level 5 bistro and bar

𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝟓 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨 & 𝐁𝐚𝐫
#inspiredibles
#foodtasting

i stay in kothrud from a decade and have witnessed most changes in the food scenario in this part of the city. if there was any concept restaurant which was yet to open doors in this area, it was a cult american bistro. kalinga filled that void for kothrudkars, and the result is a house full bistro on almost every evening!!

lip-smacking non conventional food suiting indian taste buds and frugal on the pockets, level 5 is everything you'd want to have in a dine-out place: chique retro interiors, mixologies that are both interesting and potent, a full stocked bar, and food for every mood! couple that with the quarter century of in-house experience of the kalinga fraternity, and that makes their success formula almost lethal...

the menu is carefully curated considering the mixed fusion crowd that this place will witness. couple that again with conveniences like a robotised valet, and this place is an ideal bucket-list material!

i recently got an opportunity to taste a few of their delicacies and i realised why they are already giving other places a run for their money at such early stage in their business.

here's what we ordered:

𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙬𝙡
this took me back to san francisco's boudin bakery in the fisherman's wharf who is uber popular for their clam chowder in sourdough bread bowl. i had spent an entire week dunking that soup for dinner, and this seafood chowder took me down that memory lane...
creamy bisque in a house baked edible bread bowl was a fantastic start to our experience.
#donotmissthis!

4 𝙃𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙋𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙍𝙞𝙗𝙨
two generous portions of fatty ribs marinated overnight and slow cooked for over 4 hours is one of their specialities. it is rubbed with spices to suite indian taste buds, and the coriander chutney served with it is kickass! this was my first time of having coriander chutney with prom ribs and the combination was divine! full marks here..
#absolute_must_have

𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙞
i don't know many places in pune that serve crispy calamari fried to perfection. calamari is such a tricky seafood, ten seconds of overcooking it will make it chewy; it takes skilled hands to make calamari this good!
i will admit that this is the best calamari i have tasted in india so far, and it again took me down the memory lane of munching calamari in us.
order this with your beer, and you're settled.
#calamariloversrejoice
#highlyrecommended

𝙆𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙖 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣
this was a recent addition in their chef's special menu. chicken tenders cooked in coconut and curry leaves and red chillies made it a lethal combination. loved it.
#recommended

𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙁𝙚𝙩𝙖 𝙋𝙞𝙯𝙯𝙖
yeah, believe it. a vegetarian spinach pizza with caramelized onions and feta cheese. absolute delish. they have a secret up their sleeves to ensure that the think crust doesn't go soggy even after an hour of making the pizza. i have seriously never tasted a veg pizza so good!! #trytrytry

𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙧
i urge you to take a look at the picture while you read the description. where else have you seen a plate of burger so huge and fulfilling?
a tender grilled chicken patty with melted cheese is served with a coleslaw, fried onions, french fries, house salad and a spicy tomato dip. a burger couldn't get better than this! reminded me of american style burger plates
#must_try

with not an iota of space left for desserts, we still chose the chocolate bomb and a platter of alcoholic icecreams...

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙢𝙗
had a filling of berry compote and was served with a mousse and a vanilla ice cream.
the ice cream platter had an array of ice cream shots, all made in house, and filled with liquor. 𝙍𝙪𝙢 𝙣 𝙍𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙣 was my favourite pick out of it!

it doesn't matter which area you stay or what you like, level 5 is a place you wouldn't regret visiting for any occasion.

amrita shetty is a vibrant personality who tookgreatcare of every table on a busy wednesday evening. it was a pleasure meeting and knowing her.

