Been busy with my upcoming move so haven't really posted in the last coupla months. Was browsing my haunt for food related questions Another Subcontinent where someone asked me to chip in on the Hyderabad discussion with my recommendations.
I'm reproducing my post here.
"Paradise does a good "special biryani" {mix of mutton & chicken} if u don't mind the oil. Its located just off the main road & any auto guy will take u there if u tell them.
Bawarchi's biryani is low on the masala. ITs more of a boiled rice mixed with coked chicken & this is not my type of biryani at all. Their quantity is solid tho.
My personal favorite in Hyderabad is "Hyderabad House" they have outlets all over the city & do a takeaway service & home delivery for a rs 30 charge. Their biryani is quite yummilicious & best eaten at the restaurant itself. If u r eating at hyderabad house, don't miss the shikampuri's. (I pack them & freeze them to bring back to Bombay when I visit hyderabad. ) The chicken roast is a slightly sweetish semi gravy item but worth trying. try the chicken 65 if u don't mind moderately spicy food.
Nayaab & Shadaab near the charminar do excellent biryani's. Ask for the AC section if u plan to eat at the restaurant. ITs slightly cleaner & people won't stare as much. They do some excellent spare parts too like brain, liver, kidneys, paya & tongue for the non-faint-hearted.
Abhiruchi near Nankind does a lovely biryani, low on oil. More of a pulao. But if u go to Abhiruchi to eat then definitely have their thali. Unlimited servings, the best ghee ever (I've lived in the cowbelt heartland too, but no better ghee than that served at Abhiruchi) If u want to turn the meal non vegetarian ask for a chicken roast or chicken liver masala as a side order.
The times food guide for Hyderabad is TERRIBLE. Absolutely useless compared to the Bombay & Delhi versions. The guy who writes it startes all reviews as "One of the best biryani's in hyderabad" or some similar statement. Its only good for having a ready reference to addresses & phone numbers.
Other places I would recommend
Dhola Ri Dhani on the outskirts of the city does a wonderful Rajasthani thali & the service is wonderful. The setting is that of a rajasthani village & the service is absolutely amazing. Its a little distance to cover but worth the drive for sure. Wonderfully tasty rajasthani veg food served with oodles of butter & love.
Haveli in the Lifestyle building does a great hyderabadi buffet for lunch at reasonable rates (around 150-200 per person) Biryani is always on the menu. gongura mamsam is a high possibility.
Ten downing street in the same building is also worth a trip for lunch for their amazing shepherds pie. The rest of the food is good too. For lunch they have an offer of main course + soup/softdrink/beer + dessert.
Ramazan is coming up soon & haleem will be available all over the city. definitely try & shift travel dates to try & get a taste of Hyderabadi Haleem.
Thats what i can remember off hand, will add more as i remember."
Showing posts with label Hyderabad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hyderabad. Show all posts
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Wednesday, March 2, 2005
Hyderabad - Rayalseema Ruchulu
Rayalseema Ruchulu
Hyderabad
5510 0033, 5510 0044
Havent eaten at the restaurant itself, but have ordered food home, once in a way.
RR offers typical Andhra dishes, with the signature spiciness inherent in Andhra food.
They have some interesting innovations in rotis such as sajja roti (18) & Jonna roti (11) I would be hard pressed to describe them or the uingredients that go into their making, but let me assure you that they are quite tasty.
The chicken pulao (59) is in the andhra (not hyderabadi) style. They have an excellent starter called the rayalseema special chicken (68) which are something like cutlets, but yet different. Very interesting & a really good snack with whatever drinks you may be serving. Slighlty on the spicier side but then that’s what makes it interesting.
They serve a pretty mean brain fry (62) and mamasam kheema (82) too. Only thing being that though the rates look lower compared to other hotels, the quantitites on these main dishes are a little on the smaller side too. So you may need to order 1.5 times the amount you order from other places.
TO sum it up, I would say, food from Rayalseema Ruchulu is tasty & interesting.
Hyderabad
5510 0033, 5510 0044
Havent eaten at the restaurant itself, but have ordered food home, once in a way.
RR offers typical Andhra dishes, with the signature spiciness inherent in Andhra food.
They have some interesting innovations in rotis such as sajja roti (18) & Jonna roti (11) I would be hard pressed to describe them or the uingredients that go into their making, but let me assure you that they are quite tasty.
The chicken pulao (59) is in the andhra (not hyderabadi) style. They have an excellent starter called the rayalseema special chicken (68) which are something like cutlets, but yet different. Very interesting & a really good snack with whatever drinks you may be serving. Slighlty on the spicier side but then that’s what makes it interesting.
They serve a pretty mean brain fry (62) and mamasam kheema (82) too. Only thing being that though the rates look lower compared to other hotels, the quantitites on these main dishes are a little on the smaller side too. So you may need to order 1.5 times the amount you order from other places.
TO sum it up, I would say, food from Rayalseema Ruchulu is tasty & interesting.
Hyderabad - Eat Street
Eat Street
Necklace Road
Hyderabad
Eat Street is a lovely place opened on the lake on Necklace Road. Theres a play area for children with lovely multi hued flowers growing abundantly. There's a permanent merry-go-round & baby cars & things like that. They also have boating on the lake originating from the premises.
The seating is partly open air and partly under a cover which is still open to the lake on the side. But if all you want is a place to sip a coffee & relax with your book or friends, then take your coffee & head upstairs, the feeling there is even more relaxed.
Eat Street is a Food court. So you have Pizza Hut, Minerva Coffee Shop, Baskin robbins & others. Rest assured there are enough choices whether you are looking for a coffe, ice-cream, snacks, chaat or a proper meal.
The Chinese served at "Wok of the Town" was quite good. The combos for 95/- include some noodles/rice, a main dish & a starter. Really worth it & quite filling. Their chicken pepper salt was also quite interesting for 65/-
The "Chat Room" serves an array of chaat items. Tried the Dahi Poori (25) & Pani Puri (20). Tasty & clean with the joy of eating it on the lake side. Definitley round up your chaat with the jelebis (20). They are absolutely amazing & a must try. If you are thirsty with all the chaat, have the Badam Milk (25). There are a lot of pakodas & other fried stuff too thats available. I'd rank this second on the chaat available in Hyderabad. Ohris Banjara being the best. And oh yeah, the Pani Puri @ Gangotris near 36, Jubilee hills is very good, though the rest of their chaat isnt.
At the Indian counter "Wah Hyderabad", you can get an assortment of Mughlai & Hyderabadi dishes. The combo at 95 includes rice, roti, dry & wet sabji in veg & non veg options. Very filling, so quite a VFM. If you want to add on something, try the chicken 65 for 60/- and complete your meal.
Then take a walk around the palce to digest all that you have just eaten & enjoy the view some more. Quite a romantic place too. If you want to take your date out to a place, which wont burn a hole in your wallet, then eat Street is the place to go.
Necklace Road
Hyderabad
Eat Street is a lovely place opened on the lake on Necklace Road. Theres a play area for children with lovely multi hued flowers growing abundantly. There's a permanent merry-go-round & baby cars & things like that. They also have boating on the lake originating from the premises.
The seating is partly open air and partly under a cover which is still open to the lake on the side. But if all you want is a place to sip a coffee & relax with your book or friends, then take your coffee & head upstairs, the feeling there is even more relaxed.
Eat Street is a Food court. So you have Pizza Hut, Minerva Coffee Shop, Baskin robbins & others. Rest assured there are enough choices whether you are looking for a coffe, ice-cream, snacks, chaat or a proper meal.
