We came to Gayatri (122 Race Course Road, 6291-1011, with other locations at Robinson Centre and Hotel Meridien) to try to get a real dum biryani tonight. This time, it came packed into one of those metal bowls, whereupon the waiter inverted it in order to dump the stuff on a banana leaf (is this the real thing then?). Aside from that though, it didn't really seem that different to me. Sure, the rice was a little more moist and maybe had a touch more spices, but not by that much. There was a huge chunk of mutton shoved in there, but it was so big that it kind of lost its appeal after a while. I mean, it wasn't bad, and it certainly was filling, but I kinda liked the free raita and eggplant veggies better (gotta love those free refills scooped from those metal hand-carry cylinder things). Maybe its my fault for getting the mutton version. A sign outside claimed fame to a good chicken dum biryani instead.
Well, it definitely was cheap, with most menu items priced in single digit figures. And the service was super prompt (even without that wireless paging system on each table). I don't mind coming back to Gayatri, but the dum biryani didn't seem like anything mindblowing just yet (and the vindaloo was disappointingly mild, although I guess this isn't exactly the right place to get a blazing hot English curry). I should ask my co-worker where his favorite dum biryani place is so as to get the best example for me to try.
6 comments:
I've always liked the briyani at Tekka market. It's near the toilet, and the signboard is blue with "Allaudin's Briyani" or something like that in white letterings. It's the only food I would queue 45 mins for, and u can always know which stall it is by its perpetual queue and lots of newspaper clippings. The stall helpers are pretty affable too. Try it...I've got a feeling you would like it. Oh but it's not dum briyani though. And I always go for the chicken one. :)
There's this really great dum briyani place called Shahiran at the junction of sixth avenue and bukit timah road, next to corduroy and finch. It's the only dum briyani i've ever tried, but it's really great - it's amazingly fragrant. The review below mentions that they use almonds and pistachios, and you can really taste it in the curry... mmm, it's good.
http://food.asia1.com.sg/revamp/gdfd/res_20050508_002.shtml
Have you tried the bak chor mee at the coffeeshop at one end of racecourse road (nearer boon keng MRT, facing the main road)? It's really good! Their menu includes codfish and some metal-potted tofu, which I absolutely love.
Grace, Shahiran has closed down. Guess we'll need to look for other places with good dum briyani...
try the mango lassi and fish curry set there instead! and the thosai is amazing as well...
Another place i would definitely go is taj indian restaurant in south bridge road next to the mosque. on friday's i think there is a fresh batch - it is dum style (not in individual containers) but a large one ...and the rice is basmati nice *long*white *delicate and the chicken biriyani is tasty. i have a fee long that the cook puts in MSG because I feel so thirsty after the meal. The gravy the salad and the papadams all together make it a reasonable offer $ 5 I think is the price. It gets really crowded after the prayers so earlier the better...I mean lunch time...it is all queue up and take your food so there is really no big service to speak of...one sees the owner, a bearded gent eating there regularly and that is a good sign
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