Debisree R.
Google
We had dinner at this Hyderabadi-style Indian restaurant during a recent conference trip to San Diego. We arrived around 8 p.m. on a weeknight, and the place was still busy enough that we had to wait about 5–6 minutes for a table. It’s a very casual spot — not a fine-dining setup, just a simple, informal restaurant.
We started with water, but surprisingly they didn’t serve ice with it. For appetizers, we ordered a chicken kebab and kodi vepudu (a spicy fried chicken dish). The kodi vepudu was flavorful and nicely spiced, but the kebab was disappointing — bland, lacking seasoning, and without the smoky, chargrilled flavor you’d expect.
For the main course, I ordered Dum ka Chicken, a Hyderabadi specialty, and my friends ordered mutton ghee roast. One thing worth noting: unlike most Indian restaurants, the main dishes do not come with rice, so you have to order rice or naan separately. I got a tandoori roti, while the others ordered butter naan. The portion sizes were very large — none of us could finish our meals, and we all ended up taking leftovers home.
The food overall had a strong South Indian/Telugu-style flavor profile — bold, spicy, and rich — so if that’s what you enjoy, you’ll likely appreciate it. We were too full to try dessert, but the meal was satisfying.