The Chinese served at "Wok of the Town" was quite good. The combos for 95/- include some noodles/rice, a main dish & a starter. Really worth it & quite filling. Their chicken pepper salt was also quite interesting for 65/-
The "Chat Room" serves an array of chaat items. Tried the Dahi Poori (25) & Pani Puri (20). Tasty & clean with the joy of eating it on the lake side. Definitley round up your chaat with the jelebis (20). They are absolutely amazing & a must try. If you are thirsty with all the chaat, have the Badam Milk (25). There are a lot of pakodas & other fried stuff too thats available. I'd rank this second on the chaat available in Hyderabad. Ohris Banjara being the best. And oh yeah, the Pani Puri @ Gangotris near 36, Jubilee hills is very good, though the rest of their chaat isnt.
At the Indian counter "Wah Hyderabad", you can get an assortment of Mughlai & Hyderabadi dishes. The combo at 95 includes rice, roti, dry & wet sabji in veg & non veg options. Very filling, so quite a VFM. If you want to add on something, try the chicken 65 for 60/- and complete your meal.
Then take a walk around the palce to digest all that you have just eaten & enjoy the view some more. Quite a romantic place too. If you want to take your date out to a place, which wont burn a hole in your wallet, then eat Street is the place to go.
Hyderabad - Painted Platters
Painted Platters
85, 8 avenue
Road No. 3
Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad
5568 6444, 5568 6555
Painted platters in the outdoor seating part of where "Galloping Gooseberry" used to be. ("Galloping Gooseberry" re-opened last week as "grandma's" - quite apt given the time taken for service.....)
Don't let the terrible service of Galloping Gooseberry/Grandma's deter you from visitng Painted Platters. The service outide is seperately managed and quite well run. Given the effort put into decorating each plate, you don’t mind the slight delay, esp given the surroundings.
The menu is innovative to say the least. When you sit down, you are handed a literary masterpiece. And before you wonder if you have reached a library by mistake, you realise that the menu is integrated into the book.
The number of items on the menu is around 20 but each one of them is worth tasting at least once. The first 2/3's of the menu is constant, but the Viennese section is changed every quarter.
The presentation of each dessert is amazing. (before I forget, thet only serve desserts) If you have ever looked longingly/hungrily at the pictures of food in imported cookbooks, then this is where you get to see these dreamy concoctions come alive.
A lot of the desserts, have fruit bases or components. But there are more than enough varieties for chocoholics, like me. The Missisipi mud Pie @ 130 is a all time favorite at Painted Platters. The Viennese Alhambra at 95/- was also good with its sponge cake layers et al. Finished it off with a Malakov torte (105/-) which was absolute sin, loaded with alcohol.
So, forget all your diets & calorie counting, if you truly want to freak out at Painted Platters. There's free home delivery, in a 5km radius, if you order for 3 or more desserts. You can even pick up parcels from the place itself.
85, 8 avenue
Road No. 3
Banjara Hills,
Hyderabad
5568 6444, 5568 6555
Painted platters in the outdoor seating part of where "Galloping Gooseberry" used to be. ("Galloping Gooseberry" re-opened last week as "grandma's" - quite apt given the time taken for service.....)
Don't let the terrible service of Galloping Gooseberry/Grandma's deter you from visitng Painted Platters. The service outide is seperately managed and quite well run. Given the effort put into decorating each plate, you don’t mind the slight delay, esp given the surroundings.
The menu is innovative to say the least. When you sit down, you are handed a literary masterpiece. And before you wonder if you have reached a library by mistake, you realise that the menu is integrated into the book.
The number of items on the menu is around 20 but each one of them is worth tasting at least once. The first 2/3's of the menu is constant, but the Viennese section is changed every quarter.
The presentation of each dessert is amazing. (before I forget, thet only serve desserts) If you have ever looked longingly/hungrily at the pictures of food in imported cookbooks, then this is where you get to see these dreamy concoctions come alive.
A lot of the desserts, have fruit bases or components. But there are more than enough varieties for chocoholics, like me. The Missisipi mud Pie @ 130 is a all time favorite at Painted Platters. The Viennese Alhambra at 95/- was also good with its sponge cake layers et al. Finished it off with a Malakov torte (105/-) which was absolute sin, loaded with alcohol.
So, forget all your diets & calorie counting, if you truly want to freak out at Painted Platters. There's free home delivery, in a 5km radius, if you order for 3 or more desserts. You can even pick up parcels from the place itself.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Abhiruchi - Hyderabad
Abhiruchi
Near Paradise Circle
2789 6565
The absolute best Andhra Thali in town. Priced about 50/- its unlimited papads, fried chillies, rasam, sambhar, curd, 3 veg dishes, dhal palak, rice & roti are an absolute steal. The crowning glory, is their melted ghee which is the closest I have come to tasting ambrosia. Its supplied in unlimited quantities & enhances the flavor of everything.
This place is normallty crowded every afternoon & evening, but believe me, its more than worth the wait.
If you would like to add some non-vegetarian dishes to your meal, just ask for the chicken roast. A very well sauteed chicken in an amazingly spicy, yet not too spicy masala for about 75/-. The chicken liver fry at 45/- is a must try, if you want to add iron to your meal :)
And for someone not interested in a thali, just order the chicken biryani for 60/-. Its the andhra pulao variety & I personally favor it over the Paradise variety.
Don't look for ambience & comfy seating. Its just manageable. The decor would rank about 2.5, but the food would rank a 4.8 on a 5 point scale. Service is 4.
They also deliver around the vicinity for orders above 300/-. Call 2789 6565 for placing an order.
Near Paradise Circle
2789 6565
The absolute best Andhra Thali in town. Priced about 50/- its unlimited papads, fried chillies, rasam, sambhar, curd, 3 veg dishes, dhal palak, rice & roti are an absolute steal. The crowning glory, is their melted ghee which is the closest I have come to tasting ambrosia. Its supplied in unlimited quantities & enhances the flavor of everything.
This place is normallty crowded every afternoon & evening, but believe me, its more than worth the wait.
If you would like to add some non-vegetarian dishes to your meal, just ask for the chicken roast. A very well sauteed chicken in an amazingly spicy, yet not too spicy masala for about 75/-. The chicken liver fry at 45/- is a must try, if you want to add iron to your meal :)
And for someone not interested in a thali, just order the chicken biryani for 60/-. Its the andhra pulao variety & I personally favor it over the Paradise variety.
Don't look for ambience & comfy seating. Its just manageable. The decor would rank about 2.5, but the food would rank a 4.8 on a 5 point scale. Service is 4.
They also deliver around the vicinity for orders above 300/-. Call 2789 6565 for placing an order.
Tex Mex - Hyderabad
Tex Mex
Plot No 217
2nd Floor
Road No 2
Banjara Hills
Hyderabad 500 034
Ph : 2354 0600
Located on the ground floor of Coco's, the decor is still stuck on Shikaar & so is the menu.
There are a couple of mexican items on the menu. Oops let me rephrase that. There are a couple of mexican names on the menu. If Ruby Tuesday ever saw what they serve here as Potato skins (110)..............
Tried the sopa de tortilla (60) which wasnt too bad & some chicken wings (100) that were only slightly better than what dominoes delivers & then we headed elsewhere to continue dinner.
It wasnt that the food was bad or not tasty. It just wasnt mexican. It was indian food with mexican names, not even a semblance of a cross cultural fusion. Plain & simple Indian, with a distinct leaning to punjabi cuisine. If you are looking for real tex mex food, take a trip to Bangalore & eat at the joint off commercial street. I cant remember the name right now, but the food there is fabulous, the one at forum mall in Bangalore cant compare to that mexican joint. can anyone help me with the name ?????
also heard theres a great mexican joint in chennai.....
When in delhi, head to ruby tuesday. Potato skins & a chocolate tall boy & you are ready to sleep like a baby.
OK im digressing all over the place, so will stop right here.
