One of the popular culinary interests that is synonymous with the ideals of ‘clean eating,’ and the Instagrammable #FoodPorn aesthetic, Manikonda’s Sizzling Joe is our go-to casual restaurant. In Hyderabad too, one can notice the expansion of mid-tier casual but trendy venues opening up to shelter quick diners’ changing tastes.
This week, we review the eatery that features an industrial, raw family-and-work-friendly exposure. If you know your food history well, you would think of Teppanyaki, a postmodern Japanese cuisine whose overpowering metallic scent rose from cooked steak and shrimp to kindle interest in a Zoroastrian living in Mumbai Firoz Erani in 1963. Who would know that he was the reason behind the then-novel culinary concept that finds itself, with all its pomp and glory, on all the menus of restaurants across our country? We peeped into the kitchen to see what a Mumbaikar’s emendation of Teppanyaki was all about in Hyderabad. Little food trivia aside, Sizzling Joe has elegantly held this man dear in its live sizzlers, Peri Peri Fries, Mexican Bean Nachos, sea specials, barbecue wraps, and fresh-from-the-grill jumbo burgers. The bill of fare also presents Flavours of Asia in which we loved the Grill Chicken Pasta.
The secret behind the masala mafia pasta’s desi tadka zest lies in its in-house sauce that infuses mustard, cumin seeds and whole green chillies. We would prefer it to mainstream Italian pasta which, in all transparency, actually feels quite bland and ordinary. Try the Joe Special Sizzler and spot the immaculate example of fusion food. Picture tava-cooked succulence, teamed with protein-rich moong in a tangy tomato gravy with potato wedges and fried rice accompanying it — we see why you are already craving one.
We loved it more than the Hot Crispy Drumsticks and Cilantro Chilli Chicken that we had for starters. But we would not underrate the meaty drumsticks coupled with the aftertaste of smoked avocado oil-baked paprika that was still proferring leaps of Mediterranean flavours — probably because the Greek oregano, garlic and lemon made them irresistible. We ended our session with Hot & Juicy Fish & Chips, Peppery Fried Prawn that came straight from the sailor’s boat and earned much-awaited brownie points from Sizzling Brownie with Icecream.
`700 for two. At Manikonda.
chokita@newindianexpress.com @PaulChokita