This meal has so many almost identical names that repeating them one after the other would twist your tongue: biryani, biriani, briyani. Nasi Briyani is the name we’ve come to associate with the famous rice dish commonly seen in mamak or Indian eateries. Many Malaysians consider it to be one of their favourite meal mainstays, but it needs a long cooking time to get the perfect flavour and scent that we all know and love. Therefore, Glitz is sharing the love of comforting fluffy rice and spicy aromas- these are the best nasi briyani spots around KL and Selangor.
In Indian cuisine, comfort food is a plate of fragrant rice cooked in a melange of herbs and spices with delicious meat that melts in the tongue rather than chapati or naan. There are several biryani recipes that have been passed down through the decades from the Middle East to Southern India. Middle Eastern biryanis have a particular flavour profile, with distinct flavours of chilli, coriander, and cumin.
The meat and rice in the Lucknowi biryani from Northern India are cooked separately, with a faint smell of spices such as saffron, star anise, and clove. While Hyderabadi biryani is often laden with meat, it is distinguished by its intense spices and sourness. However, what we have in Malaysia is a localised variation based on the Hyderabadi recipe.
1. Restoran Mahbub @ Bangsar
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Address | 15-17, Lorong Ara Kiri 1, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur |
Operating hours | Every day (8am – 12am) |
Contact | 03-2095 5382 |
Restoran Mahbub, formerly known as Restoran Sharifa in the 1970s, has long been famed for its delectable Nasi Briyani Madu (honey briyani rice). The richness of the crunchy honey-glazed fried chicken pairs perfectly with the aromatic nasi briyani at this restaurant. The iconic Nasi Briyani Buhara Kambing (Lamb Buhara Briyani Rice) and, if you have larger cash to spend, their excellent New Zealand Lamb Shank are well worth trying. To put it another way, feel free to pile on as many curries and foods as you like since nothing goes wrong with rice.
2. Restoran Mahesha
Address | 32, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur |
Operating hours | Every day (8am – 12am) |
Contact | 03-7732 5408 |
Restoran Mahesha serves a unique take on traditional briyani rice. Briyani rice is packed with coconut and served with hard-boiled egg, Masala meat, and cashew nuts. Coconut flesh is served alongside various side dishes, in addition to being packed in a coconut. Chicken Briyani, Mutton Briyani, Duck Briyani, Stingray Briyani, Crab Rasam Briyani, and Vegetable Briyani are just a few of the Baby Coconut Briyani options.
3. The Lankan Crabs
Address | 4, Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur |
Operating hours | Every day (10am – 10pm) |
Contact | 03-2201 0128 |
The Lankan Crabs, a rich and flavourful meal flavoured with spices, provides Briyani aficionados with soft meat (chicken/mutton) and is amply portioned for a feast. A well-executed two-step cooking technique gives Nasi Briyani its unique flavour. Chef’s proprietary spices and masala blends flavour their Chicken Briyani. Their Mutton Briyani, on the other hand, is stacked with mouth-watering mutton ribs and filled with unique spices and mutton broth.
4. Hyderabad Recipes
Address | 78-1, Jalan Putra near putra lrt station, pwtc, 50350 Kuala Lumpur |
Operating hours | Every day (10am – 12am) |
Contact | 03-4044 7786 |
Hyderabad Recipes isn’t really a posh restaurant, but the cuisine is delicious. There are 13 different briyani variations alone, each with its own personality and flavour profile. They’re also recognised for serving the best Hyderabadi Briyani in Kuala Lumpur, which is unusual.
If you’re looking for a side dish, we recommend the Chicken Tikki Masala, Tandoori Chicken, or Chicken Handi, which are all flavourful and wonderful. Overall, if you are the type of person who feels uncomfortable in an unclean environment, you might want to avoid this location.
5. Gajaa at 8
Address | No. 8, Lrg Maarof, Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur |
Operating hours | Every day (11:30am – 10pm) |
Contact | 03-2201 7369 |
Gajaa at 8 is an Indian restaurant in the centre of Bangsar that serves everything from fluffy naan to delicious lassi. They have almost everything. If you’re in the area, though, the Kerala Chicken Briyani is a must-try.
Every dish features two large pieces of chicken buried behind the fragrant, enticing colour of the briyani rice, which is served in a clay pot. Imagine how thrilling your eating experience will be when you discover the two large slices of juicy, well-marinated chicken flesh.
6. Restoran Tajudin Nasi Beriani
Address | 8, Jalan Hang Kasturi, City Centre, 50050 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur |
Operating hours | Monday to Saturday (6am – 5:30pm), Sunday (Closed) |
Contact | 03-2070 6786 |
Restoran Tajudin Nasi Beriani’s iconic nasi briyani dish is still carrying a punch after all these decades, from a small kiosk in Lorong Bandar 13 to the comfort of a restaurant in Jalan Hang Kasturi. Regardless, you’ll be astonished that they don’t demand an outrageous fee for a plate of high-quality nasi briyani when they’re functioning in a real restaurant.
Choose the Chicken Briyani set if you’re a first-timer. The rice is fragrant, the fried chicken is moist and succulent, and the thick curry and tempting sambal give your taste buds a fiery jolt. If fried chicken isn’t your thing, you may use beef, fish, mutton, or squid instead.
7. Anjappar Authentic Chettinad Restaurant
Address | 136, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur |
Operating hours | Every day (10am – 8pm) |
Contact | 03-2273 3812 |
Anjappar Authentic Chettinad Restaurant has three locations around the Klang Valley. Many Indian cuisine connoisseurs flock to this popular Indian restaurant. After all, they provide a selection of basic and comforting Indian dishes that are not excessively hot yet flavourful enough to appeal to a wide range of palates.
Similarly, their Nasi Briyani is served in miniature steel pots with Raita on the side. The fragrant and flavourful long-grained rice is a must-have component to this great dish, as are other side dishes. Last but not least, don’t miss out on their Mutton Sukka Varuval, which pairs beautifully with the briyani.