Plot No 217
2nd Floor
Road No 2
Banjara Hills
Hyderabad 500 034
Ph : 2354 0600
Located on the ground floor of Coco's, the decor is still stuck on Shikaar & so is the menu.
There are a couple of mexican items on the menu. Oops let me rephrase that. There are a couple of mexican names on the menu. If Ruby Tuesday ever saw what they serve here as Potato skins (110)..............
Tried the sopa de tortilla (60) which wasnt too bad & some chicken wings (100) that were only slightly better than what dominoes delivers & then we headed elsewhere to continue dinner.
It wasnt that the food was bad or not tasty. It just wasnt mexican. It was indian food with mexican names, not even a semblance of a cross cultural fusion. Plain & simple Indian, with a distinct leaning to punjabi cuisine. If you are looking for real tex mex food, take a trip to Bangalore & eat at the joint off commercial street. I cant remember the name right now, but the food there is fabulous, the one at forum mall in Bangalore cant compare to that mexican joint. can anyone help me with the name ?????
also heard theres a great mexican joint in chennai.....
When in delhi, head to ruby tuesday. Potato skins & a chocolate tall boy & you are ready to sleep like a baby.
OK im digressing all over the place, so will stop right here.
Coco's - Hyderabad
Coco's
Plot No 217
2nd Floor
Road No 2
Banjara Hills
Hyderabad 500 034
Ph : 2354 0600
Located opposite the KBR park, a lot has been written about the wonderful view from Coco's. Honestly, there's hardly anything that you can see once you reach there.
Its located on the terrace of the building which also houses, Shikaar, Tex Mex & Sundowner. The set up is neat. Its partly open air & the weather in Feb is ideal for this seating, late evenings. The seating is on bamboo based furniture & theres an artificial gravel kind of flooring in one section. The other section has more formalised tables which are more comfortable for eating. But if you want to relax & enjoy your drink, head to the bamboo section.
Music is played softly in the background. Theres an outstanding picture window behind th bar, which is lit from the outside, so you can see these tree branches, wherever you are seated.
This is the only open air, drinking hole, that I know of in Hyderabad. Crowd mix is between family types & friends catching up. Service is a little slow & you have to keep asking them for things like chutney, sauce & lime to go with the snacks you order. But the sheepish grin your request is accepted with, makes it kind of ok. Complimentary peanuts come with each round of drinks. BOB is around 120. Pint is 80. Cocktails in the 200 range. Mocktails a little lower. We stuck to beer.
Their kebabs are excellent. Definitely try the reshmi kebab. Or, if you are really hungry, order the kebab platter for 450/-. With 12 varieties of kebabs, 2 naans & dhal, its very worth it. They have a live grill section, on the rooftop itself, but we weren't in the mood. Anyone else try the grills @ Coco's ??? The Spinach stuffed mushrooms for 80/-, were a little bland & seemed like they had been defrosted just before frying. So, do stick to the kebabs. They do offer some items that are passable for dinner, but would advise dinner somewhere else.
All in all, it’s a nice place to catch a drink if you want a change from a noisy pub on a Sunday evening or if there's a little kid among the group that’s meeting up. But just stick to the kebabs.
Plot No 217
2nd Floor
Road No 2
Banjara Hills
Hyderabad 500 034
Ph : 2354 0600
Located opposite the KBR park, a lot has been written about the wonderful view from Coco's. Honestly, there's hardly anything that you can see once you reach there.
Its located on the terrace of the building which also houses, Shikaar, Tex Mex & Sundowner. The set up is neat. Its partly open air & the weather in Feb is ideal for this seating, late evenings. The seating is on bamboo based furniture & theres an artificial gravel kind of flooring in one section. The other section has more formalised tables which are more comfortable for eating. But if you want to relax & enjoy your drink, head to the bamboo section.
Music is played softly in the background. Theres an outstanding picture window behind th bar, which is lit from the outside, so you can see these tree branches, wherever you are seated.
This is the only open air, drinking hole, that I know of in Hyderabad. Crowd mix is between family types & friends catching up. Service is a little slow & you have to keep asking them for things like chutney, sauce & lime to go with the snacks you order. But the sheepish grin your request is accepted with, makes it kind of ok. Complimentary peanuts come with each round of drinks. BOB is around 120. Pint is 80. Cocktails in the 200 range. Mocktails a little lower. We stuck to beer.
Their kebabs are excellent. Definitely try the reshmi kebab. Or, if you are really hungry, order the kebab platter for 450/-. With 12 varieties of kebabs, 2 naans & dhal, its very worth it. They have a live grill section, on the rooftop itself, but we weren't in the mood. Anyone else try the grills @ Coco's ??? The Spinach stuffed mushrooms for 80/-, were a little bland & seemed like they had been defrosted just before frying. So, do stick to the kebabs. They do offer some items that are passable for dinner, but would advise dinner somewhere else.
All in all, it’s a nice place to catch a drink if you want a change from a noisy pub on a Sunday evening or if there's a little kid among the group that’s meeting up. But just stick to the kebabs.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Noodle Bar / Bombay Blues - Hyderabad
Noodle Bar / Bombay Blues
Hyderabad central
Punjagutta cross road
Tried out Bombay Blues and the food there was quite lousy. The sizzler, the nachos although world famous where quite bad. Bombay Blues is a place, I would not ever go back & eat at esp given that my expereince at Bombay Blues in Bangalore too was quite bad. Although friends who have eaten at the original bombay blues in its city of origin - bombay- found the expereince there quite good.
So, was initially hesitant to even try out Noodle Bar given that its run by the same company & they all share the same kitchen along with Copper Chimmney or so I presume. But the chinese soup @ bombay blues had been the only good dish, so in the interests of culinary discovery, decided to risk it. And, I'm really glad I did. I now eat at Noodle Bar at least once in 15 days.
The seating is oriental minimalistic, so if you have a back problem, then wait for one of the side tables to get free. Otherwise just seat yourself at the first available table.
Start out with the chicken steamed wanton with mushroom (149/-) The flavor is light & delicate. If you like your meals heavily spiced, then avoid this item. The Thai minced chicken salad (95) is pure meat decorated with 12 slivers of capsicum, so if you are looking for a dose of veggies in your salad, this ones not for you. But if you are looking for a light single item, this can serve as main course.
If you are in the mood for only soup, as I normally am, in the middle of winter, head straight for the broths. The half portions are an entire meal for people with a slightly healthy appetite. I'd love to see someone who can complete the full broth. If you can finish a full broth at one setting, then I might sponsor your broth : ) Try from the tom yum (thai spicy) the Miso (Japanese with soya) or the black pepper one. Priced about 75 for the half & 150 for full. The half can actually be split into 2 and it would still be more than other chinese restaurants serve in a soup.
you can even try out your own special combination (225). They hand you a paper with varieties of noodles, herbs, sauces, vegetables & meat. You chose, what you would like in your dish & the chef will rustle it up for you. Gives an entirely new twist to normal requests (like hold the tomato, or extra spicy please)
The sizzling chicken chilly (149) is also an entire meal with rice served along side. This is the best of the sizzlers that they serve in my book. The thai red chicken curry (159) is wonderful & coming from the southern coast, its comfort food for me. I have this when I'm missing mom's & grandmoms cooking & am too lazy to rustle it up myself. The rice is a little less given the quantity of gravy. (unlike ohris on the 3rd floor which gives too little gravy for the amount of rice in the dish) But you can order extra rice (39) and split the dish between 2 people, if you have had heavy starters.
One of my favorite restaurants in Hyderabad. The waiters now give me great service, but it could be a perk of being one of the regulars. Because if I remember right, service in the beginning wasnt too great.
A word of caution, if you are looking for Indian chinese then this isnt the place for you, head to Nanking...... (another of my favorites + he's got the new brighter space just opposite the original nanking, now if only v can do something about the taxi guy in that lane who blocks all the parking spaces.....)
