Restaurants that specialise in Hyderabadi food are branching out, expanding and reaching new areas of operation. The Kholani's multi-cuisine (whatever it means) is the newest joint in Tolichowki. In an area where Hyderabadi food is… well like… annam pappu , it better get its fundas right. It does, to a major extent.
It sure is a swank outlet with understated lighting, beige and mahogany tone dominating and the blue chandelier sets the mood in the dining area (there is a banquet hall and a barbecue section on the terrace). The menu, long and unwieldy has in the rotis and naans section: Kashmiri naan, garlic paratha, lacha paratha, kheema paratha and it goes on.
First on the table is Arabi Mutton Shorba. Why Arabi? “The recipe is from Arabia,” says the waiter. It is a brown gruel with greens and blobs of fat floating in the bowl. Slurp. You have diced spring onions, pudina sprigs, roasted onions, bits of raw onions that create a bouquet of flavours. One more slurp and a bit of chewing later, the texture and flavours keep your mind, tongue and palate engaged. The smell gives you a hint about haleem but the broth sets the mood for the food that follows.
The patthar ka gosh is a Deccani speciality that has the earthy flavour and feel of days before barbeques and tawas. The name itself suggests frontier and battleground food. Traditionally, the boneless meat is salted, then marinated for long hours and then flattened in such a way that it can cook and stew in its own juices over long hours on hot stones. The dark pieces of meat were well done and the accompaniment of grated onions had a hint of raw mango that transformed it into a different dish altogether. But it looked more like tawa than patthar.
Getting your biryani wrong in Hyderabad is like putting your head between a pestle and mortar. The biryani on the given day didn't match the expectations set by the soup. The long grained rice and chicken pieces were cooked to perfection but they didn't share flavour which is the case when biryani is cooked in dum.
Instead of sticking to the well-thumbed and experimented part of the menu, you can try dishes by checking the exoticness of the names like: Adrak panchi, zaituni kebab , omani meat kebab, laham mandhi . You can round up the food with desserts that include Kubani ka meetha and gajar ka halwa .
There's a barbeque section with unlimited kebabs and buffet food that's priced at Rs. 449 plus taxes.
Where: Toli Chowki main road
USP: Kebabs and Hyderabadi food
Table for two: Rs. 800 (approx)
Washroom: Usable
Phone: 64640123
