Ramadan Food Walk : Mosque Road, Frazer Town

After having a feast in the Shivajinagar area and tasting delicacies like Sheekh kebabs, Phal and Quail, we moved to Frazer Town which is almost synonymous with Bangalore Ramzan. The White Mosque, which has a huge gathering for the Maghrib prayers, is the place we decided to start our food walk. Located conveniently at the intersection of MM Road and Mosque Road, this area is fully occupied by food stalls, street food vendors and restaurants during Ramzan, all serving an assortment of iftar food including kebabs, samosas and biryani.

Idiyappam and Nihari

Our first stop was at Chichaba's Taj, which is a short distance from the mosque intersection, along the MM Road. Decked with lights and multiple stalls in front, the famous restaurant was almost hidden amidst the decorations and could only be identified by their huge banner which advertised their Haleem. Like most of the places in Shivajinagar, Chichaba's Taj too remains closed for most part of the day during Ramzan and serviced food only starts for dinner.

Sheekh Kebab at Chichaba's Taj

Chichaba's Taj, one of the most sought after restaurants in and around Frazer Town, had three separate stalls serving their wares. The first stall, which was right in front of their entrance, served kebabs and samosas of chicken and mutton variety. Though it was barely past sundown, the ferociousness with which the kebabs were getting consumed was quite alarming as I could already see a few empty casseroles. Their famous Burrah Kababs were already over.

Mutton Haleem at Chichaba's Taj

The second stall right next to the first one was that of Nihari and Haleem. The Bangalore Haleem is a much more wheaty and bland version as compared to the Hyderabad one. Though the preparation is more or less similar, the spices are quite low and most of the taste of the Haleem comes from the Nihari sherwa which is added to it.

Seekh Kababs at Chichaba's Taj

The third stall was a bit far up, right beside the token counter, where a large group of people patiently waited to get to taste their Sheekh Kebab. Quite thick and large in size, the sheekh kebab was soft and meaty with no adulteration of any sort, much better but costlier than those that we got to eat at Shivajinagar.

Kebab stalls at Charminar

After Chichaba's Taj, our next stop was at Charminar Kebab Paradise which is on the other side of the mosque intersection on MM Road. Charminar is famous for their fried food preparations like Baida Rotis, Paranthas and Samosas, which they make in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian variety. Albeit being too oily, their Baida Rotis are quite tasty with a good amount of chicken filling which is juicy and spicy. Other dishes worth trying here include their Mutton Kheema Paranthas and Chicken samosas.

Chicken Samosas

While munching on the sheekh kebabs at Chichaba's Taj, we were advised to try out the Quail Fry and Chicken Pahadi kebab at Rahhams. Though I had earlier tasted their mutton biryani at their Cunningham Road outlet, pahadi kebab was something I had missed. A short walk from Charminar Hotel led us straight to Rahhams. Like with most big restaurants, Rahhams had also set a small stall outside their main restaurant which sold shawarmas, while a huge crowd thronged their takeaway outlet which sold kebabs and biryanis. Unfortunately, by the time we made our way to Rahhams, Quail Fry, which is one of their most sought after delicacies was sold out and we had to make do with only Pahadi Kebab. The Pahadi Kebab preparation is quite different from the usual run of the mill tandoor kebabs that is available elsewhere. There is a strong flavour of fennel seeds and aniseed and is best eaten hot as they become chewy and hard when they turn cold.

Pahadi Kebab at Rahhams

From Rahhams, we walked down the lane to New Taj, where Beef Pathhar ka Gosht was being cooked on stone slabs. Generally a mutton preparation, the usage of beef changed the texture of the kebab quite drastically and isn't as soft as the ones that are usually available in Hyderabad. The marinade used here is different too but the rich masala made sure that the kebab was not short of taste.

Beef Pathhar ka Gosht at New Taj

Right next to New Taj, near the intersection, is Alibaba. A small shop; there is a whole new variety of kebabs that was available here, from the generic Chicken kebabs to the Bangalorean Phal. However, we were drawn to the kathi kebab preparations which were available in green, red and yellow marinades and were quietly being roasted on charcoal. From the chicken, mutton, beef and prawn varieties, we chose to go with the prawn one but one bite into it left us disappointed. Though they looked spicy, the taste was actually a bit sweetish and was present only in the coating. The meat inside neither had flavour nor taste.

