‘A declaration of war’: Restaurant’s banner on biryani policy has foodies locking horns online

Remarking on the age-old controversy of aloo in biryani, the restaurant said: “Calling anything with aloo is illegal. Any rice potato mix will henceforth be called Batata wada rice.”

The photo was shared on Reddit’s official India group and quickly spread across social media sites. (IamUMFA/ Reddit)

While people who love Hyderabadi cuisine agreed with their classification, supporters of Kolkata Biryani and those from Lucknow are fuming. Some from Kerala are disappointed that their biryani has failed to find even a passing mention and “never got the respect it deserved”. Many supporters of ‘veg’ (vegetable) biryani, too, were angry with the pulao analogy as those against it replied, “What’s a biryani without gosht”.

Check out some of the responses the photo got on Twitter.

There is nothing but truth in this Biryani Policy. There is no lie. https://t.co/6qhO3tur6T

— Wajahat “Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic” Ali (@WajahatAli) July 1, 2020

a declaration of war https://t.co/l7PxHCNndt

— KAMLESH SINGH / BANA (@kamleshksingh) July 1, 2020

Any biryani without potato or egg in it isn’t even fit to be called biryani https://t.co/i9ZLcbHNuU

— Debasish Roy Chowdhury (@Planet_Deb) July 2, 2020

Bring it on! Nothing beats the sofistiketed, aromatic Lucknow biryani!

— Citizen!!!🐈🦜🐾🍁🌾 (@Amatur_Rahman1) July 2, 2020

It’s a poor lost soul who can’t admit the sheer superiority of Kolkata Biriyani due to the regal presence of aloo

— Tweetz from home (@Ritz__Twitz) July 2, 2020

Wait!!! this is the one I regularly order from in Pune!! I pity the people who consider Hyderabadi Biryani the high point of the art, having never tasted thr Lucknowi/Awadhi Biryani #BiryaniWars https://t.co/MtkIt0robm

— Kaavish (@kaavishkidwai) July 2, 2020

Unpopular opinion: Hyderabadi biryani is literally the worst excuse of a biryani, and doesn’t even come in the same league as Malabar Biryani ffs. https://t.co/SlPfnJBM9m

— Vighnesh (@vighneshck1) July 2, 2020

Registering protest on behalf of Malabar Biriyani https://t.co/msFGUZN7q4

— Nihaal Ahmed (@nihaal_ahmed1) July 2, 2020

Hyderabadi biryani is as dry as you get it. Henceforth we shall call it Flavoured Rice.
Mumbai Biryani has no equal

— kaisarehind (@kaisarehind) July 2, 2020

Let you live in your own cocoon,Hydrabadi! :-). There are great varieties such as Dindigul Briyani available outside your field of view . Come visit Dindigul once.

— Tamilr (@TamilR) July 2, 2020

This could start a war https://t.co/1yiZKuYecR

— Pooja Mahimkar (@PoojaMahimkar) July 1, 2020

Masala Rice! NOOOOOOOO

— Saadia Muzaffar 🏳️‍🌈 آزادی (@ThisTechGirl) July 1, 2020

Biryani = Hyderabadi.

Everything else = Some Pullav / Masala Rice.

Fact.

— Danish Manzoor | Physical Distancing (@TellDM) July 1, 2020

Had more types of biryanis than what is written here and Muradabadi biryani is the best…with Lucknowi(Awadhi) biryani also nearby. https://t.co/WkSw3ckq33

— VJ (@venky_jaiswal) July 1, 2020

Please add: Mixing dal with Biryani is blasphemy. The kaffara would be to read all the above 100 times a day until you come back to your senses https://t.co/IZ4ch6lnDB

— Azhar (@azhar_er) July 1, 2020

This is all accurate and I am surprised it took so long to make this a policy https://t.co/QU4wnVUxbq

— Omran 🕋 (@Omran__Ali) July 1, 2020

As the photo went viral, indianexpress.com reached out the restaurant in question to know more.

Ashok Parimi, the owner of the brand clarified that the banner is not currently outside their Pune outlet owing to Covid-19 lockdown but could be put back when things would normalise. Saying that they first placed the banner a year ago, most customers coming to the outlet didn’t disagree and thought it was funny as they all love authentic Hyderabadi and Andhra cuisine, which are their specialties.

The owner said that the banner was pun-intended and didn’t mean to hit out at any cuisine.

“We had the banner at one particular branch. We are a very strict Hyderabadi food lovers and you find all authentic Hyderabadi and Andhra food along with some north-Indian food but with a twist of Hyderabadi flavour. But yes the post is not targeting any culture. It is meant to enjoy Hyderabadi food with full heart,” he stressed.

Talking about the critics of the banner, he said that the customers who come to the restaurant were ‘mature’ enough to see the humour. “Most of them took it as funny post and most of Andhra and Hyderabadi people actually think it is correct,” he added.

As the photo continues to be shared on various platforms, the debate on various food culture and history too continues.