Today we were in Surrey for the local favourite spot for Briyani. I liked their pop art decor with splashes of contrasting blue and yellow. The room was right and upbeat as a result.
We started with some Chai, made to order. You can tell given how it came well after the food. You add the sugar yourself to sweeten. I would have liked more spice and ginger for a more pronounced flavour. Thus, I am on the look out for the most robust chai.
We were intrigued by the name, but it turns out the Chicken Lollipops were just chicken drumsticks marinated in their house special sauces then deep fried. They had a good amount of breading for a nice crunch, hiding a juicy centre. No complaints here.
The Papdi Chat was the perfect break in between bites. A fresh appetizer of Indian wafers mixed with chickpea and potato, and dressed with mint yogurt and tamarind. I wouldn’t order them as a dish just to have on their own, as the taste is singular and you would eventually hit flavour fatigue. However, in the context of our meal, they made for a great palate and textural refresher. I was especially impressed by how long the thick crackers retained their crispiness, not one grew soggy under all that heavy cream and sauce during our stay.
We ordered the Tandoori Prawns mild, but they came tongue tingly spicy. Prawns marinated overnight then cooked in tandoor with house spices. I liked the char, but given their dominating flavour and heat I was left looking for a side to have with this.
A must for me at any Indian restaurant is the Butter Chicken. There it is done in Dhaba Style: boneless chicken cooked in rich butter sauce with cashew nuts. It was more tangy tomato than sweet, with large chunks of chicken. I enjoyed the serving with the breads below.
Thick and pillowy Tandoori Butter Naan and Garlic Naan. Perfect for soaking up all that extra sauce.
The Gongura Mutton is bone-in fresh goat cooked in red sorrel leaves. The leaf is what that gives it its trademark tangy flavour. I found this beefy like a curry gravy, but flat and dull. I needed a fresh element to help break up the heavy, one toned sauce. This is where the chaat was especially helpful.
The menu was hard to navigate with no photos and little description. We had to ask, then took our server’s suggestion of ordering the Hyderabad Goat Dum Biryani. The rice has a wonderfully firm, yet chewy, crispy, and light texture. However, the goat meat was dry. Thankfully the dish came with two sauces, a spiced red and a cooling white yogurt that was helpful in injecting some moisture into the mix.
Solid food, we had a good time, but there are no specials or standouts here, beside the cute table caddies of self serve cutlery and napkins that came in handy.
Bahubali Briyani House
8653 120 St, Delta, BC V4C 2Y1
(250) 395-9659
bahubalibiryanihouse.ca
