Fishland

Fishland is a wonderful restaurant on the congested Punjagutta-Sanathnagar-Kukatpally section of NH 9, close to the Ameerpet crossroads. Do not get confused by the name - it is indeed a place to eat. Park on the roadside - courtesy of MCH, as long as you pay the fee in due course - climb a flight of steps, and enter. You will notice straightaway that there is nothing pretentious about the place - pink walls, a large primitive painting of a bucolic scene, brass plant holders, standard fans, simple furniture. Very basic, but clean. The menu here offers all kinds of fare - vegetarian, non-vegetarian, Andhra, North Indian, Chinese and Tandoori - but if you have come because the pisceatory name attracted you, stick to the fish and seafood. You won't regret it. Experts tell me that some of the cuisine is an excellent example of the cooking of the Andhra coast. To begin with, I sampled small helpings of Fish Biryani, Prawn Biryani and Andhra Prawn Curry. These was served with spiced coconut gravy, curd chutney and sliced onions. All the combinations I concocted were simply delicious. More important, the flavors were new to me, and are now very much a part of my education. As the main course, I ordered a Fishland Special Meal (Rs. 95). This is, without doubt, one of the most outstanding bargains available in Hyderabad-Secunderabad - a wide variety of dishes, hot, beautifully presented, and amazingly reasonable in price. The basic meal is served in a thali. I got Tomato Soup with Croutons & Cream, Mixed Fried Vegetables, Tomato Daal, Sambhar, Drumstick Curry In Gravy, Rasam, a bowl of Biryani Rice, Chutney, Curd, Papad, Tandoori Roti and Rice. Along with this came Fish Pulusu, Roast Chicken and Mutton Curry. For dessert I was given a slice of strawberry ice cream. It was a hearty meal, and I enjoyed it to the core. My companion stuck to a simple combination of Rice & Prawn Masala (Rs. 75/-). I sampled a small portion of his lunch and understood straightaway why he looked so replete. Fishland has become very well known for its biryanis and snacks. The take-away part of the business is doing exceedingly well. (I was advised to take home a portion of Boneless Chicken and Nellore Fish Curry, which I did, and subsequently found both to be delicious.) The restaurant is open from 11.00am to 11.00pm. It seats 100 at a time. On holidays and over the weekends, it is advisable to reserve tables for dinner. The air-conditioning is centrally controlled. Quite candidly, I would have liked it a little cooler when I was there. But perhaps the Andhra spices were making me sweat more profusely than I normally do! Smoking is not allowed on the premises. All credit cards (except American Express) are accepted. You will get the most courteous, attentive service if Captain Guru happens to be on duty in your vicinity. He is a wonderful host and will willingly give advice on what goes with what. He will also tell you what seafood is not available on a certain day because the fresh supplies have not come in. We were unable to eat curried crab, and a variety of what, from his description, sounded like sardine. Incidentally, there is another Fishland at Lakdi-ka-Pul, Saifabad, right opposite the Police Station. The telephone numbers are 321-0847 & 661-1538. I have not been there, but am told that it offers the same sort of fare at the same prices as this outlet in Ameerpet. For me, Fishland is the find of the year. Not only shall I go back to dine, but will take my guests with me. Seldom have I eaten so well in Hyderabad. And that is saying a lot.