Pune has a new entrant in the biryani scene, and its name immediately grabs your attention. ABG Paradise Hyderabadi Biryani, newly opened on FC Road, has a name almost identical to the world-famous Paradise Biryani from Hyderabad. Whether this is the same brand or an unrelated establishment is something I couldn’t establish. But the name and the promise of Hyderabadi biryani, was enough to make me give it a try for Ek Plate Biryani series.
I decided to go with the Mutton Hyderabadi Biryani, following the server’s recommendation. There are three portion options: Regular, Medium and Family. I ordered the Regular, which is supposedly meant for one person. And it is a massive portion for a single diner.
The biryani arrives looking remarkably close to what you would expect from a traditional Hyderabadi preparation. The rice is aromatic, with no visible layer of heavy masala, and it comes with the quintessential Hyderabadi mirchi ka salan and raita. The appearance, aroma and even the salan initially make you feel like you’ve been transported straight to Hyderabad.
Rice Verdict: 10/10
The rice is undoubtedly the strongest part of this biryani.
The long-grain Basmati is extremely fluffy and of very good quality, with spices infused into the rice without being visibly prominent. There isn’t a stark difference between the masala rice and the supposedly white-looking rice because the entire portion comes from the biryani degh, allowing the flavours to spread evenly.
Another big plus is the restrained use of both oil and spice. The biryani is aromatic without being greasy or fiery, making it easy to eat a substantial portion.
Meat & Masala Verdict: 6/10
This is where the biryani loses points. The masala itself is excellent—flavourful, balanced and not greasy. However, the mutton was undercooked. The pieces had considerably more bite than they should have.
For a dum-cooked biryani, the expectation is that the mutton should be tender enough to fall off the bone easily. Here, that simply wasn’t the case.
When this was pointed out, I was told that the biryani had just been prepared and that the meat would cook further in the dum by evening. That’s not really an explanation I would appreciate, especially when the biryani is being served to customers.
Meat-to-Rice Ratio: 7/10
The Regular portion comes with three well-sized pieces of goat meat, which is a decent quantity for one person. However, the rice quantity is almost double what it needs to be in relation to the meat.
That means you end up eating almost half the rice without any mutton, which takes away from the overall experience.
Overall, ABG Paradise Hyderabadi Biryani gets the look, aroma, rice and accompanying salan close to the Hyderabadi experience. But the undercooked mutton is a significant flaw that prevents this biryani from reaching its full potential. Perhaps a visit later in the day might tell a different story—but on this visit, the rice clearly stole the show.
Contact: 7996585555