Hyderabad central
Punjagutta cross road
Tried out Bombay Blues and the food there was quite lousy. The sizzler, the nachos although world famous where quite bad. Bombay Blues is a place, I would not ever go back & eat at esp given that my expereince at Bombay Blues in Bangalore too was quite bad. Although friends who have eaten at the original bombay blues in its city of origin - bombay- found the expereince there quite good.
So, was initially hesitant to even try out Noodle Bar given that its run by the same company & they all share the same kitchen along with Copper Chimmney or so I presume. But the chinese soup @ bombay blues had been the only good dish, so in the interests of culinary discovery, decided to risk it. And, I'm really glad I did. I now eat at Noodle Bar at least once in 15 days.
The seating is oriental minimalistic, so if you have a back problem, then wait for one of the side tables to get free. Otherwise just seat yourself at the first available table.
Start out with the chicken steamed wanton with mushroom (149/-) The flavor is light & delicate. If you like your meals heavily spiced, then avoid this item. The Thai minced chicken salad (95) is pure meat decorated with 12 slivers of capsicum, so if you are looking for a dose of veggies in your salad, this ones not for you. But if you are looking for a light single item, this can serve as main course.
If you are in the mood for only soup, as I normally am, in the middle of winter, head straight for the broths. The half portions are an entire meal for people with a slightly healthy appetite. I'd love to see someone who can complete the full broth. If you can finish a full broth at one setting, then I might sponsor your broth : ) Try from the tom yum (thai spicy) the Miso (Japanese with soya) or the black pepper one. Priced about 75 for the half & 150 for full. The half can actually be split into 2 and it would still be more than other chinese restaurants serve in a soup.
you can even try out your own special combination (225). They hand you a paper with varieties of noodles, herbs, sauces, vegetables & meat. You chose, what you would like in your dish & the chef will rustle it up for you. Gives an entirely new twist to normal requests (like hold the tomato, or extra spicy please)
The sizzling chicken chilly (149) is also an entire meal with rice served along side. This is the best of the sizzlers that they serve in my book. The thai red chicken curry (159) is wonderful & coming from the southern coast, its comfort food for me. I have this when I'm missing mom's & grandmoms cooking & am too lazy to rustle it up myself. The rice is a little less given the quantity of gravy. (unlike ohris on the 3rd floor which gives too little gravy for the amount of rice in the dish) But you can order extra rice (39) and split the dish between 2 people, if you have had heavy starters.
One of my favorite restaurants in Hyderabad. The waiters now give me great service, but it could be a perk of being one of the regulars. Because if I remember right, service in the beginning wasnt too great.
A word of caution, if you are looking for Indian chinese then this isnt the place for you, head to Nanking...... (another of my favorites + he's got the new brighter space just opposite the original nanking, now if only v can do something about the taxi guy in that lane who blocks all the parking spaces.....)
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Minerva Coffee Shop - Hyderabad
Minerva Coffee Shop
Amrutha Mall
Somajiguda
2341 5910, 2340 4635
A vegetarian restaurant thats open trhough the day for snacks & sundry items.
Seating is plush. The restaurant has a wide open feel to it, which tends to suprise given its location. The bathrooms are in the process of being done up, so hopefully, they will improve soon.
Their lunch thali, is supposed to be good, but havent tasted it yet. The dosas (around 30/-) are amazing. Definitely try the dynamite chilli ginger chutney that goes with the dosas. The idlis are soft & fluffy, the vadas (26/-) crisp & comforting in a way.
If you go at lunch time, apart from south India snacks, you can also order from the Chinese section which includes items like Baby corn and black pepper (90/-)
They have a range of drinks including lassi (33) Ice cream sodas & milkshakes.
Nice place to catch up on evening tea, mid morning coffee or a late lunch.
Food 3.8, Service 3.8, Decor 3.5
Amrutha Mall
Somajiguda
2341 5910, 2340 4635
A vegetarian restaurant thats open trhough the day for snacks & sundry items.
Seating is plush. The restaurant has a wide open feel to it, which tends to suprise given its location. The bathrooms are in the process of being done up, so hopefully, they will improve soon.
Their lunch thali, is supposed to be good, but havent tasted it yet. The dosas (around 30/-) are amazing. Definitely try the dynamite chilli ginger chutney that goes with the dosas. The idlis are soft & fluffy, the vadas (26/-) crisp & comforting in a way.
If you go at lunch time, apart from south India snacks, you can also order from the Chinese section which includes items like Baby corn and black pepper (90/-)
They have a range of drinks including lassi (33) Ice cream sodas & milkshakes.
Nice place to catch up on evening tea, mid morning coffee or a late lunch.
Food 3.8, Service 3.8, Decor 3.5
Big Byte Bakery - Hyderabad
Big Byte Bakery
Sri Nagar Colony
Hyderabad
2374 2471, 2373 7209
Big Byte is one of the better bakeries in Hyderabad. Not as good as Bakers Inn, but somewhere close. What a neo-hyderabadi must realise is that, bakeries in Hyderabad also serve as coffee shops. They are a progression of the Irani chai centres. So theres normally a large seating area and a lot of animated conversations happenning simultaneously at varius tables.
Big Byte is normally filled with a lot of college students who keep the atmosphere bright & peppy. They serve the normal savouries & sweets & also things like pizzas & burgers that are served fresh & hot. Pizzas (veg & non veg) range from 45-65 with an extra 10 for extra cheese. Burgers are in the 20-35 range. Sandwiches & cutlets (very tasty) are really reasonable at less than 15. Rolls are about 20 each.
There are also special snacks like chicken 65 (20/cup) tandoori chicken (25/piece) chicken drumstick (18/piece) chicken pie (12/piece) Do try the Chicken spring roll(20/-) thats is more indianised than the ones you get a chinese restaurants. The portions are small, but what else can you expect for these unbeatable prices. You can have your puffs hot at 10-15 bucks each & the pastry is really crisp/soft in thin layers.
Theres also a wide variety of pastries available. You can even order cakes by weight, ranging from 120/kg for a plain sponge cake to a chocolate chips n nuts for 300/kg. You can even have customised birthday cakes.
The food is tasty & great for end of the month days when the budget is tight because it is filling. They also do home deliveries for orders above 150/- call the above numbers for details.
Sri Nagar Colony
Hyderabad
2374 2471, 2373 7209
Big Byte is one of the better bakeries in Hyderabad. Not as good as Bakers Inn, but somewhere close. What a neo-hyderabadi must realise is that, bakeries in Hyderabad also serve as coffee shops. They are a progression of the Irani chai centres. So theres normally a large seating area and a lot of animated conversations happenning simultaneously at varius tables.
Big Byte is normally filled with a lot of college students who keep the atmosphere bright & peppy. They serve the normal savouries & sweets & also things like pizzas & burgers that are served fresh & hot. Pizzas (veg & non veg) range from 45-65 with an extra 10 for extra cheese. Burgers are in the 20-35 range. Sandwiches & cutlets (very tasty) are really reasonable at less than 15. Rolls are about 20 each.
There are also special snacks like chicken 65 (20/cup) tandoori chicken (25/piece) chicken drumstick (18/piece) chicken pie (12/piece) Do try the Chicken spring roll(20/-) thats is more indianised than the ones you get a chinese restaurants. The portions are small, but what else can you expect for these unbeatable prices. You can have your puffs hot at 10-15 bucks each & the pastry is really crisp/soft in thin layers.
Theres also a wide variety of pastries available. You can even order cakes by weight, ranging from 120/kg for a plain sponge cake to a chocolate chips n nuts for 300/kg. You can even have customised birthday cakes.