another good one located this side of the city and so very central.
went there craving good cocktails and finger licking appetizers. did not disappoint at all
loved every single appetizer. each had a distinct and unique taste. the service was super quick.
we ordered asian mutton chops (very well cooked, yummy), feta jar (super hit), kerala pepper fry chicken, iranian chello chicken and chicken chakori. enjoyed every single one
rounded it off with the jhatkewali biryani and tiramisu, chocolate cassata
they'd quite a few good twists on the regular cocktails.
all in all agreattime and good value for money

a superior level of food comes to kothrud
a modern bistro serves just perfect gourmet food from across global cuisine. located conveniently at erandwane, a plush tall building branded by the takshshila group of hotels. you will find level 5 just above - new kalinga veg.
a very cozy woody ambiance is very reminiscent of old english era. the place is spacious and is perfect for big groups and families. the dim lighting and soft music makes it a hot spot for couples as well.i personally liked the combination of brown and white tones around, very rustic yet classy. posters of different destinations of the world such as rome, paris etc can be seen on the walls adding to the artistic feature. glass windows with wooden frames and natural green view from it makes the atmosphere quite refreshing and comfortable. the walls are done aesthetically with brick lamination and lamps hung from the ceiling are quite picturesque.the dessert counter at the entrance is very smartly placed. a live bar counter at situated in a corner suits the entire ambiance.

the most special quality about this place is its food. precision and presentation at its best.almost everything i had was flawless but let me begin with the special mentions. something you must not miss by any chance

#special_mentions.

1) passion fruit cocktail - very thoughtful of trying this. its a thick yet smooth blend of vodka that's infused passion fruit. crushed green chillies add to the extra zing. the result is an incredible blend! loved the mixology of sweet fruit and spicy chillies. totally my kind of drink.

2) the seafood chowder - a soulful soup that will transit you to the divine. i totally loved every sip of it.the moment this was placed in front of me, i knew it was gonna be amazing as it filled the place with its soothing aromas. a creamy super-soft soup comes in a bun bread bowl. yes the most attractive thing about this is the presentation. served in freshly homemade bun garnished with a shrimp.dip the bread in the soup and finish the soup with the bread. this soup is a treasure mix of squids, prawns, baby octopus and fish. potatoes and sweet corn contribute starch and sweetness to the soup. a hot herby soup that is a satisfying and hearty meal. #avery_strong_recommendation

3) pork ribs( 4 hour pork ribs) - for me this is the ''superstar dish at level 5'' #fantabulously_mesmerising_pork. rarely in pune will you find such a gem that will satisfy your craving of a perfectly cooked pork. gorge this with your eyes and wait till it melts in your mouth. a burst of spicy caramelized flavors will leave you hankering for more.the bone falling off the meat is a significance of perfection that has been aced by the chef. along with this your plate comes with a dash of green sauce thats perfect to go with the pork and caramelized onions wit cinnamon and star anise that compliments the balance completely. have this and thank me later. #mustmusthave

4) signature pizza - creamy spinach, caramelized onion and feta - 12 inch thin crust pizza that is crispy and wowoliciously delicious.i'am not a pizza person and even then if this is on my list of special mentions then it must be really worth a try. its not like your normal heavy dose pizza, its light and crunchy and the the minimalist toppings make it a perfect appetizer to go with drinks. #dotryit

5) level 5 gourmet ice-cream - if you have had the best of natural ice-creams and yet feel something missing go have this.their ice-creams are simple yet the best one ive this season. they serve handmade liquor ice-creams that are swanking in fantastic flavors. the one i tasted was the rum and raisins ice-cream - loaded with the goodness of rum thats outstanding. a very strong flavor that will keep lingering in your mouth for long. #musthave

apart from the above we also enjoyed somegreatfood that was coming quickly one after the other.

fried calamari - a simple dish with agreattaste. crumb fried calamari served with a mayo dip. crunch crunch all the way. its an unstoppable snack, good to go with your drinks. the quantity you see in the pic below is actually half of the actual one.