Beef Pathhar ka Gosht

A bit disappointed, we chose to end our trip with our trusted Haleem provider Pista House of Hyderabad. Pista House has quite revolutionized the Bangalore Haleem scene with multiple stalls throughout Frazer Town. They have also booked a function hall which serves as a takeaway counter for the haleem lovers. The Pista House Haleem in Bangalore is thick with good consistency but is a bit bland to suit the Bangalore palate. The quantity of meat in this was far greater than the Chichaba's Taj and a sprinkle of lemon made it truly enjoyable.

Pista House Haleem

While we did cover many shops around MM and Mosque Road, there are other restaurants like Zoya, Zaika, Siddique Kebab Centre and Albert Bakery which couldn't be covered due to limited stomach space. With so many kebabs, shawarmas and biryanis left to try, another trip is surely warranted to cover all of them.

Also See: Ramadan food walk at Shivajinagar, Bangalore

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Haleem Trail: Shah Ghouse

Shah Ghouse is the favorite haleem destination of many Hyderabadis. In the last few years this place has carved out a name for itself  for both biryani and haleem, and to cater to the ever increasing demand, the restaurant has branched out from their original outlet at Shalibanda to Toli Chowki and now at Raidurgam. Their haleem has been winning awards at the popular contests in the city.

Haleem at Telangana Festival

Shah Ghouse had put up a stall at the Telangana Haleem Festival, Shilparamam. There was a long queue in front of their stall. Haleem was being sold at Rs 120 a plate.

Haleem being garnished and made ready

The haleem here was spicy but not as spicy as Café 555, another popular place. It had lot of cashews in it and the meat was tender. The ratio of meat was good, but too many small bones were the irritants. I do not understand why the haleem makers, at least the famous ones, do not have a boneless version at a higher price. Only Green Park seems to be serving boneless haleem. Overall, except for the bones, I liked the taste of the haleem.

Haleem pot at Telangana Festival

My second opportunity came when we were in Toli Chowki at the Shah Ghouse outlet. It was past iftar time and the restaurant was buzzing with people. A plate of fresh haleem was handed over. The haleem looked a bit bland, and the sherwa in it was less compared to the previous time.

At the exhibition

I was happy to note that the taste of haleem here was consistent. It tasted very similar to the one I had in the festival.  The soft meat and wheat had blended well and the spices and ghee had provided a nice aroma to the mixture. Only difference was that though there were too many bones again, and now the bones were pretty big, thus cutting down on the amount of haleem in the plate. That was quite a dampener for me.

A family pack of haleem here is Rs 450 and it can feed 5 people as per the person in the counter.

Haleem at Tolichowki outlet

Rating: 3.5/5

Location:  Shah Ghouse has three outlets in the city – Shah Ali Banda, Tolichowki (opp Yousuf Tekdi food court) and Raidurgam.

Disclaimer: The feedback and ratings are based on sampling on a particular day. In many such outlets taste is not consistent, and varies from day to day and branch to branch.

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Haleem Trail: Pista House

The name Pista House is almost synonymous to Hyderabadi haleem. In fact no food lover will go through the Ramzan season without tasting their haleem once. Pista House has their own outlets in different areas of the city during this period and a huge franchisee network selling their haleem all over town. They also have a tie-up with Gati Couriers to deliver haleem to major cities in India.

Pista House haleem at the Secunderabad outlet

My first taste of Pista House this year was at the Haleem Festival organized at Shilparamam. Pista House was offering a special haleem at a discounted price of Rs 60 here.  The offering had very little bones, and the strands of mutton in it were extremely tender. The haleem was rich in meat and had the right quantity of sherwa in it. I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality and I was told by the person in the counter that this was a specially prepared haleem.

Package for takeaway

Soon, Pista House opened their special Ramzan outlet at Le Palais Garden in Secunderabad. Apart from haleem they also sell Hyderabadi Patthar Ka Gosht and kababs at this location. Since this is quite close to where I stay, I could not resist a second round of the Pista House haleem.

Haleem stall at Le Palais, Secunderabad

Here the haleem was priced at Rs 140, but the quantity was definitely much more. The mutton quantity here was significantly more. The mutton was well cooked and soft and melted in my mouth. The amount of bones was very low too (maybe it was my good luck), and the meat was so tender that it was easy to separate the bones easily. The haleem overall was not over spicy but flavorful and tasty.