The food is tasty & great for end of the month days when the budget is tight because it is filling. They also do home deliveries for orders above 150/- call the above numbers for details.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Hyderabad - Pickles
Baseraa
SD Road
Pickles is a 24 hour coffee shop located within Hotel Baseraa on Sarojini Devi Road in Secunderabad. This is also part of the Ohris group.
The best part about Pickles are its buffets. Ranging between 150-250, they are true value for money. The weekday lunch buffet is amazing as is the midnight biryani buffet.
Pickles gets its name from the following custom:
While you are having your meal the waiter will come around with a pickle trolley which has around 15-20 different varieties of pickles ranging from the spicy to the sweet. Punjabi, andhra, north eastern.. you can try as many as you want and as much as you want.
Their a la carte menu too is good. With the sandwiches and Indian shepherds pie being highly recommended.
Also, if you like a nice chilled beer with your lunch, you can get it here. Pickles has a licence to serve alcohol.
SD Road
Pickles is a 24 hour coffee shop located within Hotel Baseraa on Sarojini Devi Road in Secunderabad. This is also part of the Ohris group.
The best part about Pickles are its buffets. Ranging between 150-250, they are true value for money. The weekday lunch buffet is amazing as is the midnight biryani buffet.
Pickles gets its name from the following custom:
While you are having your meal the waiter will come around with a pickle trolley which has around 15-20 different varieties of pickles ranging from the spicy to the sweet. Punjabi, andhra, north eastern.. you can try as many as you want and as much as you want.
Their a la carte menu too is good. With the sandwiches and Indian shepherds pie being highly recommended.
Also, if you like a nice chilled beer with your lunch, you can get it here. Pickles has a licence to serve alcohol.
Hyderbadi Cuisine - A Gourmet's Paradise
The City of minars, domes, modern buildings, and pearls is also known for its tasty cuisine with its ancient tradition. Though the glittering days of courts and courtiers of Hyderabad are over the twincities are still famous for its Nawabi cuisine.
Hyderabadi cuisine is a distinct dialogue in food based on the traditional method of combining sour and the sweet, the hot and the salty. One of the India's finest foods, the biryani is closely associated with Hyderabadi cooking. The kitchens of the Nizams served the rulers well and combined the Muslim influence of the Mughal court with the predominantly Hindu subculture, to cook up a cuisine that is the ultimate in the fine dining. So much so that even brinjal take the form of baghare.
Many restaurant and cafes offer these succulent dishes at the taster's choice. Tasting the Hyderabadi cuisine is an exquisite experience and its a gastronomic adventure that is distinct and selective. It is not wise to close on without mentioning the common man's all time drink - 'Hyderabadi Chai alias Irani Tea'.
The must try of all in Hyderabadi cuisine is the Ghosth Dum Biryani or the Kucte Ghosth ki Biryani - well done Basmati rice cooked with succelent pieces of meat laced with saffron and pure ghee, fresh out of the clay handi and Haleem. The Biryani is aromatic flavoured with saffron. It is presented with great flair in the clay pot itself to the eaters.
The Shikampuri Kebab ( Lamb minced Kebabs stuffed with yoghurt and onion) or the Chind tikka ( two sheek kebabs) served with a boti in between). For vegetarians - the Hera Kebab (spinach mixed with red gram and laced lightly with spices and cream). The succulent also, the Kebabs of potatoes with lot of vegetables and dry fruits.
For those who love fish is the mahi Dum Anari - fish filled rolled in pomegranate and cooked in pomegranate sauce and cooked on steam
Hyderabadi cuisine is a distinct dialogue in food based on the traditional method of combining sour and the sweet, the hot and the salty. One of the India's finest foods, the biryani is closely associated with Hyderabadi cooking. The kitchens of the Nizams served the rulers well and combined the Muslim influence of the Mughal court with the predominantly Hindu subculture, to cook up a cuisine that is the ultimate in the fine dining. So much so that even brinjal take the form of baghare.
Many restaurant and cafes offer these succulent dishes at the taster's choice. Tasting the Hyderabadi cuisine is an exquisite experience and its a gastronomic adventure that is distinct and selective. It is not wise to close on without mentioning the common man's all time drink - 'Hyderabadi Chai alias Irani Tea'.
The must try of all in Hyderabadi cuisine is the Ghosth Dum Biryani or the Kucte Ghosth ki Biryani - well done Basmati rice cooked with succelent pieces of meat laced with saffron and pure ghee, fresh out of the clay handi and Haleem. The Biryani is aromatic flavoured with saffron. It is presented with great flair in the clay pot itself to the eaters.
The Shikampuri Kebab ( Lamb minced Kebabs stuffed with yoghurt and onion) or the Chind tikka ( two sheek kebabs) served with a boti in between). For vegetarians - the Hera Kebab (spinach mixed with red gram and laced lightly with spices and cream). The succulent also, the Kebabs of potatoes with lot of vegetables and dry fruits.
For those who love fish is the mahi Dum Anari - fish filled rolled in pomegranate and cooked in pomegranate sauce and cooked on steam
Wednesday, December 1, 2004
Dublin - Hyderabad
Dublin - Welcompub
ITC Kakatiya Sheraton & Towers
6-3-1187
Begumpet
Hyderabad - 16
040 2340 0132 *2502
ITC trumpets their pub as : The Original Irish Pub, which offers an exciting array of drinks & cocktails.
Located in the basement, the décor is reminiscent of the Irish pubs in the US, but since Ive never been to Ireland, I cannot comment on the genuine authenticity of the décor. There's a pool table near one entrance where you can while away some time, if you so wish.
The crowd here is very mixed. You have some expat crowd, couple of sons of rich businessmen, some junta that troops in after or in the middle of attending functions in other parts of the Kakatiya. I guess the only uniting factor of this crowd would be that they are **Moneyed**
Which brings me to an important question - "Just what the Heck was 'I' doing there ?" Waiting for a friend who was on a Company Business Account, is a good reason and I thank the company in question for sponsoring our evening.
We ordered a Margarita Pitcher for 700 bucks. Decent amount of alcohol in the pitcher, though the glasses were oversalted. It’s a small Pitcher, so just about filled 4 margarita glasses. Don’t go expecting beer pitcher quantities. BOB is 150. MOB is 125. Pitcher is 425. + Taxes of course... They served Potato chips with tomato sauce dip and roasted peanuts complimentary on every table and you can keep ordering refills of this. Harder stuff is about 250 per 30 ml unless you are considering the higher premium brands. Mocktails / Cocktails are in the 250+ / 275+ range. We have no idea what the snacks cost. You will see why as you read further.
Music is fairly good for most part of the time. They usually have a live band with North Eastern women doing the normal song and dance routine and they are fairly good at it. But the kind of music played keeps varying based on who's requesting what and whether it’s the live band or a DJ.
The service absolutely sucks. Unless you have a fair skinned foreigner, who speaks accented English sitting at your table. When the 3 of us intially reached there, it took 20 minutes before a waiter brought us the menu. Drinks took another 30 minutes to arrive, once the order was placed. The waiter then took, over 40 minutes to revert when we asked him for the snacks menu. By the time he reverted to us, he said the kitchen was closed ! ! ! When an Amercian friend walked in and came over to our table to say hi, the same waiter who had waited for the kitchen to close before even getting us the snacks menu, mysteriously conjured up an extra chair, before the new arrival even turned around and requested one. Barely were the words "Fosters" out of his mouth and a well iced bottle materialised in his hand. We then told our American friend to ask for a water pitcher and lo & behold, it was placed in the centre of our table with a flourish and a dose of TLC. (We had been pleading for a pitcher of water for the last 4 hours and the waiter insisted he did not have a pitcher in the pub, inspite of serving us the Margaritas out of a pitcher)
Don’t visit unless you are a fair skinned foreigner, a high roller who is well known by the waiters, or have been sucked into attending a formal function at the Kakatiya, where no alcohol is being served, and you absolutely have to have your evening fortification, no matter how long it takes !
