistachio Tiramisu and Xocolat of miso ice cream, quinoa crisp, dark chocolate mousse and chocolate soil. Everything is reminiscent of Marwah’s ancestral longings coupled with a bit of theatrics that culminates in an inspiring and gratifying dining experience!
Farro: 357/1, Shop 1/2, Ground Floor, Lane 6, Meera Nagar, Upper Koregaon Park, Pune.
Price for two with alcohol–Rs. 4,000/ 7 pm – 12 am (Mondays closed)
Call on: 9699363706
