Blue Sea is a name that's synonymous with 'Golden Tea' and baked goods in Secunderabad since 1989. The traditional Irani Café has been a must-visit for scores of city-dwellers and tourists looking to savour authentic Irani Chai. We decided to check out their sprawling new space at Abids that now features a multi-cuisine restaurant.
Housed in the same spot where the famous Bombay Bakery once was, the new Blue Sea outlet is divided into two sections. The ground floor houses their bakery and tea section along with an Irani Café while the 'Gold Dining' section upstairs houses a swanky 130-seater restaurant with a separate entrance.
Once seated, we ordered a portion of Haleem along with a Chicken Tandoori Platter. The Haleem was topped with a generous serving of Birista and cashews enough for each morsel, making the dish stand out. The Chicken Tandoori Platter came with five types of chicken straight from the tandoor. Featuring Lehsuni, Reshmi, Tangdi, Malai and Hariyali kebabs, the platter featured melt-in-mouth appetisers.
Interestingly, the Tandoori platter also featured a generous portion of French Fries. "We host a lot of families, and decided to include French Fries on the Tandoori Platters since children always love them," says Hassan Athemadnia, the third-generation owner of Blue Sea. Spaced-out seating ensured the restaurant didn't get too cramped or noisy even as it was filled up with groups of diners across ages.
The family-owned business always wanted to expand and set up a restaurant, despite being well-known for its tea and biscuits. "After travelling far and wide across India, learning about various tea-making techniques and perfecting the Golden Tea recipe, my father dreamt of starting a restaurant alongside the Irani Café. When we lost him in 2020, I took it upon myself to build the restaurant and fulfill his dreams," says Hassan.
For the main course, we ordered a portion of Mutton Rogan Josh along with Butter Naan. With perfectly balanced flavours, the Rogan Josh stood out without being overly spicy. Next came a Hyderabadi staple, the Mutton Biryani. The moist meat with spices and flavourful rice formed a harmonious mélange of flavours on our palates. The menu also featured Indo-Chinese eats.
We couldn't have left Blue Sea without a taste of the iconic 'Golden Tea.' Simmered for almost 10 hours every day, the tea was delightfully creamy with just a hint of nuttiness, pandering to our sweet tooth. The tea gets a golden hue when served after being simmered for so long and hence the name. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't made with jaggery. We also tried freshly baked, warm Osmania and Khari Biscuits that were light and went perfectly with the tea.
Old Irani Cafés like Blue Sea has been an integral part of Hyderabad's history holding deep cultural and culinary significance. Decades later, scores of old patrons are making their way back to Blue Sea's new outlet after patronising the Secunderabad branch for several years. "A lot of customers have been regaling us with their childhood and teenage stories of when they'd visit the café with their buddies. We're happy to see our hard work over years pay off," says Hassan on a heartfelt note.
₹1,600++ for two, at Abids.