Hyderabad is a city of nearly 7 million people in Southern India, known for its rich history, its thriving IT industry, its freshwater pearls, and its cuisine, especially biryani, a complex rice, spice, and protein mix that not surprisingly, is a specialty of Hyderabad House, where the Dining Divas & Dudes dined recently. Located at 117 Northwestern #2, which housed Middle Eastern restaurant Blue Nile for many years, Hyderabad House is primarily a take-out restaurant. There are tables you can sit at inside, but there is basically no table service. You order at the counter and your meal is brought to you in carry-out bags. We wanted to eat in, so we unpacked them, helped ourselves to styrofoam plates, forks, and napkins. We were provided with plastic carafes of tap water. There were lots of Indian customers there, including some who had just attended Purdue’s graduation ceremonies, which hinted to us that the food is authentically southern Indian. Presentation is not a priority as you’ll see in the accompanying photos. None of this detracted from the quality of the food or the overall experience; it simply sets expectations for the style of service. So, don’t expect outstanding service, but we predict you’ll get outstanding food.
We started with an appetizer, Tandoor Paneer Momos, which are a kind of cheese dumpling, cooked in a tandoor oven, accompanied by a very spicy sauce. They also have Chicken Momos, but we were very pleased with what we got—chewy, cheesy, and tangy.
True to form, Linda found the only shrimp dish on the menu and it was a biryani, the specialty dish of Hyderabad. It was huge! I’ll add here that portions are very generous across the board, but the Shrimp Biryani could have easily fed 4 hungry people. Chicken, goat, or lamb are more commonly found in biryanis. Aromatic cardamom, cloves, and star anise flavor the rice and there is a bit of a kick, but this dish bridges the gap between the delicate nature of shrimp and the robust spices of a biryani. Nearly all of us sampled Linda’s dish and she still had plenty to take home.
Kay had Lamb Vindaloo, a favorite of hers, and this was surprisingly not as spicy hot as some she’s had. This had the advantage of more easily tasting the complex combination of vinegar, dried chili peppers, garlic, ginger, and aromatic spices. The lamb was tender, served with basmati rice and roti, it too was enough for two meals. All the meals except the biryani came with basmati rice and roti.
Tetia ordered Ande Ka Salan, an egg curry, which was something that she had not had before and was not disappointed. The boiled eggs were cooked in a Hyderabadi-style peanut and sesame gravy which hit all of the right flavor notes. While she doesn’t believe it was “India hot” there was absolutely enough spiciness to turn her ears red. They really know how to do flavor at Hyderabad House!
Iseral’s meal, Kadai Curry (cooked with tomatoes and onions in a kadai, or Indian wok) with chicken, reminded him of a Butter Chickpea dish he’d had recently, and he was almost disappointed with his choice because of that. But the chicken being spicy to the level that was almost too hot, but not quite, made the dish delicious. He would definitely get it again, and sounding like a broken record here, he had enough to take home for another meal.
Jerry and brother Terry both got Tikka Masala (baked in a clay oven with spicy sauce, bell pepper, and onion) with chicken. Terry being new to Indian food, Jerry thought it would be a safe bet for Terry, and it was well-received by both. They also loved the Momo appetizer, both for flavor and heat, and both tried Linda’s Shrimp Biryani. That will be Jerry’s meal next time he comes—the shrimp was perfectly prepared.
Perhaps because it was graduation weekend, there were a number of things on the menu that weren’t available on our visit, and whereas most Indian restaurants have numerous vegan options, they were limited on this day. Margy got the Spinach Dal (lentils cooked with spinach and mild spice). It was a beautiful yellow color, helped brighten her day. The spice level was very mild. If she goes back she would ask for it to be medium hot, her favorite level of spice. The portions are generous. She planned to take the left-overs, add some tofu curds and spice it up. Nice to get multiple meals out of one order!
Jo ordered the Dal Tadka, which translates to creamy lentils simmered with spices and finished with ghee, cumin seeds, and garlic. The dish had wonderful flavor, though it was a bit milder than Jo typically prefers. After everyone raved about the spicy sauce served with the cheese Momos, Jo spotted the nearly empty container still sitting on the table with a few peppers and lettuce remaining. Adding that flavorful sauce and vegetables to the Dal Tadka created the perfect bowl with just the right kick of spice.
For future visits, we would likely plan on carryout, as the restaurant’s strengths are definitely centered on the food itself rather than creating a full-service dine-in atmosphere. The DDD group thoroughly enjoyed the meal and agreed the delicious food made the visit worthwhile.
