Hyderabadi Zaiqa

Hyderabadi Zaiqa’s footprint isn’t that much bigger than a hallway; its basement slip of space fits three low tables, a handful of red metal stools and is missing an ordering counter. And yet, this Hell’s Kitchen hideaway serves some of the best Indian food in town.

We aren’t alone in this assertion, as the little restaurant that could has received praise from The New York Times, The Michelin Guide and has most recently become a meeting space for our latest mayor. It is due to the work of Mohammad Tarique Khan and Jayesh Naik, who have taken on the mighty task of sharing Hyderabad’s culinary history, peppering in dishes from the northern and southern sides of India. And they have done so extremely well with flaky, palm-sized samosas and tender chunks of chicken (or cauliflower) tossed in a shockingly-red sauce that blooms with sniffle-inducing heat. But their calling card lies with their biryanis, 15 of which feature on the menu. The Hyderabadi goat dum biryani is the most popular for a reason, as bones laced with tender meat and gelatinous, chewy fat sit like swollen humps underneath mounds of saffron and turmeric-tinged rice. The Hyderabadi goongura chicken biryani is a second favorite, whose chicken thighs easily soak up all the slightly sour, herbally and fiery notes, requiring good usage of the free raita or bright mint chutney to get you through. And before you request a knife, look around and you’ll soon see curry-coated fingertips, tossing and scooping bits of rice, goat and shrimp directly into mouths. So blend in and dig in.