This 40-year-old restaurant in Hyderabad now sports a newly revamped ambience and menu

Family dinners form an essential part of our busy lives. Especially the loud, cacophonic outings at a restaurant that everyone in the family, right from the children to the grandparents enjoy. While it is a tricky endeavour to please everyone, we returned to one such family favourite restaurant in the city that has been a crowd favourite for four decades. Palace Heights at Abids has not just been a restaurant, but a beloved landmark for diners in the twin cities, especially for its breathtaking city views.

We traversed the streets of Abids, walking past busy jewellery and apparel stores to find ourselves at the newly carpeted, regal eatery fully packed with excited families, devouring the food and conversing animatedly, a sight we’re all too familiar and fond of. Settling in, we found ourselves humming along to the ghazals rendered by the live musicians. The restaurant has recently revamped the space along with additions to the menu, keeping the old favourites intact, primarily from Mughlai and Indian-Chinese cuisine. Wasting no time, we dug into the incredibly rich Marag topped with slices of ginger, garlic and dry fruit — just what we needed on a chilly November night.

The Palak patta chaat, topped generously with sev and pomegranate seeds is a must-try from the vegetarian appetisers. Keeping the crunch intact, the chaat was adequately seasoned without making the dish too soggy.

From the Mughlai appetisers, the Mutton seekh kebab, served with a mild coriander chutney was a winner, with incredible flavours wrapped, in juicy meat. A host of Indo-Chinese appetisers kept us hooked for the rest of the evening, starting with the Chicken Majestic — topped with chopped garlic and red chillies, a dish most diners would enjoy.

The Chinese chicken roast, crispy drumsticks served alongside schezwan sauce were addictive, and we’d recommend pairing this with your favourite drinks or cocktails. The Shanghai roll, a spring roll style dish with minced chicken filled wrapped in pastry is what we’d suggest if you’re looking to nibble on a dry appetiser, or are visiting with children.

And while excited septuagenarian diners took over the live music stage, belting out old Bollywood hits alongside the live band, one got a glimpse of the fondness foodies in Hyderabad hold towards legacy establishments. For mains, we tried the Murgh shahi korma with Garlic naan, a winning combination for when you’re craving a rich, nutty gravy on a chilly evening. Our desserts and ice creams were served in vintage brassware, complete with wafer toppings that added a hint of adorable nostalgia to our meal.

Rs 1,700 for two. At Abids.

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