Haleem at Telangana Haleem Festival

The staff here was very friendly, which matters a lot, as you can get the exact amount of ghee and garnishing you want.  I managed to customize the taste to my liking and was extremely satisfied.

This was definitely one of the better haleems I had this year. If you are interested in Pista House, it is always better to go directly to one of their outlets, rather than try it from a parcel available with the local franchisee.



Location:  Pista House has their main outlet near Charminar. They set up numerous outlets in various function halls during Ramzan. Apart from that, they have franchisees selling their packed haleem almost at every street corner during this period.

Disclaimer: The feedback and ratings are based on sampling on a particular day. In many such outlets taste is not consistent, and varies from day to day and branch to branch.

Back to: Haleem Trail

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Haleem Trail: Shadab, Banjara Hills

Shadab is famous for its Hyderabadi cuisine, among which are their biryani, nihari and paya.  Their range of dishes is among the best in town. Apart from their main outlet in old city, they have started a takeaway point in Banjara Hills about a year back. Haleem in both places are supplied from their centralized kitchen.

The outlet

The takeaway is brightly lit and clean with a row of seats in the corner for dining. The haleem here is pre-packed in containers, and they do not serve it in plates. Couple of lemon wedges and a plastic spoon is provided along with the haleem.

The Takeaway Counter

As I retreated to the seats and opened the haleem, it did not impress me. There was hardly any garnishing. However as I dug into it, the taste and the flavor took over.

The haleem here is not very spicy but has a very simple taste which I loved. There were small chunks of mutton – more than those in the other haleems that I have tasted so far. The mutton had really blended well with the spices and wheat creating a thick consistency.  The ghee was also in the right quantity. On the flip side, there were the small pieces of bones in the haleem which were difficult to remove.

Shadab haleem

Though the Shadab haleem is one of the good ones I tasted this year, more onions, nuts and mint, and lesser small bones would have made it even more delightful.

They have three different packages – a single pack costs Rs 120, a special pack at Rs 270 feeds three, and a pack for the whole family at Rs 600.

Rating: 3.5/5

Location:  From Road No 2 Banjara Hills, take the lane next to the well known Masjid-E-Hussaini. Shadab Takeaway is just two houses away.

Back to:  Haleem Trail

Disclaimer: The feedback and ratings are based on sampling on a particular day. In many such outlets taste is not consistent, and varies from day to day and branch to branch.

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Haleem Trail: Paradise, Secunderabad

Paradise is a name synonymous with Hyderabadi biryani. Known to one and all, it is the first thing which pops up in one's mind whenever someone mentions Hyderabadi Biryani. Curiously, the popularity of the restaurant seems to be on a down curve as more and more people curse the dish, especially the ones served in the Masab Tank and Hitec City outlets. It has almost become a fad as it is taken as a measure of showing how much a person is well versed in local tastes. However, a few like me are still loyal to one of the oldest biryani joints in Hyderabad. And whenever people visit from outside Hyderabad, they all insist on Paradise biryani.

Paradise haleem counter

Other than their biryani, Paradise has some clientele for their haleem too. As late as 2012, they were announced as the winners in the haleem category of Times Biryani and Haleem contest. As I had gone to Paradise Circle (named after the restaurant)  for some work, I could not resist trying out the haleem there.

A special area (which is normally used to sell bakery products) has been earmarked for haleem. A long queue was already in place to buy the tokens. After taking the coupon you need to wait for a short while at the delivery counter where three wait staff are feverishly doling out plates of haleem.

The offering

The first thing I noticed was  that the haleem served here had very little garnishing. On request, some more was added in a miserly fashion. As I dug into the haleem, the initial taste was quite good – the ghee (Sherwa) had a very nice flavor and the spices were just right. However the sad part of it was that the mutton content in the haleem was very low, as a result of which the wheat taste was overpowering.

The award winning haleem has its detractors too

Surely with addition of a bit more meat, and more fried onions, mint and cashew on top, this haleem can become a real hit.

A plate of Mutton Haleem is priced at Rs 120, and for Rs 5 extra Paradise is offering a small bottle of Coke.

The winner certificate adorns the wall

Location:  Situated in Paradise Circle, Secunderabad, the restaurant is a landmark by itself. In fact directions are given to other places in Secunderabad, with Paradise as the reference point.

