The first thing that hits you about Dakhani Degh in Tilaknagar is the utter whiteness. In a street full of darbars and biryani joints, Dakhani Degh is a cut above the rest, considering the ambience.
The restaurant, which is near Sagar Hospital, is newer than most of the eateries on this street; around seven years old. Like most of the other establishments, this one specialises in Hyderabadi cuisine: biryanis and kebabs. They have quite a good selection, and odd names such as Salarjung kebabs and Chandni kebabs. Then there’s the usual range of biryanis: mutton, egg, vegetable and chicken, and if that doesn’t appeal to you, they have a decent range of gravies to be sampled.
Whatever you’re going there for, the Salarjung kebab should be on your menu. Quite simply put, it’s just chicken stuffed with minced chicken, and tends to leave a tangy aftertaste on the tongue that, I suppose, provokes some primal response to repeat the process. These kebabs are addictive.
I found that out when the chef made me wait before sending up the main course. I found myself at the business end of a plate of Salarjung kebabs, and while I perused other delights on the menu, the kebabs disappeared one by one, until they brought up the main course — or at least, a part of it.
I had chosen a Murgh Tikka Masala, nothing too fancy, and the gravy, while being spicy and rather robust, didn’t exactly grab attention, but it was enough to finish off two naans with while waiting for the main attraction (and this would prove too much to digest) — dum biriyani gosht.
Unless you’ve starved yourself in the morning, you’ll need a wingman to finish off the biriyani. In terms of amount, Dakhani Degh does not hold back. There’s a lot of everything.
Despite the quality of food, Dakhani Degh is rather off the beaten track. If you don’t happen to live near it, this is the place you’ll want to go for a quick lunch or dinner, if you just happen to be passing through Jayanagar or thereabouts.
It’s slightly on the expensive side: a meal for two will cost around Rs. 600. The food, though, is definitely worth it.
