Ochi In The City: Persian Food

Food Diary : Biryani House

For a couple of weeks now, I have been craving for Indian food and torn between actually giving in to this craving or prioritizing my diet lol. I'm trying to eat healthier but we all know Indian food isn't just complete without rice so I had to hold it up on the rice. I did find an alternative but I'll be talking about that on a different blog. For now I'd like to talk about this hole in the wall I discovered a couple of weeks back.

So, since the guy I'm dating hails from Bulacan, I often find myself scouring the streets of Malolos for my next food adventure. I'm also surprised at how budget-friendly most of the restaurants are, say, a Samgyeupsal place offers both Korean Bbq + Shabu Shabu for only P299! That's how crazy the prices can go. Anyway, we all know Indian food can be a bit on the pricier side so I was ecstatic when I discovered Biryani House Malolos.

THE PLACE

The place is not air-conditioned but has ample parking. It is located along Blas Ople Diversion Road so it can get a little hot since the area feels like a dessert right with a gasoline station. It can comfortably seat around 5-6 medium sized groups and despite it not being air-conditioned, the place was neat and clean. The menu was also posted on the wall with matching photos just in case you weren't familiar how the dishes looked like.

THE FOOD

I've been making my own Biryani at home but I wanted a restaurant-made feast because I didn't know if my recipe was closer to the original. I got Butter Chicken (P219), Chicken Biryani (P199), Yogurt Shake aka Lass (P129), Butter Roti (P39) and Cheese Paratha (P119). My order roughly reached about P7700+ and I think it's not bad given I got so many things! I also just want to say I get why Indian food is expensive here in the Philippines because of all the spices involved in making the dishes which is why I appreciate it when I get authentic food for a fraction of the price.

The Chicken Biryani was good and the serving as good for about 2-3 people but I almost consumed it all. I had a little for take out but you get how good it was because I really could've consumed it all. It was served with Raita and spicy tomato puree (I dont know what it's called) on the side. Next is the Butter Chicken, the serving was sufficient but for P219 I was expecting a bit more. I also dipped my Butter Roti and Cheese Paratha on the Butter Chicken sauce and bam, divine! The flavors were combined so well I just wanted to eat everything.

Would I go back? Definitely! Yes the heat could be off-putting since Indian food can also get pretty hot which is why I was sweating buckets, but nothing can stop me from getting good food with really awesome price tags. If you're around the area and craving for Indian/Arabic/Pakistani food, go ahead and check them out!

BIRYANI HOUSE

Budget : 400 for 2 people

Call : 0977 777 4017 for reservations

Caltex Gas Station Blas Ople Diversion Rd, Malolos, Bulacan

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, by Ochi Bernadas

food diary

Food Diary : Halal Kabab Express

Aside from Japanese food, which every one knows I'm obsessed with, I also have a mild infatuation with Persian food. I don't get to post about it often because it's quite difficult to look for a Persian restaurant that's well within my budget. I've tried a few which are very affordable but compromises the taste and quality of the food. I have a couple of favorites--Mr Kebab and Adbul the Cool. Aside from the two, I have a couple more that I frequent but not something I'd really recommend to friends.

One time while driving along Katipunan, we saw this small, homey joint that was flocked by a lot of students. I was curious because I haven't tried any new Persian restaurant for the past few months. While looking at the menu, we didn't expect much because the food was cheap and they don't always look like the ones in the photos. But this restaurant though, you'll be surprised. Let me take you in on the food that we got ourselves!

The Place

The place is not right out the streets of Katipunan. You have to enter a small alley and you'll see the place. It has ample parking, and I was surprised because the street also has CCTV. No need to worry about your belongings in the car. The joint also has a CCTV of its own. Looking from the outside, the place may seem a little small--but there are several seats inside once you enter. It is also quite spacious inside with a wide view of the kitchen so you can actually see how you food is being prepared.

The Food

For starters, we had the Chelo Jujeh Kabab (P179.00), Chicken Barbecue with Saffron, Grilled Tomato and Persian rice. The chicken is grilled to perfection, and isn’t tough or dry at all (which is usually my problem when it comes to Persian food). The rice on its own also speaks wonders! My usual Persian rice is just plain Basmati rice topped with butter; but their rice, on the other hand, beams with different flavors and spices. I was trying to identify each one, but eventually gave up because I just wanted to enjoy the food.

Our second course was the Kabab Kubideh Wrap (P99). After having rice, we wanted something a bit lighter, so we could ease into rice again, lol. It’s made of Beef Kabab, Tomato and Onion. Our last meal was the Chelo Kabab Kubideh (P179.00), or Beef Kabab with Grilled tomato and Persian rice. I made sure I tried this last because I’m very fond of Chelo Kabab. The Chef mentions that if you eat Chelo Kabab with pure beef, though, you have to make sure you eat it as soon as it’s served because it gets drier the longer you let the meat sit.

To complement our meal, we had Lassi P70 , a Yogurt Drink in Plain and Rose Water. I’ve had a couple of favorite yogurt drinks in the past, but their plain yogurt drink is a revelation. It is sweet, tangy and refreshing. The Rose Water Yogurt, on the other hand, gave me butterflies on my tongue (is there such thing?). I hadn’t had any rose water-flavored drink before and I was surprised that it tasted so invigorating.

While dining, we also had the chance to meet the owners of the place, Violet and Chef Manoj de Silva. Chef Manoj was very chatty and told us a lot of things about herbs and spices. Through our short 15-20 minute conversation, I learned a lot about food preparation, import and export, and a few things about the food service industry! It was an interesting dinner to say the least. Will we come back? Definitely! I’ve yet to try the rest of their menu which I assume will be as wonderful as the ones we’ve already tried. Next time you around the area, don’t forget to drop by and see the humungous serving sizes yourself!

Halal Kabab Express

Budget – P100 – 150 / person

12NN – 12AM

The Yard at Xavierville, 83 Xavierville Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City