Disclaimer: The feedback and ratings are based on sampling on a particular day. In many such outlets taste is not consistent, and varies from day to day and branch to branch.

                                                    Back to : Haleem Trail Index

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Haleem Trail: Green Park Hotel, Begumpet

Green Park Hotel is one of the places in Hyderabad which serves haleem round the year as part of their Midnight Biryani buffet. However during Ramzan, the hotel puts up a stall in their campus, selling Iftar food from evening till 10 pm. Apart from haleem, biryani and desserts are also available for takeaway.

The special haleem counter during Ramzan

This year the hotel has commissioned a special chef who is exclusively preparing haleem during Ramzan. Apart from that they have provided a special seating area where one can get the haleem and other delicacies served on the table.

The haleem pack ready on the counter

The mutton haleem here has no bones. The ratio of meat to wheat is pretty decent and the level of spice is adequate. Everything is blended together to porridge like consistency. The amount of ghee used here is also less than conventional places.  We need to add only the garnishing on top before tasting. I personally enjoy my haleem with a bit more mint leaves in it.

As we opened the pack of haleem

Overall the haleem is boneless, less oily, medium spicy but quite delicious.

For the takeaway package fried onions, lemon wedges are provided in a separate box. Overall the packaging, which has been specially designed, looks clean, hygienic and attractive.

After adding the garnishings we are ready to go

For some people, who are particular about the hygiene factor of major haleem outlets, Green Park is a place where you can enjoy your haleem. A single haleem costs Rs 120, whereas a bigger full haleem is Rs 180. The counter also sells other delicacies for Iftar.

Location:  Green Park Hotel is itself a landmark on the Greenlands-Ameerpet Road. It is close to the Begumpet Flyover

Disclaimer: The feedback and ratings are based on sampling on a particular day. In many such outlets taste is not consistent, and varies from day to day and branch to branch.

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Haleem Trail: Sarvi, Banjara Hills

Sarvi’s haleem has always been a big favorite of mine. More than a decade ago I remember being invited by a doctor friend of mine from Mehdipatnam to try out their haleem. Since then I have never missed their haleem in any season. They now serve from their Banjara Hills outlet as well as a number of franchisee locations in Hyderabad.

The Sarvi ad in the Times announcing the haleem season

After my visits to Café Bahar,Basheerbagh and Cafe 555, Masab Tank, Sarvi was my next stop. We reached here around 6 pm and found the place very organized. A counter has been set up to sell Haleem tokens which you have to present at the delivery counter to get your booty.

Sarvi is also serving a special haleem (Rs 150) this year apart from the regular one (Rs 120). On querying I was told that the special haleem had extra onions, eggs and nuts.  Though I was tempted to go for it, I decided to try out the regular one.

Standard haleem at Sarvi

The first thing which struck me when I had the plate of haleem in my hand was the aroma of ghee in it. Sarvi had surely added extra ghee while serving the haleem. The other garnishings were much less than the Cafe 555 one I had, but that is expected since they have a higher priced special category offering this. The meat to wheat ratio was fine, and the spices were just alright. I was unlucky enough to receive a big sized bone in my plate, which effectively reduced the quantity of haleem. Though the taste of meat, ghee and spices were distinctively coming through, I felt that less fried onions, mint and no nuts handicapped the overall satisfaction.

The special haleem counter set up for Ramzan

I would definitely visit this place yet again. However, the special haleem at Rs 150 would be a better choice as they add more garnishing here. Unlike most of the other restaurants selling Haleem, they do not promise adding extra meat or anything fancy in their special version. The family pack which they say is good for 5 people is priced at Rs 450.

Location:  Sarvi is situated in a lane opposite CARE hospital on Road No 1, Banjara Hills

Disclaimer: The feedback and ratings are based on sampling on a particular day. In many such outlets taste is not consistent, and varies from day to day and branch to branch.


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Haleem Trail: Cafe 555, Masab Tank

In 2013, the Hyderabadi haleem which was much sought after was that of Café 555. Tucked in a lane close to the Masab Tank flyover, this outlet had such a great word of mouth publicity by satisfied customers that towards the end of the season there used to be quite a queue there.