kerala style chicken -( chef spl menu) - a typical southern style dish with a lot of omph. big red chillies, lots of roasted coconut and curry leaves leave an unending impression. lipsmackingly good sukka chicken cooked to perfection again. one look at it and you will start to feel hungry again. #dontmissit

chicken steak burger (rs 350) - huge and grumpy- fully loaded burger with- no - not a patty- its real chicken steak inside juicy and succulent. crispy lettuce in layers with chicken and gooey yellow cheddar cheese add to the glory of this burger. the entire dish with two side salads , and french fries is a complete brunch for a single person.a complete guilty pleasure.
p.s - the smoked tomato sauce is a golden hat to this dish #maddening

chocolate bomb- a dark chocolate sphere topped with goodness of berry compote. polished this off with chilled vanilla icecream and whipped cream. #fantasticdessert

while we were enjoying the food i noticed the swelling crowd on a weekday. the service was commendable not only at our table but also the other tables, the food looked beautiful and people were having a merry time. the owner herself looks into customer service and delight. i found her to be very compassionate towards the restaurant and the food which is under her scrutiny. i had agreattime and will be back to try more stuff from the menu. i so wanna try the octopus.

p.s - must check the fully automated parking space. the technology is definitely worth a watch. applauds to the master mind behind this. it accommodates more than 80 cars. customers can visit this place without any fear of parking issues.

it's a very beautiful place with agreatambience & classic interiors. the food is really good. service is quick and service staff is friendly. had agreatexperience.

i have been there a few times a few years back and it wasgreatback then . this time around the food was tasteless.. we had ordered mezze platter and the dips were too less in qty. chicken starter and main course we're quite tasteless... the dessert wad fabulous though ..

food- ordered several types of nonveg pizzas of which the barbeque chicken pizza tasted especially great.
service- ordering through your phone is agreatfacility and you aren't left waiting for your waiter to take your order.one of the plates given to us was not properly washed though the staff was quick to respond and replace it.
ambience- the wooden interiors give a contemporary and yet elegant vibe and absorbs you in comfort quickly

level 5,

as the name, like is the place....5 stars to level 5!

a restaurant for family with twist to the regular desi menu choice. you get here almost of the international cuisines.

we had chicken banjara kabab, chicken manchurian (dry), paneer tikka pizza, italian cassata semifredo

chicken banjara kebab, we expected it to be roasted, but likely this was boiled before roasting, not my type. kebabs are good if are roasted, though still tender to eat. little disappointed!

chicken manchurian (dry) just the perfect one i could have got! perfect blend of the soy sauce with other ingredients! you should definitely go for it!

well, not to only have starters, so ordered p.t.p (paneer tikka pizza) thin crust, 12". anothergreatchoice with thin crust. it works well when you still want to pamper your taste buds with delicious paneer tikka, and not just full up eating bread.

last and the most awaited, what we also see trending on instagram, we ordered italian cassata semifredo.

truly lip smacking experience!

recommended, do visit!

amazing taste, considerate proportions andgreatambience! the sushi is amazing! flourless lasagna a must! definitely recommend a visit!

5* dining level 5 bistro and bar north indian, asian, salad erandwane t positive taste price quality price vs portion ratio amazing food! definitely visit this place, you won't regret it. best food in pune l've tasted so far, and have been to many places. everything was on point, from the hummus to the dumplings, loved the cocktails as well. cosy ambience,greatservice and good value for money.
thanks to caiptan narsing he suggested us good and tasty food

amazing food! definitely visit this place, you won't regret it. best food in pune i've tasted so far, and have been to many places. everything was on point, from the hummus to the dumplings, loved the cocktails as well. cosy ambience,greatservice and good value for money.

starters
1) mezeh platter - the highlight of the evening for me. hummus, feta cheese and beetroot falafal was great

2) smokey cottage cheese - was good but way too overpowered by the clove and cardommon, left a strong after taste.

3) classic cheese pull apart - was tasty but smaller than my expectation

4) wild mushroom soup - no salt and garlic - seemed a rushed preparation of just cooked and mashed mushrooms

5) dessert tiramisu - was good but how do you eat without a spoon?

