India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [342]
Taj Krishna Situated in the upmarket suburb of Banjara Hills, Hyderabad’s most luxurious hotel has some of the city’s most exclusive restaurants (see “Where to Dine,” below), its best nightlife option, and proximity to shopping outlets. Fashioned to emulate the opulence and (sometimes high-kitsch) style of an Indian palace with sumptuous arches, zardozi (embroidered) panels, cuddapah stone with mother-of-pearl inlaid marble pillars, its lobby is packed full of ornately engraved mirrors, rococo marble statues, Asian vases, an original French gold-encrusted ornamental grandfather clock, and a fountain spouting water into a dark marble koi pond. Rooms are elegantly appointed with fine linens, old-world paintings, and some with chandeliers. The lake and pool facing suites on the Taj Club floors are the best, with a host of amenities. (Note: Bear in mind that the Taj group has a cheaper, less opulent but comfortable brother in town.)
Rd. no. 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034. 040/6666-2323 or 040/2339-2323. Fax 040/6666-1313. www.tajhotels.com. 261 units. $375 deluxe double; $480 Taj Club (includes breakfast and airport pickup); $715 deluxe suite; $900 luxury suite; $1,500 presidential suite. AE, MC, V. Amenities: 4 restaurants; bar; tea lounge; nightclub; airport transfer (Rs 1,900); badminton (by arrangement); concierge; currency exchange; doctor-on-call; golf (by arrangement); health club; Internet (Rs 200/hr., Rs 600/day); outdoor pool; room service; squash (by arrangement). In room: A/C, TV, minibar, Wi-Fi (Rs 200/hr., Rs 600/day).
WHERE TO DINE
In Hyderabad, food is as important as life itself (a world-view no doubt inherited from the Nizams, who reveled in culinary intemperance) and known for its dum-style cooking (its origins in Lucknow): the practice of sealing the pot or dish and gently simmering its ingredients over a slow fire, thereby increasing the absorption of aromatic spices. Lavishly decorated in vibrant blues and distinctively Hyderabadi objets d’art, Dum Pukht (ITC Kakatiya Sheraton & Towers; 040/2340-1032;www.welcomgroup.com; Rs 550–Rs 1,500) is the city’s most celebrated upmarket restaurant, and known for its dum-style dishes. (Dum Pukht literally means cooking by locking in steam.) Try the chef’s kareli ki nahari, mutton shanks cooked in their own juices and marrow, tinged with cardamom and saffron. Melt-in-the-mouth kakori kebabs prepared from finely minced mutton, green papaya, cloves, and cinnamon are skewered, chargrilled, and eaten with sheermal, saffron-and-milk-infused flaky bread.
One of the best examples of dum-style cooking is biryani, Hyderabad’s most time-honored dish, best made with marinated mutton which, together with basmati rice and spices, is prepared in a sealed pot for an aromatic result—see tip box below/above.
Best Biryani
Available practically anywhere, Biryani is best enjoyed with a spicy mirch ka salan (chili curry) and yogurt salad; lately, however, most of the restaurants are taking a shortcut and cooking biryani in open cauldrons—although tasty, it’s not quite the same thing. Try Azizia, adjacent the Nampally railway station: It is said to be the home of biryani, and its chefs claim to be descended from the Nizams’ master chefs; alternatively try Paradise (Paradise Circle, M.G. Rd.), Café Bahar in Himayatnagar, Shadab or Medina, in the Old City (we actually preferred the biryani in these places more than at the top-end restaurants—and that too at a fraction of the cost!).
Finish your meal with Hyderabad’s famous desserts: khubani ka meetha (apricots and cream) or double ka meetha (bread pudding with cashews and almonds). Another place that serves authentic