Hyderabadi Biryani at Bombay Palace - Restaurants in Hyderabad

What you see - Right along the chaotic Lakdi-ka-Pul junction is The Hampshire Plaza hotel. The huge lobby leads to a corridor to the restaurant - Bombay Palace. The door resembles that of a palatial chamber. Inside is the small restaurant which has a Mughlai feel to it. The walls have images of Bombay as it was in the earlier years. You are greeted with pictures of the Victoria Terminus, The Gateway of India, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Building. There is a deep sense of nostalgia attached to it. It is really like a slice of Bombay in Hyderabad.

A famous international chain of restaurants serving Indian food in New York, Kuala Lumpur, Budapest, Toronto and London. The uniqueness of cuisine here lies in its adaptation to tastes of the local people. The place, therefore, mainly serves Mughlai cuisine with special Hyderabadi and Andhra dishes.

What you get - The restaurant has a very elaborate wine list. In fact, even water is served in long stemmed wine glasses. On the menu are a delectable selection of Kebabs from Shikampur to Sheek and a very good selection of Tandoori seafood thrown in. Even the roasted Papads are very tangy and tasty.

In the vegetarian starters there is a unique selection of Chaat dishes such as Ragda Patties (an ode to the iconic Chowpatty Chaat) to choose from along with other popular ones like Paneer Tikka, Aloo Wraps etc. The platter is the best choice if you want to savor the taste of all that is on offer.

Coming to the main course there is a very wide range of Biryanis. The traditional Hyderabadi Biryani is prepared in three different styles! Must-try is the aromatic Nizami Prawn Biryani. Then there is the traditional Mughlai fare which includes Murgh Makkhanwala, Kadhai Murgh and seafood like Fish Amritsari with cream.

Our verdict - For a unique experience as far as Hyderabadi Biryani is concerned go to Bombay Palace (sounds paradoxical but it's true). The seafood is indeed one of the best in the city and the service is quite good. The restaurant staff is very courteous and makes efforts to make the guest feel at ease. For a good experience try the white wines with white meats and the red wine with the red meats.

The ambiance complements the food very well with light music playing in the background. Valet parking is available. The place is currently open only for dinner and in the day is available for large or party bookings with special packages on offer.

What you pay for a meal for two - Rs. 650 (without wine).

Noodles and More at Noodle Bar - Restaurants in Hyderabad

What you see - Simple yet elegant, and small yet big, the Noodle Bar at Hyderabad Central offers a lot more besides loads of noodle delights. Now it seems to be a modestly sized restaurant from the foyer but the saying, 'Looks can be deceptive' turns out to be dead right with this one! Because very soon you will learn that the three juxtaposed restaurants - Bombay Blue, Noodle Bar and Copper Chimney - are owned by a single family and come under the Blue Foods banner.

Enter into any of these three restaurants where glass acts as a dividing wall, and you, by all means will get a feel of being present in one huge restaurant. Though the kitchens are separate since they serve different cuisines, the bar is common for all the three. The bar serves cocktails, mocktails and alcohol.

What you get - Basically serving lunch and dinner, the menu at the Noodle Bar features Thai, Japanese, Chinese and other types of Oriental cuisine and is quite vast with both the starters as well as the main course. One good thing about the menu is that it is self-explanatory. If the quaint names of some of the dishes make you wonder, then the accompanying description give you a lucid account of what to expect.

Try their special Tom Yam Thai (Thai soup with noodles, veggies and wantons) and dim sums for starters. Another specialty of the place is the Teppanyaki sizzlers. Try these out if you would like to get an idea of the Japanese style of cooking. These are available in both the vegetarian and the non-vegetarian variety.

If you, however, are of the kinds who prefers to stick to what you usually eat then go ahead and get your own choice of tossed noodles made. The servings here are (more than) sufficient for one person. Otherwise the Noodle Bar Signature - a combo of rice and noodles with vegetables - can stand as a meal in itself. By the way, there is no better way of ending it than with the sizzling brownie here. A scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with heavenly hot chocolate fudge is how we would define it.

The verdict - If your craving for a perfect Chinese luncheon has remained unfulfilled of late, then Noodle Bar is a good and a gratifying option. Veggies have enough to choose from over here even though it serves non-vegetarian food as well. You need not wait long for your meal to arrive here. Hospitality, in fact, may just become another reason for you to step in again. All in all, a great way to end your shopping endeavor at Hyderabad Central.