When the New York Times described biryani as “the Indian equivalent of arroz con pollo or paella,” legions of Southwest Asians and culinary cognoscenti cried “Fake News!” The media megalith with the masthead that boasts of “all the news that’s fit to print” may as well have declared the Taj Majal as the architectural equivalent of Randy’s Donuts in Los Angeles or the Longaburger Company Building in Ohio. It’s highly unlikely Latin America and Spain are nearly as passionate about arroz con pollo or paella as denizens of the exotic subcontinent are about biryani, a dish The Better India boasts “epitomizes the zenith of Indian cuisine. Zenith–that means biryani is at the very top, as good as it can possibly be. So there, New York Times!
Just by its title the book Biryani: The King of Indian Cuisine gives you an idea how esteemed the dish is. The inside cover explains “biryani is the most beloved dish in every corner of India and many parts of Asia.” In India, biryani has achieved legendary or mythical heights. Chef Suvir Saran believes, “Biryani is the mirror image of our population and as the clock is ticking, its a test of time. Biryani has survived longer than any Human being, it will live forever because of its history, taste and texture.” You’re probably not going to read such effulgent testimony about many other foods.
So just what is biriyani, a dish so esteemed it had to be gifted to mere mortals by the gods. Thrillist calls it “the food of royalty” and indeed, biryani boasts of a royal lineage. Indian folklore attributes the origin of biryani to the queen for which the incomparable Taj Majal was built. According to legend, she once visited the Army barracks and discovered under-nourished soldiers. Dismayed by the sight, she ordered that a dish be composed that would be well-balanced in flavor, nutrition and energy for the men. Her chef created a dish replete with protein (meat) and carbohydrates (rice), the very first biryani.
Describing biryani as a meat and rice dish is selling it far short. It’s infinitely so much more. Made up of freshly cooked aromatic rice marinated with a combination of spices and the meat of your choice (chicken, mutton, fish or egg), it’s a layered, fragrant dish that takes hours and hours to prepare. Biryani is an amalgam of spices and condiments that may include ghee (clarified butter), nutmeg, mace, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions, tomatoes, green chilies and garlic. Premium varieties include saffron. In all biryani, the main ingredient brought to its zenith of flavor by the exotic spices is chicken or goat meat (though beef or seafood may also be used). The dish may be served with chutney or raita, korma, curry or other complimentary items.
If you’ve had biryani at any Albuquerque area Indian restaurant, you’re probably wondering why I would be singing the praises of a dish no Duke City Indian restaurant–great as they are at preparing so many other dishes–does particularly well. That’s because July, 2020 celebrated the launch of New Mexico’s first restaurant dedicated to preparing biryani. With a name like “Bawarchi Biryanis” it’s got to be good. According to the restaurant’s website, Bawarchi means “the chef” as an homage to the generations of chefs who kept the cooking traditions alive. To that end, Bawarchi not only offers an assortment of biryani dishes, it’s got a versatile menu showcasing Indo-Chinese dishes, a fusion of deliciousness traced back to the Silk Road cultural exchange.
Within days of its launch, Bawarchi had earned accolades from my friend Alonna Smith, the mastermind behind My Indian Stove. About Bawarchi, Alonna, a very accomplished home cook, told me “It was the best Indian food I’ve ever had.” She informed me that “The franchise owners are from the South Indian State of Andhra Pradesh which is renowned for its unique and aromatic spices.” Co-owner Arsha Khan and her husband Irfan also own Apna Bazaar on Montgomery, a highly regarded Indian grocery store.
Although Bawarchi quickly earned praise and acclaim from the public and the media alike, corporate support was lacking. Bawarchi, a burgeoning chain with locations in 23 states, seemed more interested in expanding across the fruited plain than it did in supporting its local affiliate. Within three years, the Khan family had rebranded its name to “Royal Hyderabad.” It’s not only the name that changed. New recipes were developed, some items were dropped from the menu and other items were added. In November, 2025, Royal Hyderabad launched its second location, this time on Albuquerque’s ever-expanding west side. The new restaurant is a 4,000-square-foot space that can accommodate 110 people.
Irfan invited me to visit the west side Royal Hyderabad’s two days after its launch. He promised it would be my “new hang out.” Considering my polyamorous relationship with restaurants, it’s not likely any restaurant will ever have exclusivity of my affections. But, Royal Hyderabad proved so good that we’ll return. The area in which Royal Hyderabad is located is attracting new restaurants as well as sibling eateries. On the southeast corner of McMahan and Unser and within easy walking distance from Royal Hyderabad, you’ll find such dynamic restaurants as Fuego 505, Slice & Dice ChocoGlitz and Cream and soon, Ohana Hut. Though these culinary gems may have an Albuquerque address, they practically border Rio Rancho.
