For diners who frequent Abids, Hotel Royalton in Chirag Ali Lane is a familiar destination. The Abids Bistro restaurant in it boasts a new revamped look and a menu that attracts buffet lovers, with ample parking space. On weekend evenings, diners are treated to live music at this 65-seater bistro that has a cosy ambience To top it all, if you happen to meet the hotel’s general manager SA Samee, you may get a lesson in Hyderabad’s history too. “Do you know the first building which came up in Abids?” asks Samee, adding enthusiastically. “It is the St. George’s School and church; being a Hyderabadi, I too was not aware of this fact!”
Egg Salad
The new menu at Abids Bistro is a mix of Indian, Chinese and Continental dishes. Being a vegetarian, I relish the paneer tikka and spicy babycorn among starters. Succulent paneer cubes marinated in a spicy chilli paste are hot and delicious. Among the salads, the protein-rich healthy egg salad with its mild flavours is a winner. Non-vegetarians can try the chicken starters.
Then we walk over to the chaat counter to indulge in pani puri — who can resist the crisp puris filled with spicy green pani and crunchy onions?. While you wait for your turn to be served ragda samosa, kati roll or paratha at the live counters, you can have an animated conversation, perhaps about the choice of music.
Chicken tikka salad
For the main course, we choose phulkas . As we wait for hot phulkas to be served at the table to be accompanied by paneer gravy and dry alu roast, Samee informs that their clientèle is a mix of business and leisure travellers. “Surrounded by corporate offices, employees prefer to come here to have a relaxed lunch. We see more of a family crowd during dinners, having a get-together or celebrating a special occasion,” he says, adding that their high point is the buffet and music. “Earlier people had to travel to Jubilee Hills or Madhapur to dine in musical environs. Distance-wise, it is now easer to come here.”
Mango dessert
Non-vegetarians have a Hyderabadi treat in store with a choice of kheema pav, haleem or paya shorba . Rice lovers can go for pulao , flavoured rice or mutton/chicken biryani. Samee adds the guests staying in the hotel dine here to enjoy the Hyderabadi delicacies. The menu is on a rotational basis and also changed during weekends to include more specialities. Finish the meal with a pick from eight desserts including sugar-free versions for diabetics and weight-watchers.
