Mani’s Dum Biryani, Ulsoor, Bangalore Biryani Restaurant

Phone: 080 45128706
Address: 18/1, 1st Floor, Haudin Road, Ulsoor, Bangalore
Time: 12 Noon to 10:15 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 750
Cuisines: Biryani
Facilities: Home Delivery

Mani’s Dum Biryani, Ulsoor, Bangalore: DECOR

Mani’s Dum Biryani outlets are designed (if that’s the word) to be purely functional spaces, where the sole focus is on well priced biryanis, served fast and without much ado. That being so, I did notice there’s been some effort to prettify the Ulsoor restaurant with indoor plants and frosted glass panes. It scores most, though, with its view of Ulsoor Lake and the surrounding greenery.

Mani’s Dum Biryani, Ulsoor, Bangalore: FOOD

I’ve seen this biryani brand grow from a single, modest outlet in Koramangala to a thriving chain with nine branches spread across Bengaluru. Its bright red signage announces some of the best value-for money biryanis in the city. Obviously, it’s delivering on the promise; on the Tuesday after noon I was there, the place was packed, and my friend and I had to share a table with another customer. The small list of specials of the day included Egg Pepper Fry, and that’s what I had for starters. Hot and peppery, it was a good dish for whetting the appetite before the main meal. I ordered the half portion of the Fish Biryani. Mani’s has turned portioning into a business strategy, offering choices ranging from half to regular, full, large and family. All you need to know is how capacious your appetite is.

To be honest, my expectations weren’t that high for a Fish Biryani priced at Rs. 159. Imagine my surprise then when the dish arrived hot, fragrant, rich with flavor and impressively non-greasy. Even better, it contained generous amounts delicious bhetki; this, when even five-star hotels settle for cheap and tasteless basa in their pricey buffets.

My lunch companion, whose satisfaction tends to increase manifold when a meal is priced affordably, ordered a half portion of the Chicken Biryani, which came with a boiled egg, and declared it ‘superb’. The Mani’s salan is nicely done, and the raita – thick, creamy and well-seasoned – is nothing like the watery mess passing for this accompaniment in most places.

In the restaurant business, scaling up and expansion often comes at the cost of food quality. At Mani’s, however, the efficient team of chef and restaurateur have demonstrated their ability to crack the formula for delivering consistently good biryani across multiple outlets.

I was completely satisfied at the end of my lunch here and, happily, spared the food coma that is the usual consequence of a biryani meal. My friend thought ordering a Bumper Pack priced at Rs. 999 might be just the thing for the next casual dinner party at home.

Mani’s Dum Biryani, Ulsoor, Bangalore: SERVICE

It took us a few minutes to get the attention of the serving staff. But once the order was placed, the meal proceeded smoothly.

Mani’s Dum Biryani, Ulsoor, Bangalore: PLUS AND MINUS

It’s good biryani at great prices here. The biryani isn’t of any particular provenance, and that could bother purists.