Rice up to it

We profile here some popular biryani caterers in town,who have over the years,become synonymous with great quality and even better pricing. One of these is Ali Reza Dekhani,who was happy looking after his family restaurant in Khadki until his brother Haji Ghulam Ali,who loved biryani,passed away. It was then that Dekhani decided to start a catering service offering biryani in his brother’s name. “When I started the business in 2002,it was tough and I had very few customers. But as people started liking our food,slowly our customers increased by word of mouth,” says Dekhani. “Today,with three cooks and nine helping staff members,Dekhani is quite satisfied with the way his business venture has shaped up. “We do not compromise on the quality of food and that has really been the trademark of our biryani over the years. From police commissioners to film actors,the list of our clients is long and illustrious,” he adds.

For Fakhruddin Khan,owner of F K caterers,which specialises in Dum Biryani,cooking biryani was a passion,and one which he eventually made into a profession. “I used to work as a cook earlier in another establishment,but started my own catering service 15 years ago. From a one-room set up with just two employees,to the success that it is today,it feels great to see our business grow,” informs Khan. “Today,our clientele includes politicians,corporate bigwigs and bureaucrats,among others. Initially,I used to take orders and deliver it myself. Now,we have our own vehicle to deliver orders and at times when there are several orders,we also hire additional vehicles and staff,” he adds.

To add to this list is Raza Caterers in the city’s Synagogue Street. Taking great pride in the high profile clientele that they cater to,the owner of the catering service Moin Khan says,“I started this business along with my brother Haji Babu Khan in 2001 and set up a 24X7 service. We took orders not just from nearby areas but also catered to Pimpri-Chinchwad,Nigdi and Solapur.” With four cooks and eight helping staff today,Moin Khan is a happy man as he attends to customers’ requests and makes sure all orders are dispatched on time and to the correct address.

High rice
Ali Reza Dekhani
Chicken Biryani – Rs 500 per kg
Mutton Biryani – Rs 600 per kg
Veg Biryani – Rs 360 per kg
Fakhruddin Khan
Chicken Biryani – Rs 500 per kg
Mutton Biryani – Rs 560 per kg
Veg Biryani – Rs 350 per kg
Fish Biryani – Rs 800 per kg
Moin Khan
Chicken Biryani – Rs 450 per kg
Mutton Biryani – Rs 550 per kg
Veg Biryani – Rs 300 per kg