Food trail: A very spicy affair

We continue with our reader-driven series on must-sample restaurants and eating places across the country.

Pallavi Ganesh Kumar, a die-hard foodie, tells you where to get spicy pulpusus, tangy ulavala charu and other Andhra delights in Hyderabad.

Picking out the best restaurant in Hyderabad is like choosing the most exquisite creation from the Nizam's jewels. But, since hunger pangs react differently to different cuisines, choosing one amongst the best is not a Herculean task for a foodie. Take me for example; I am addicted to Andhra cuisine.

Which is why Spicy Venue is one of my favourite eating haunts. The restaurant is truly worth its name; it's where you head if you want spicy Andhra cuisine. It is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city, yet located in the prime residential locality of Jubilee Hills.

A residence converted into a restaurant, Spicy Venue offers amazing Andhra delights. Don't be surprised if you bump into a movie star or political leader there. In fact, the service here will make you feel you are a celebrity yourself.

Andhra delicacies

The menu will offer you everything from authentic Andhra chicken fries and roasts to fish gravies and mutton kebabs, country chicken and crabs. You must try the pulusus, a non-vegetarian spicy gravy-based dish.

Vegetarians, try the mouth-watering ulavala charu (it is made of horse gram, a pulse known as kuthlee in Hindi). This dish is tamarind-based, and has a sour and spicy flavour. In fact, everything here is spicy; you will find that gulping down glasses of water is essential.

Eating at a non-vegetarian joint and not mentioning biryani is like blasphemy. The biryani here is a must-have and the portions are quite large (this goes for all dishes).

East meets West

Much to the delight of non-vegetarian foodies, Spicy Venue is one of the few Hyderabad restaurants that serves dosas, idlis, appams with non-vegetarian accompaniments like chicken or mutton gravies or curries, instead of the usual chutney or sambhar.

Then, there are the usual Andhra thalis with a choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

The best, however, is yet to come. The Orange Blossoms Ice Cream will have you yearning for more. Apricot Delight is yet another sweet offering from the desserts section.

Cost factor

Spicy Venue is reasonably priced. A meal for two would cost approximately Rs 400.

Add-ons

~ The ambience is good.

~ You won't have parking problems.

~ Swings, seesaws, parrots, lovebirds (there is an open courtyard for these delights) of all kinds

~ All in all, an excellent dining experience

So, the next time if you are anywhere near J Hills or Banjara Hills and want to satiate your culinary senses, head for Spicy Venue; I guarantee you will return for more.

On a rating scale of one to ten

Food: 9

Service: 7

Variety: 7

Parking without hassles: 9

Ambience: 8

Address
Spicy Venue
265/S, Road No 10
Jubilee Hills
Hyderabad -- 500 030

Phone: (040) 6595522/225

Pallavi Ganesh Kumar is a copywriter and lives in Hyderabad.

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