Cafe 555 Haleem Counter

Fortunately this year Café 555 has started offering their signature dish well before the Ramzan period. After last week’s not so satisfactory experience in another outlet, I did not waste time and raided the place at 5:30 pm on a weekday.
Though dusk was still quite some time away, a motley crowd had already gathered to taste the haleem. A plate of standard haleem this year is being offered at Rs 120. We immediately got hold of a plate and sat down to devour it. The haleem looked enticing garnished with cashew, mint, fried onions and liberal amount of ghee, as well as a piece of lime.

Haleem at Cafe 555

One spoon of this stuff, and I felt elated. The haleem here is on the spicier side, with an uniform consistency and perfect ratio of wheat and meat. The mutton bones were very few and the mutton in the haleem was adequate and soft. The aroma of the ghee and spices was pervading all over. I can safely say that the haleem here this year is definitely of the same high standard as last year.

A large container of ghee which is added to the haleem while serving

One word of caution though – some of you who like your haleem to be bland may find this a bit too spicy.

For the more adventurous food lovers Café 555 also has a special haleem (Rs 200) which has jabaan (goat’s tongue)  and few pieces of Chicken 65 added to it.  Though I normally prefer haleem in its original avatar, I was told by the person at the counter to come back soon and try out the special haleem here. Larger packs for take home are also available.

Cafe 555

Rating: 4/5

Location:  Café 555 is very close to Masab Tank flyover. From Masab Tank Flyover take the road which proceeds towards Banjara Hills. Café 555 is inside the first lane to your left.

Disclaimer: The feedback and ratings are based on sampling on a particular day. In many such outlets, taste is not consistent and varies from day to day and branch to branch.

                                                               Back to : Haleem Trail Index

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The Haleem Trail

In Hyderabad, a large section of the food lover population waits patiently for the Holy month of Ramzan, with a totally different perspective. The famous Hyderabadi Haleem, is widely available only during this month. The well-known Haleem outlets in town compete with each other to prepare the most admired haleem in town. In the evenings crowds throng these places and jostle with one another for tasting this dish.

This Ramzan season, Foodaholix brings Haleem Trail - a series of short reviews of the places serving Haleem in Hyderabad.

Haleem : Overview About The Delicacy

Haleem Trail 1. Cafe Bahar, Basheerbagh

Haleem Trail 2: Cafe 555, Masab Tank

Haleem Trail 3: Sarvi, Banjara Hills

Haleem Trail 4: Hotel Green Park, Begumpet

Haleem Trail 5: Paradise Hotel Secunderabad

Haleem Trail 6: Shadab, Banjara Hills

Haleem Trail 7: Pista House

Haleem Trail 8: Shah Ghouse

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Haleem Trail: Cafe Bahar, Basheerbagh

From the last year, a few places have started serving haleem a couple of weeks ahead of Ramzan. This year two iconic restaurants started serving haleem from the Shab E Barat night. On seeing an advertisement in the Times of India, I landed up in Café Bahar, Hyderguda to have a first go at haleem this year.

Cafe Bahar lit up for Ramzan

The restaurant was specially lit up for the special season. Haleem this year was priced at Rs 90 for a single plate and Rs 450 for a family pack (which they say can serve 6 people).

I immediately went and purchased a token and within a few minutes the plate of haleem was handed over. The dish was well garnished with mint leaves, fried onions and a piece of lemon. As I retreated into a corner and dug into the dish, I was very disappointed. The dish was rich in spice and low on meat. In fact it was mostly bones and no meat. The taste of wheat so overbearing that almost tasted like wheat porridge.. Ghee was also less. Overall the balance in the dish was completely missing.

Single plate of haleem

I had also got a takeaway version for my home, and my wife gave a similar feedback. I had been a fan of their haleem over the years, and sincerely hope that they do something to improve the taste – change the meat-wheat balance and add more ghee. I tried giving the feedback to the guy on the counter, but the feedback was brushed aside and not taken positively.

Normally the trend in some restaurants is that they serve their best haleem in the beginning of the season and quality goes down as the month progresses. But Café Bahar disappointed me from the word ‘go’.

Location: From under Basheerbagh flyover, take the road which goes towards Ramkote. Café Bahar is in a lane on the left side, barely 200 metres from the flyover

Disclaimer: The feedback and ratings are based on sampling on a particular day. In many such outlets taste is not consistent, and varies from day to day and branch to branches.
                 

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