Ramadan fervour

'Cuisine of the Riyasats' read the signage at Bidri, as we entered the regal space, welcomed by scintillating live music on Tabla and Sitar. Vintage chandeliers, wooden sculptures with throne leg detailing and plush seating indicated we were in for a scrumptious feast at the award-winning restaurant serving delights from the royal kitchens of Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kashmir. 

We started our Ramadan Feast at Bidri with a refreshing welcome drink. Soon after came the amuse-bouche, a Mango Dahi Bhalla, incorporating the king of the fruits into our meal. Served chilled, the Dahi Bhalla with a tangy twist from the mango made us polish it off in minutes. A piping hot Shahi Gosht ka Ark came next - a soup made with rustic Awadhi spices, with succulent bite-sized pieces of slow-braised lamb. 

Just as we finished, platters of appetisers were brought in by the observant wait staff, while the live musicians belted out old Jagjit Singh classics. The Gosht Gilawat made with melt-in-your-mouth fine ground mutton meat lamb served atop Ulte Tawe ka Paratha was an absolute stand out. The Peeli Sarson ka Macchi Tikka, a yellow mustard marinated sole fish, was tender and mildly seasoned. From the vegetarian options, the Subz aur Zimikand ki Shammi made with a mélange of vegetable and yam galettes was an equally good contender to the meat-based kebabs. 

For mains, we were treated to a Hyderabadi staple during the month of Ramzan - the Haleem. Interestingly, Bidri serves a vegetarian version of the dish. We decided to dig into the Kathal aur Bajre ka Haleem first, made with jackfruit and Andhra millets. The dish was astonishingly delicious, with all the flavours of a meat-based Haleem replicated perfectly, making the dish just as flavourful, if not better. 

Speaking about the vegetarian options, Chef Kamran Khan, Chef de Cuisine at Bidri said, "Hyderabadis love their meat and have several options while dining out. It's tricky to replicate the same indulgent experience for our vegetarian patrons, so we took it on as a challenge to serve a similar variety for the Feast." 

Bidri also offers Iftar boxes to be delivered across Hyderabad, offering the same dishes served during the sit-down Ramadan Feast. "All our Iftar take-out boxes are made from plastic-free sustainable materials. At Marriott, even our food waste is reused to make manure for our gardens!" said Chef Balvinder Lubana, Executive Chef at Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre speaking about the property’s sustainability practices.

Over a gregarious conversation with Chef Balvinder, we tried another staple Hyderabadi dish - the biryani with meat so succulent, it almost fell off the bone. The main course also featured Indian breads and curries, with Dal Bidri - the restaurant's version of the Dal Makhani taking the prize. The exceptionally creamy dal was best coupled with a cushiony soft Kulcha and crispy Missi Roti topped with roasted black sesame seeds. 

The dessert platter came with three desserts - a luscious Pista Stuffed Gulab Jamun, Shahi Sheer Korma and Mango Rasmalai. The Pista Stuffed Gulab Jamun was divine, and the Mango Rasmalai, much like the Mango-based amuse-bouche, was a standout among the desserts. 

₹5600+ Taxes For Two at Tank Bund Road, Secunderabad. 
Until 22 April, Dinner Service.