ITC Kakatiya Sheraton & Towers
6-3-1187
Begumpet
Hyderabad - 16
040 2340 0132 *2502
ITC trumpets their pub as : The Original Irish Pub, which offers an exciting array of drinks & cocktails.
Located in the basement, the décor is reminiscent of the Irish pubs in the US, but since Ive never been to Ireland, I cannot comment on the genuine authenticity of the décor. There's a pool table near one entrance where you can while away some time, if you so wish.
The crowd here is very mixed. You have some expat crowd, couple of sons of rich businessmen, some junta that troops in after or in the middle of attending functions in other parts of the Kakatiya. I guess the only uniting factor of this crowd would be that they are **Moneyed**
Which brings me to an important question - "Just what the Heck was 'I' doing there ?" Waiting for a friend who was on a Company Business Account, is a good reason and I thank the company in question for sponsoring our evening.
We ordered a Margarita Pitcher for 700 bucks. Decent amount of alcohol in the pitcher, though the glasses were oversalted. It’s a small Pitcher, so just about filled 4 margarita glasses. Don’t go expecting beer pitcher quantities. BOB is 150. MOB is 125. Pitcher is 425. + Taxes of course... They served Potato chips with tomato sauce dip and roasted peanuts complimentary on every table and you can keep ordering refills of this. Harder stuff is about 250 per 30 ml unless you are considering the higher premium brands. Mocktails / Cocktails are in the 250+ / 275+ range. We have no idea what the snacks cost. You will see why as you read further.
Music is fairly good for most part of the time. They usually have a live band with North Eastern women doing the normal song and dance routine and they are fairly good at it. But the kind of music played keeps varying based on who's requesting what and whether it’s the live band or a DJ.
The service absolutely sucks. Unless you have a fair skinned foreigner, who speaks accented English sitting at your table. When the 3 of us intially reached there, it took 20 minutes before a waiter brought us the menu. Drinks took another 30 minutes to arrive, once the order was placed. The waiter then took, over 40 minutes to revert when we asked him for the snacks menu. By the time he reverted to us, he said the kitchen was closed ! ! ! When an Amercian friend walked in and came over to our table to say hi, the same waiter who had waited for the kitchen to close before even getting us the snacks menu, mysteriously conjured up an extra chair, before the new arrival even turned around and requested one. Barely were the words "Fosters" out of his mouth and a well iced bottle materialised in his hand. We then told our American friend to ask for a water pitcher and lo & behold, it was placed in the centre of our table with a flourish and a dose of TLC. (We had been pleading for a pitcher of water for the last 4 hours and the waiter insisted he did not have a pitcher in the pub, inspite of serving us the Margaritas out of a pitcher)
Don’t visit unless you are a fair skinned foreigner, a high roller who is well known by the waiters, or have been sucked into attending a formal function at the Kakatiya, where no alcohol is being served, and you absolutely have to have your evening fortification, no matter how long it takes !
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Chinese Pavilion, Hyderabad
040 - 5578 5680 / 5578 5681
Located opp the Jalagam Vengalrao park in the same building as Zedds
(with the giant backlit "Z") on Banjara Hills Road no. 1.
I had heard a lot about this place too and when Nanking was too full up
and the waiting lines were too long, decided to try our Chinese Pavilion
as I was really hungry and in the mood for Chinese and not dressed for
Mainland China.
Chinese Pavilion is located in the basement of the building but has a
cute open feel to it because of the mirrored walls. Its well lit up and
the entrance is very welcoming. Service was very good and polite right
from the valets to the doorman to the manager to the waiters.
This is the first restaurant that Ive been to where the menu advises you
to order one course at a time so you eat as much as you can and donÂ’t
over order and waste food at the end. It also advises you to rely on the
waiter for recommendations. Both of which we adhered to. Though we ended
up eating more than normal in the bargain. The food was that good.
The fried wontons at 140/- were light and crispy and especially
delicious with the sweet n sour green sauce. The soups in the range of
65/- were tasty and quite authentic. The Crispy lamb was 155/- and
innovative in its use of sesame seeds. The Pan fried noodles 100/- in a
white sauce were so tasty that no extra sauces needed to be added. The
manager recommended that we finish with a brownie Sundae 110/- which was
quite good, especially the brownie part of it. But for that money, Id
still prefer to drive up to Ohri's and have the "Awful Awful"
Good place, will definitely put it down among my favorites for repeat
visits in Hyderabad.
Located opp the Jalagam Vengalrao park in the same building as Zedds
(with the giant backlit "Z") on Banjara Hills Road no. 1.
I had heard a lot about this place too and when Nanking was too full up
and the waiting lines were too long, decided to try our Chinese Pavilion
as I was really hungry and in the mood for Chinese and not dressed for
Mainland China.
Chinese Pavilion is located in the basement of the building but has a
cute open feel to it because of the mirrored walls. Its well lit up and
the entrance is very welcoming. Service was very good and polite right
from the valets to the doorman to the manager to the waiters.
This is the first restaurant that Ive been to where the menu advises you
to order one course at a time so you eat as much as you can and donÂ’t
over order and waste food at the end. It also advises you to rely on the
waiter for recommendations. Both of which we adhered to. Though we ended
up eating more than normal in the bargain. The food was that good.
The fried wontons at 140/- were light and crispy and especially
delicious with the sweet n sour green sauce. The soups in the range of
65/- were tasty and quite authentic. The Crispy lamb was 155/- and
innovative in its use of sesame seeds. The Pan fried noodles 100/- in a
white sauce were so tasty that no extra sauces needed to be added. The
manager recommended that we finish with a brownie Sundae 110/- which was
quite good, especially the brownie part of it. But for that money, Id
still prefer to drive up to Ohri's and have the "Awful Awful"
Good place, will definitely put it down among my favorites for repeat
visits in Hyderabad.
Y2K Tandoori, Hyderabad
Located at the crossroads of Ameerpet, Khairatabad opposite where the
new PVR mall is opening up, this isnt a place you would normally think
of eating from. But given the feedback we received regarding this place,
we decided to give it a try and have been hooked ever since.
The Tandoori items are available only post 7pm but the rest of the
delicacies are served through the day. Right now, haleem is being sold
too, in both Mutton and chicken variations. They are really yummy, one
of the better haleem offerrings in the city. Make sure to advise them to
add extra fried onions, it improves the taste and texture dramatically.
They have a free home delivery system for orders above 150/- Hence Ive
never really sat down at their restaurant which they say is air
conditioned, but all Ive seen on my way past is a sales counter.
Must try's here are the chicken biryani - delicately flavored. The
pepper chicken - chinese style but packs a punch. Rumali roti's- really
soft and stay soft even after a couple of hours. Now I know where to
pick up rumalis for my dinner parties. Haleem- available only during
ramzan.
Having come in from Delhi, the kebab offerrings werent really
impressive, but pretty decent for Hyderabad standards.
Haleem costs 40/- for a whole plate. Chicken biryani is 70/- and
rumali's are 6 each to give you an idea that this place's food is worth
it for the odd night when u donÂ’t feel like cooking and are too tired to
go out.
new PVR mall is opening up, this isnt a place you would normally think
of eating from. But given the feedback we received regarding this place,
we decided to give it a try and have been hooked ever since.
The Tandoori items are available only post 7pm but the rest of the
delicacies are served through the day. Right now, haleem is being sold
too, in both Mutton and chicken variations. They are really yummy, one
of the better haleem offerrings in the city. Make sure to advise them to
add extra fried onions, it improves the taste and texture dramatically.
