When a 92-year-old biryani brand from Dindigul finds its way to Chennai — curiosity and a ready appetite are just the beginning of the story. Or so we discover as we dive into aromatic parcels of Bangaruswamy Naidu’s Chicken 65 Biryani, made with Thuraiyur Koppampatti Seeraga Samba and a liberal dose of ghee. No oil is allowed, we find out, from partner Nikesh Lamba, as the original recipe from P Bangaruswamy Naidu, a chieftain of a Nizam’s kitchen insisted upon this practice, for a rich aroma and flavour. That apart, the recipe was adapted to match the local palate in Dindigul and quickly became a runaway hit, opening at 6 am and selling out by 10 am, a practice which continues on to this every day.
Over tender chunks of meat and rich but subtle home-style flavours, Nikesh, who is one of the partners of Pricol Gourmet (which has brought us brands like Soy Soi and Double Roti), tells us how the brand was brought to the city. “We have been in serious pursuit of bringing a heritage-style biryani to Chennai,” he says. And then, six months ago, they came across Chef Giri, who is currently the fourth generation of the Bangaru family. “We soon understood that his grandfather was the culinary genius who created this Dindigul style of biryani.” Much R&D later, to get the flavours just right with mutton sourced from the Kannivadi region and spices from farms in Coimbatore, and the cloud kitchen is now up and running. “We open at 11 am,” Nikesh says, which seems to be the only marked difference from the 6 am biryani of the original Bangaru Hotel in Dindigul, but we aren’t complaining.
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We also want to give a special mention to the sturdy, premium packaging. Aesthetic appeal apart, our Karandi Omelette is still warm despite the half hour commute, which is a win. Other highlights from lunch are the classic Mutton Kola Urundai and to finish, a sweet and glorious Bread Halwa. More ghee, more glee!
Order an Egg, Chicken or Mutton Biryani. INR 275 to INR 445.