Royal Hyderabad didn’t have much of a crowd when we arrived for a late (1:30) lunch on a Saturday morning. Hector, one of several outstanding servers, told us the restaurant was “slammed” on Friday night. That bodes well for Royal Hyderabad. Many Albuquerque Indian restaurants tend to pack ’em in during lunch hours when buffets are featured fare. Royal Hyderabad does not offer a buffet. Instead, it’s got one of the most comprehensive menus you’ll find in the Southwest. There are fourteen biryani plates on the menu including several vegetarian. You’ll also find such protein as shrimp, chicken, fish and goat on the biryani section of the menu. Frankly, there were almost as many Indian dishes that were new to me as there were those with which I’m well acquainted. One of my favorite sections of the menu is the Indo-Chinese section where the incomparable melding of Chinese and Indian cuisines is available on eight items.
There are 25 appetizers on the menu. Count ’em: 25. Among them is the curiously named Chicken 65, perhaps Chennai, India’s version of chicken nuggets–only much, much better. (An even better comparison would be karaage, a marinated, deep-fried Japanese chicken dish). Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish known for its bold flavors of ginger, garlic, curry leaves, and red chilies. Its crispy exterior belies tender chicken. It’s served without any sauce or chutney, all the better for those of us who enjoy spiciness. As for the curious name, the most widely accepted explanation is that the dish was created in the year 1965.
Call it heresy if you will, but I’ve long considered naan superior to tortillas (and I absolutely love tortillas). The naan section of the menu lists fourteen items, not all of them naan. you’ll also find such wonderful Indian bread options as roti, poori, paratha and kulcha. The commonality is deliciousness. Man may not be able to live on bread alone, but I might be willing to try doing so if it was Indian bread. On the “South Indian” section of the menu, you’ll see Indian bread’s sibling, dosas, thin, savory crepes cooked on a griddle. Turophiles will delight in the cheese dosa because the richness and tanginess of cheese comes through very well. The exterior of the dosa is crispy and savory while the inside is slightly gooey and indulgent. Royal Hyderabad serves it with a tomato chutney and sambar.
My Kim’s favorite Indian buffet item is tandoori chicken. She fills her plate with as much of it as she can carry. Royal Hyderabad has a better option, fittingly called the Royal mixed grill, a melange of premium tandoori kebabs: chicken, lamb, shrimp, paneer and bell peppers all grilled to smoky perfection. This mixed grill is not for the faint of palate. Each item packs real heat. That’s terrific for those of us with taste buds coated in asbestos. Each tandoori kebab is outstanding, extending far beyond heat to present diners with juicy, flavorful proteins that will make your mouth water. As a bona fide turophile, my favorite was the paneer, the fresh, acid-set cheese. It’s not a melty cheese which means it holds its shape. Two sizeable cubes of paneer made my day.
While many items on the menu intrigued me, the Karaikudi Goat (a bold and spicy Chettinad-style goat curry cooked with roasted spices, coconut, and aromatic South Indian herbs) called loudest. Because the goat included bones, I asked if it could be prepared with lamb instead. The gracious staff was accommodating. Thus Karaikudi Lamb was served. Karaikudi cuisine is known for its heat and complexity. Key spices often include star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, peppercorns, cumin, and dried red chilies. Those dried red chilies made their presence felt–in a good way, of course. This is one of those rare dishes that will titillate and scald your taste buds, but you won’t ever want to stop eating it. You’ll definitely discern the complexity of the ingredients with which it is prepared.
Royal Hyderabad’s dessert menu isn’t just the usual suspects you find at many Indian restaurants. In addition to a wonderful mango lassi, mango features prominently among the desserts. My Kim opted for the mango kesari (a rich, fragrant South Indian-style semolina dessert infused with juicy mango, ghee, and cardamom). Microsoft colleagues often told me that mangoes grown in the Indian subcontinent were the best in the world. Alas, they can’t be exported to the United States. Still, the mango in the kesari shines, pairing exceptionally well with cardamom. Both mangoes and cardamom have notes of citrus with a floral sweetness you can’t beat.
It’s becoming increasingly obvious to me that most culinary cultures renowned for bread have some type of bread pudding. In India, it’s called double ka meetha (a classic Hyderabadi bread pudding soaked in saffron-infused milk, slow-cooked with ghee, and topped with nuts). I want to try them all. The name “double ka meetha” combines the colloquial term double roti, referring to leavened milk bread that rises to nearly double its size during baking, and meetha, meaning “sweet” in Hindi and Urdu. As such, the dish literally translates to “sweet of the double bread.” Solely from the perspective of appearance, it’s somewhat reminiscent of fruitcake, the oft-maligned Christmas dessert. This is no fruitcake. It’s a bread pudding you’ll enjoy thoroughly.
In one visit, Royal Hyderabad has become my very favorite Indian restaurant in the Land of Enchantment. With bold and authentic cuisine, it could well become your favorite, too.
Royal Hyderabad
5760 McMahon Blvd., N.W.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 394-8725
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LATEST VISIT: 22 November 2025
# OF VISITS: 1
RATING: N/R
COST: $$ – $$$
BEST BET: Chicken 65, Cheese Dosa, Mixed Grill, Karaikudi Lamb, Mango Kesari, Double Ka Meetha
REVIEW #1497