Biryani @ Ruky's

Ruky's was recommended to me by a good friend. Situated in Kothrud, they are a take-away and delivery non-vegetarian eatery. The last weekend after visiting both parents we decided to carry dinner home. We needed something quick, filling and both of us wanted to eat chicken.

Ruky's had the standard fare - tikkas and such that is an integral part of non-veg places. My boneless chicken biryani was delivered in under 5 minutes, packing was standard. The good part was that they provided a rather spicy and chilly curry separately, so we could just omit the spice. The biryani itself felt like a combo of grilled chicken pieces and pulao, the making of which in fact I witnessed in their open kitchen - a large plate of pulao went in to the microwave and 2-3 plates of different made-to-order biryanis got concocted for people waiting for their orders. Quite an idea!

The only thing I didn't approve of was watching one of the cooks smack something out of his hand from a huge kadhai, apparently to taste it! I would've pointed it out to the man behind the counter if I weren't so tired or hungry. And again there was that very sleepy baby waiting in the car with her daddy. Back home, I tried to forget what happened and ate up. The taste was strictly ok. No big awards to be given out, but no eliminations either.

Anyway, I hate to think of what goes on in the kitchens of restaurants after this - I guess ignorance can really be bliss.

Kothrud gets a respectable restaurant – Asian Melange

I’ve often wondered why the densely populated Kothrud with its fair share of the wealthy does not have good restaurants. The relatively better ones in the area are always overflowing, and the chances that you will end up meeting your neighbour at a restaurant in Koregaon Park are very high.

Anyway, the owner of Asian Melange, near Karve Statue in Kothrud seems to have sensed the gap and seized the opportunity. The three-storied multi-cuisine restaurant complete with an open to sky terrace barbeque is a decent place to take your family. The restaurant is more than a year old I hear, but the word of mouth is spreading, and I heard about this place from a lot of people before I decided to try it.

The menu is more Indian than multi-cuisine but the spread is pretty good. Portions are standard and prices are reasonable. The non vegetarian barbeque was definitely better than the vegetarian platter we ordered. We didn’t like the potato and the baby corn that they served was very spicy.

I saw the seating on the lower floors only on my way up but it seemed ok. Even on a cold winter evening, the terrace seating was cozy with just enough light. The service was good, and the attendants were well informed about the fare. The food took a bit long to come which is generally a problem if you are taking kids along. I found the tables a bit cramped and what with the barbeque set in the middle of the table, space is left a bit lacking. Better to opt for a place that has more chairs than the number of people you are taking along.

Parking is adequate and they also provide a valet, so taking your car is not a problem. I suggest you call and reserve in advance given the demand-supply equation in Kothrud.

My verdict – 3.5 out of 5 for the barbeque, but scope for improvement in general. May not be the place to plan a really special occasion, but you can target it when you feel bored of driving to the other end of town and don’t feel like a take-away.