They have a free home delivery system for orders above 150/- Hence Ive
never really sat down at their restaurant which they say is air
conditioned, but all Ive seen on my way past is a sales counter.
Must try's here are the chicken biryani - delicately flavored. The
pepper chicken - chinese style but packs a punch. Rumali roti's- really
soft and stay soft even after a couple of hours. Now I know where to
pick up rumalis for my dinner parties. Haleem- available only during
ramzan.
Having come in from Delhi, the kebab offerrings werent really
impressive, but pretty decent for Hyderabad standards.
Haleem costs 40/- for a whole plate. Chicken biryani is 70/- and
rumali's are 6 each to give you an idea that this place's food is worth
it for the odd night when u donÂ’t feel like cooking and are too tired to
go out.
Friday, October 29, 2004
Cinnabar Redd, Hyderabad
Located below Fusion 9 on Banjara Hills, Road No 1.
Restaurant and the attached bar are totally done up in Red silk, so the feel is quite regal and luxurious. Very cute tables in black wood, and cutlery in White ceramic. All in all a very comfy decor.
The restaurant offers Teppinyaki, Japanese, Thai and Chinese Food.
Afternoon set menu for 200 bucks allows u to chose a starter, soup, main course, rice or noodles and dessert from the Teppinyaki, Chinese or Thai menus. Desserts are of Anne Lise so they are of the same high standards that you can consistently expect from her. Date pancakes are worth trying out. and the Teppinyaki is a novel consept for Hyderabad.
Quite tasty but portions are limited and small. So Ohris Far East is a much better option for the same amount.
Restaurant and the attached bar are totally done up in Red silk, so the feel is quite regal and luxurious. Very cute tables in black wood, and cutlery in White ceramic. All in all a very comfy decor.
The restaurant offers Teppinyaki, Japanese, Thai and Chinese Food.
Afternoon set menu for 200 bucks allows u to chose a starter, soup, main course, rice or noodles and dessert from the Teppinyaki, Chinese or Thai menus. Desserts are of Anne Lise so they are of the same high standards that you can consistently expect from her. Date pancakes are worth trying out. and the Teppinyaki is a novel consept for Hyderabad.
Quite tasty but portions are limited and small. So Ohris Far East is a much better option for the same amount.
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Food at the ITC Kakatiya at the Hyderabad Times Party
You can check out my other
blog for a review of the party but this is the place to review the
food, the only bright spot of the party.
The bar was well equipped with Chivas, Bacardi, Smirnoff & Old Monk, but
no cocktails were being served at all, which immediately brought the
Hyderabad Times (HT) party down in my esteem. Whats a good party if you
cant have good bartenders mixing up some fancy cocktails.
But the food more than made up for all the other lackings of the party.
Kakataiya's food in Hyderabad has to rank among the best.
There were buffet tables for salad, Haleem(veg option on offer too),
Hyderabadi cuisine, Oriental cuisine, Lebanese cuisine, Frontier &
Awadhi cuisine, an Indian Grill section apart from the desserts.
The Salad table had only vegetarian salads, so that was totally missable
unless you were one of those on a Navaratri Fast.
The Haleem table had veg and mutton options. And you could add the
garnishings of crispy fried onions, chopped dhaniya & pudina leaves and
lemon to your hearts content. The haleem was tasty but it was more of a
mincey consistency than a fluffly paste. So it ended up being more of a
mince gravy than a haleem feel to it.
Ok, before I go further, let me apologise to the vegetarians that I
cannot review the veg stuff at all. Given the variety of non-veg food on
offer, I did not even venture to waste time on eating the non-meat
items.
The Hyderabadi cuisine had 2 types of non veg biryanis chicken and
mutton. The mutton was better. The chicken korma and the salans were
good accompaniments.
The oriental table had some amazing lamb meat balls in garlic sauce. The
phad thai was below par but the ginger rice and the thai red chicken
curry were outstanding.
The lebaneese table had the most amazing chicken shawrmas with all the
accompaniments that you can think of. The rice stuffed veggies were good
and the biryani here was much better than either the hyderabadi ones. It
was a mix of chicken, lamb and egg. Delicious !!!!
The Frontier cuisine had some good kebabs. The dal bukhara was not upto
Delhi's standards but good for Hyderabad standards.
The chicken khurchan in the grill section was good but the fish chops
were out of this world.
Desserts were an amalagam of stuff. Most commendable were the jelebis
and gulab jamuns.
So the best stuff would have to be the fish chops, the shawrma, the lebanese biryani and the thai red chicken curry with ginger rice.
blog for a review of the party but this is the place to review the
food, the only bright spot of the party.
The bar was well equipped with Chivas, Bacardi, Smirnoff & Old Monk, but
no cocktails were being served at all, which immediately brought the
Hyderabad Times (HT) party down in my esteem. Whats a good party if you
cant have good bartenders mixing up some fancy cocktails.
But the food more than made up for all the other lackings of the party.
Kakataiya's food in Hyderabad has to rank among the best.
There were buffet tables for salad, Haleem(veg option on offer too),
Hyderabadi cuisine, Oriental cuisine, Lebanese cuisine, Frontier &
Awadhi cuisine, an Indian Grill section apart from the desserts.
The Salad table had only vegetarian salads, so that was totally missable
unless you were one of those on a Navaratri Fast.
The Haleem table had veg and mutton options. And you could add the
garnishings of crispy fried onions, chopped dhaniya & pudina leaves and
lemon to your hearts content. The haleem was tasty but it was more of a
mincey consistency than a fluffly paste. So it ended up being more of a
mince gravy than a haleem feel to it.
Ok, before I go further, let me apologise to the vegetarians that I
cannot review the veg stuff at all. Given the variety of non-veg food on
offer, I did not even venture to waste time on eating the non-meat
items.
The Hyderabadi cuisine had 2 types of non veg biryanis chicken and
mutton. The mutton was better. The chicken korma and the salans were
good accompaniments.
The oriental table had some amazing lamb meat balls in garlic sauce. The
phad thai was below par but the ginger rice and the thai red chicken
curry were outstanding.
The lebaneese table had the most amazing chicken shawrmas with all the
accompaniments that you can think of. The rice stuffed veggies were good
and the biryani here was much better than either the hyderabadi ones. It
was a mix of chicken, lamb and egg. Delicious !!!!
The Frontier cuisine had some good kebabs. The dal bukhara was not upto
Delhi's standards but good for Hyderabad standards.
The chicken khurchan in the grill section was good but the fish chops
were out of this world.
Desserts were an amalagam of stuff. Most commendable were the jelebis
and gulab jamuns.
So the best stuff would have to be the fish chops, the shawrma, the lebanese biryani and the thai red chicken curry with ginger rice.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Ohris Far East, Hyderabad
Ohri's Far East
Banjara Hills
Hyderabad
Part of the famous Ohri's chain. These guys deserve the acclaim for their high standards in quality and taste.
The Lunch buffet here is true value for money. For 200 bucks you can have your choice of soup, starter, main side dish, rice/noodles and dessert. Complimentary pepsi or beer on the side. There are 4 choices each in veg and non-veg options and numerous permutations combinations in the rice and noodles.
the best part is you can order as much of each item as you want. And we normally end up skipping soup and carbohydrates. Having 2-3 plates of each starter and main side dish. and the dessert.
Food is excellent. Definitely worth eating here. and if u arent satisfied with the honey noodle dessert here, just go down and freak on the "awful awful"
If u r inclined to look at the decor dont miss the open kitchen, the wonderfully intricate chinese ship carving and the bonsai plants.
Banjara Hills
Hyderabad
Part of the famous Ohri's chain. These guys deserve the acclaim for their high standards in quality and taste.
