Re: A Guide: Eating out in Hyderabad/Secunderabad/Cyberabad On my visit to Hyderabad 15 years back, I stumbled across a restaurant not far from Charminaar, the biriyani I tasted there was one of the best renditions of the dish I have ever had. It was bursting with flavor, was moist and there was something in it which wasn't easy to replicate. I later recollected that the place was Shadab.
Fast forward to the present, now having been here for a year, that taste is just a memory. Biriyani is the subject of much hype in this town, but having tasted it all over the city in all kinds of eateries, it's clear that they now just milk the biriyani myth for all that it's worth. Be it Shah ghouse, pista house, mehfil and a host of other big and small joints, the biriyani now available is often bereft of flavor, the rice too dry or heavy, and overall just too underwhelming. Even at Shadab, I could not recognize the dish I had eaten 15 years back. I haven't gone back to Paradise because even that time, I wondered who would go there when other, more humble joints can serve a much much better version of the dish. In fact, the overall food scene here seems to be on cloud nine on its own self created hype. The menu is overpriced for what it offers and there is a take it or leave it vibe. Perhaps there are just too many customers and the eateries couldn't care less.
Thoroughly disappointed, I have explored a few modest places in search of anything remotely authentic. Found a place serving tahari on 7 tombs road, almost bang opposite the entrance of the qutub shahi tombs complex. The taste was very homely and I heard that they do the tahari which I had, better than the biriyani, with the latter only being available much later in the day. The place had a local clientele and that perhaps is the only guarantee of any sort of consistency. I will be going back for more.
It's best to steer clear of any eatery in hyderabad which sports a big reputation. It's clear they have squandered it along the way.
Last edited by hothatchaway : 28th March 2024 at 21:43.
|