Moving to India and trying to find your place in the everyday life here is indeed a plunge in the deep end – one that can keep you diving for a while. And, as I noted in my recent post about the downsides, there is a need to come up for air every now and then.

This realization came when Hugo and I visited Mumbai recently and stayed at one of the fancier hotels. It had been so long since I felt genuinely clean surfaces. Or tasted non-Indian food. Or just hanged out and watched TV. It was a welcome reminder of home.

So, like a submerged seal looking for breathing holes, I set out to map some places in Pune where I can take a break from the purely local stuff. Places with a more western menu and ambience. And, to my delight, I found several, not too far away from the office or the apartment.

Regalia, for one, is a multi-cuisine restaurant that has such relative rarities as pasta and, best of all, red wine! After eight weeks of paneer and rice, to have a spaghetti bolognese with a glass of the house red wine was a more than welcome change.

Also, a bit further away, there is Zodiak, an American style burger joint. They have actual beef meat, cheddar cheese and the works – not bad at all!

Update: Since this post was written, I’ve found additional places; Habitats, an Italian styled café near the new office, the terrace of Salt (featuring an actual bar) and Coffee Day if you want speciality coffees.