Restaurant review: The Minar - Jewel Of Nizam

The Minar at the Golkonda Resorts in Gandipet, is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Hyderabad. A stone’s throw away from the Gandipet Lake, The Minar is a one-of-its-kind mono pillar restaurant in the country. It is ideally positioned to have a vantage view of the beautiful surroundings while dining. To get the best seats with a view, you’ll need to be early or extremely patient.So, book your table before arriving to avoid disappointment.
Decor
The magnificence of the structure is the first thing that will strike you as you approach the restaurant. The only entry to the restaurant is through the massive pillar via an elevator. One is welcomed by a waitress in traditional attire, who then escorts you from the elevator to the reserved table. The interiors are tastefully done with rich Nizami heritage and lifestyle as its theme. The ambience is grand with rich upholstery, chandeliers, silver tableware; everything here screams of the opulent Nizami lifestyle. The royal blue, off-white and beige colour theme coupled with soothing music in the background enhanced the grandeur.
Food

The menu is very descriptive and detailed. First to come was the Murgh Ka Tikka, perfect boneless chunks of chicken seasoned with cumin, pepper and other spices, was juicy and tantalising. The notable dishes include Spicy Boti Kebab, Jheenga Nizami, Chatpati Machchi and Kaju Malai Ki Seekh to name a few. Traditional dishes like Marag, Hyderabadi Dum Ka Murgh and Haleem are available every day, which is a blessing to many hyderabadis. Moving to the main course, their signature dish, Kacchi Dum Biryani was my first choice, but I also tried the Mutton Rogan Josh with Whole Wheat Tandoori roti. The biryani made with special aromatic long grain rice and tender lamb in whole spices was near perfect, with the right amount of flavours and aroma.
The Mutton Rogan Josh is a very interesting dish; the lamb shanks are cooked in oil at a very intense heat with rich aromatic spices to make it a perfect mutton curry. It’s got the right amount of spices, tomato puree and cloves complementing the meat. From the desserts, one has to try the Khubani Ka Meetha, Double Ka Meetha and the house specialty Anokhi Kheer, made with white onions and a reduction of creamy milk. It looked interesting, but did not live up to its reputation. Overall, I was impressed with the food and service. Getting royally treated comes with a heavy dent on the pocket, but it is definitely worth visiting this ‘fifth Minar of Hyderabad’.