2 floors -
5th floor:- a lot more noisy and chaotic loud music. dark negative energy and drowsy drunken. it seems like people want to hide from other people in that crowd and darkness and hence choose level 5 :).
4th floor :- ambience is inviting.greatfor a group dinner with friends or family. much more positive feel than the negative dark pub bar feel upstairs.
service was lousy. it might be because of low staff availibility. even shortness of cutlery and again slow service.
no soup spoons or dessert spoons.

food could have been better.
for a place that serves almost all dishes/cusines from half the globe it was as if cooking was rushed, even though there were only around 20 25 people on the whole 4th floor.

it's still a 7 out of 10 for me.

level 5 bistro and bar in erandwane might just be the most classy and highest rated place to have food around pune. a testament that old school dining can still exist and impress everyone. located in erandwane near nal stop, level 5 is a large restaurant with a massive parking area for both two wheelers and four wheelers. something which is very rare these days. it is located on the 5th floor with indoor seating. the ambience is reallygreatwith old school wooden chair and tables. loved it. the tables are well spaced and very comfortable. we visited level 5 on a saturday evening for dinner. the place was almost full but we got a table right away as we had prebooked one. level 5 specializes in serving a wide range of oriental, indian and continental cusine. they also serve craft beer which is one of their specialities. we ordered paneer chettinad khasta roti tacos and paneer tikka pizza along with strawberry cheescake shake and virgin mojito. the paneer chettinad khasta roti tacos was a very indian dish presented in a mexican manner. the tacos were made out of roti and the stuffing consisted of succulent pieces of paneer along with veggies. loved it. beautiful presentation. the paneer tikka pizza was equallygreatand really well suited for indian pallettes. it pretty much consisted of spicy paneer and cheese along with a few veggies topped with chaat masala.a beautiful example of how a few simple ingredients can add up to make a wonderful dish. the addition of chaat masala to elevate the taste was a very indian thing to do and worked miraculously. the strawberry cheescake shake was delightful. virgin mojito wasgreatas well. for desserts, we ordered chocolate bomb which was beaitifully presented. it was really a big bang of flavours. a must try. the staff is polite although sometimes it became quite a task to grab their attention. the service is satisfactory. good quality and quantity. reasonable prices considering the overall experience you get here. a reallygreatplace to spend time with your friends and family and enjoy some reallygreatfood.

hello! i visited level 5 yesterday and whoever is reading this i hope you do take this seriously, because i am pretty serious about the issue that my girl-friends and i faced at your restaurant.
firstly, i would like to say that your place has agreatambience,greatvibe and amazing food, literally. however, you’ll could use some help with the staff working at the restaurant.
we were a group of 6 people that had lunch at level 5 - 3 females and 3 males. i believe it’s important to mention the gender because you’ll are so persistent on it.
to make it clear, we faced sexism at your restaurant only because we were females. firstly, the waiter who came in to take out orders only asked the girls for their id proof and not the boys as if their ages was painted on their faces and secondly, the same waiter also completed ignored us while pouring some beer, even when we are of the legal age to consume beer.
it really isn’t the mostgreatfeeling in the world when you are out with your friends to have a good time and some sexist person refuses to respect you.
i hope you’ll look into this matter considering you’ll care so much about your customers, i am talking in reference to the “we care” posters that you’ll have pasted everywhere on the bathroom walls but fail to do so in reality. maybe you’ll should also add “anti-sexist” staff to that list, so next time you have a 100% satisfied customers leaving your restaurant than just 75%.
thank you, hope this feedback reaches you on a positive note

mushroom and artichoke pizza- taste wise 8/10,greatto snack on while drinking beer👌🏾
ham and cheese croissant - personal favorite, quite heavy and extremely tasty
london style fish and chips - if you like your food to be spicy you won't find this satisfying enough but otherwise great👍
strawberry cheesecake shake - tastes like plain strawberry milkshake
cookie and walnut shake - 6/10

great food,greatambience. portion sizes are decent, discount on weekday lunch time,greatvariety of cuisines. staff is friendly.