Bawarchi

Bawarchi is a popular biryani restaurant at RTC X Roads in Musheerabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, and it is widely regarded as a local rival to Paradise in the city's long-running biryani debate. The restaurant serves dum biryani, kebabs and Hyderabadi curries in a casual setting, and it draws a mix of families, students and groups from across the city. RTC X Roads is best known as a cinema and commercial junction, so the restaurant is often combined with a film outing or a late meal after shopping. The cuisine is Hyderabadi. The signature dishes are chicken dum biryani and mutton biryani, both cooked in the dum manner in which spiced meat and basmati rice are layered and sealed in a pot to steam slowly. Chicken 65, the fried and spiced chicken starter that is also associated with the city, is a common order at the start of the meal. Mirchi ka salan and raita usually come alongside the biryani, and kebabs and curries broaden the menu for larger groups. The dining room is casual and functional, with quick service, bright lighting and a high noise level during lunch and dinner peaks. There is no dress code, and the restaurant operates on a walk-in basis; reservations are not required, though weekends and holidays can mean a queue at the door. The restaurant does not focus on wine or cocktails, and drinks are usually soft drinks, buttermilk or lassi. Prices sit in the mid-range for Hyderabad, at roughly INR 300 to 500 per person, so it is slightly more expensive than many old-school biryani houses but still inexpensive by international standards. The listed hours are 11AM to 11PM daily. Travellers who want to compare Hyderabad's biryani styles often visit Bawarchi and Paradise on the same trip and judge the difference in spice level, rice texture and portion size. Arriving before the main lunch rush or after the evening peak makes for a calmer meal.