The Lunch buffet here is true value for money. For 200 bucks you can have your choice of soup, starter, main side dish, rice/noodles and dessert. Complimentary pepsi or beer on the side. There are 4 choices each in veg and non-veg options and numerous permutations combinations in the rice and noodles.
the best part is you can order as much of each item as you want. And we normally end up skipping soup and carbohydrates. Having 2-3 plates of each starter and main side dish. and the dessert.
Food is excellent. Definitely worth eating here. and if u arent satisfied with the honey noodle dessert here, just go down and freak on the "awful awful"
If u r inclined to look at the decor dont miss the open kitchen, the wonderfully intricate chinese ship carving and the bonsai plants.
Monday, October 11, 2004
Blue Nile, Hyderabad
Blue Nile
Raj Bhavan Road
Somajiguda
Hyderabad
Opened about 2 weeks back.
Its located behind Spice republic, so u enter spice republic, pass the loos and then enter blue nile.
the decor is quite cool. aquamarine, blue n purple diffused hidden lighting gives the appearance of a new york lounge bar. Kenny g playing in the background.
was hoping for a good selection of food and then saw the ubiquitious "we serve 5 cuisines" When will hyderbadi restaurateurs learn to concentrate on one type of cuisine but master that properly ?
decided to go in for the buffet at 200 bucks + tax. This was an absolutely disastrous move.
the buffet was an amalgam of indian, chinese what have you. its a wonder they didnt try to work in the mexican thai cuisine too. guess there werent any leftovers....
in the salad selection, other than the pate and roast pepper salad, nothing was worth a second bite.
the food had chinese side dishes with no rice or noodles that would complement those items, instead there was indian pulao, naand and plain rice.
the fish was hard the chicken n mutton full of bones.
the gulab jamuns at desserts were disastrous too. the kheer was edible and there were some fruit salads that i could not muster the courage to try.
only hope that he setlles down decently and improves the food quality like what hapenned with their sister restaurant spice republic.
but as of now, for my money, Id rather go to Ohris Far East on Banjara hills
Raj Bhavan Road
Somajiguda
Hyderabad
Opened about 2 weeks back.
Its located behind Spice republic, so u enter spice republic, pass the loos and then enter blue nile.
the decor is quite cool. aquamarine, blue n purple diffused hidden lighting gives the appearance of a new york lounge bar. Kenny g playing in the background.
was hoping for a good selection of food and then saw the ubiquitious "we serve 5 cuisines" When will hyderbadi restaurateurs learn to concentrate on one type of cuisine but master that properly ?
decided to go in for the buffet at 200 bucks + tax. This was an absolutely disastrous move.
the buffet was an amalgam of indian, chinese what have you. its a wonder they didnt try to work in the mexican thai cuisine too. guess there werent any leftovers....
in the salad selection, other than the pate and roast pepper salad, nothing was worth a second bite.
the food had chinese side dishes with no rice or noodles that would complement those items, instead there was indian pulao, naand and plain rice.
the fish was hard the chicken n mutton full of bones.
the gulab jamuns at desserts were disastrous too. the kheer was edible and there were some fruit salads that i could not muster the courage to try.
only hope that he setlles down decently and improves the food quality like what hapenned with their sister restaurant spice republic.
but as of now, for my money, Id rather go to Ohris Far East on Banjara hills
Thursday, October 7, 2004
10 Downing Street, Hyderabad
Ten Downing street
Lifestyle Complex
Begumpet
Hyderabad
040 5562 0015, 5562 9323
Ten Downing Street, has its regulars. And the owners and the loyalists have an all round sense of contentment. This is my kind of place. TDS is frequented by working professionals who want to unwind after a hard days work. Couple of call center parties do come here, then after awhile realise its not really their kinda place and drift away and restore the ambience to normal. This is a place you can go to when your boss has $@!~%d you over and TDS will welcome you & your tired, weary, minds and bodies.
The Décor is kind of like what an English study is pictured to be in the movies. Warm wooden panelling including on the floors. There's a small library at one corner which partly has genuine books and partly pasted prints of book spines. Some cool curios can be seen in some of the cabinets too. The central bar table where the bar tender mixes the cocktails is a good place to sit. The most coveted seating though is the slightly worn leather sofas just at the entrance.
BOB is 125 onwards. Their draught is quite good. A mug is 100, a pitcher is around 400. 60 ml hard liquor is 160 bucks. Accompanying mixer is 40 bucks. Heard a rumor that they don’t sell small pegs. Cocktails are rs 250 onwards. Tried the Whiskey Sour and the Screaming orgasm which would have been better with more alcohol content and less ice. But good never the less. The bloody mary was appreciated though.
No complimentary snacks, but some of his food is really good. Especially the meat balls. Definitely try this. The shepherds pie is out of this world, as is the pasta. The cook for the continental stuff is great but not so for the others. The chinese snacks are average. Thai curry to be avoided at all costs.
In the noons there's a total VFM offer. For 150 bucks you get a beer, a main course, soup and desert. This includes the shepherds pie option.
DJ Black Jack totally rocks. He knows what the regulars want him to play and he sticks to it. Look out for him on Tuesdays for sure. Wednesdays is Ladies night. Ladies get beer, hard spirits and a choice of 3 cocktails absolutely free from 8-10pm. Thursdays is Karaoke night and theres some pretty good talent around. Sometimes you get a guest DJ who wants to play out his collection, but the crowd always manages to bring the DJ back on track.
If you are in the 25-45 age group and looking for a chilled out place to relax, look no further. Teeny boppers who have started addressing me as aunty/maam, please avoid this place. Ive found my sanctuary in Hyderabad, please don’t attempt to disturb it.
Lifestyle Complex
Begumpet
Hyderabad
040 5562 0015, 5562 9323
Ten Downing Street, has its regulars. And the owners and the loyalists have an all round sense of contentment. This is my kind of place. TDS is frequented by working professionals who want to unwind after a hard days work. Couple of call center parties do come here, then after awhile realise its not really their kinda place and drift away and restore the ambience to normal. This is a place you can go to when your boss has $@!~%d you over and TDS will welcome you & your tired, weary, minds and bodies.
The Décor is kind of like what an English study is pictured to be in the movies. Warm wooden panelling including on the floors. There's a small library at one corner which partly has genuine books and partly pasted prints of book spines. Some cool curios can be seen in some of the cabinets too. The central bar table where the bar tender mixes the cocktails is a good place to sit. The most coveted seating though is the slightly worn leather sofas just at the entrance.
BOB is 125 onwards. Their draught is quite good. A mug is 100, a pitcher is around 400. 60 ml hard liquor is 160 bucks. Accompanying mixer is 40 bucks. Heard a rumor that they don’t sell small pegs. Cocktails are rs 250 onwards. Tried the Whiskey Sour and the Screaming orgasm which would have been better with more alcohol content and less ice. But good never the less. The bloody mary was appreciated though.
No complimentary snacks, but some of his food is really good. Especially the meat balls. Definitely try this. The shepherds pie is out of this world, as is the pasta. The cook for the continental stuff is great but not so for the others. The chinese snacks are average. Thai curry to be avoided at all costs.
In the noons there's a total VFM offer. For 150 bucks you get a beer, a main course, soup and desert. This includes the shepherds pie option.
DJ Black Jack totally rocks. He knows what the regulars want him to play and he sticks to it. Look out for him on Tuesdays for sure. Wednesdays is Ladies night. Ladies get beer, hard spirits and a choice of 3 cocktails absolutely free from 8-10pm. Thursdays is Karaoke night and theres some pretty good talent around. Sometimes you get a guest DJ who wants to play out his collection, but the crowd always manages to bring the DJ back on track.
If you are in the 25-45 age group and looking for a chilled out place to relax, look no further. Teeny boppers who have started addressing me as aunty/maam, please avoid this place. Ive found my sanctuary in Hyderabad, please don’t attempt to disturb it.
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