If you want to enjoy traditional Telugu Cuisine, then right in the middle of upmarket Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad, stands tall, Vivaha Bhojanambu, your place to go. Last week in the city, my friend and Blogger, Atul Sharma of Social Maharaj fame, took me to this amazing restaurant. What followed was a feast of flavours over a three course meal comprising few Veg and Non Veg Appetisers, Mains and some amazing desserts. Those who understand Telugu, names of the dishes like Ramagundam Kodi Vepudu, Palavelli Mushroom Vepudu, Guntur Kodi Kura, Methikura Paneer, Nellore Mamsam Pulao, Guthivankaya Pulao, Junnu and Sitaphal Rabri would ring bells. Those who do not understand these, please read on for experiencing an amazing feast.
A huge reference poster of the famous Telugu Film, Mayabazar in which the actor SV Ranga Rao, played the character of Ghatotkacha, conspicuously adorns a wall of this place as soon as you enter. The name of the restaurant itself is drawn from the song in the film which goes like, Vivaha bhojanambu vinthaina vantakambu….This is Vivaha Bhojanambu, a chain of restaurants in Hyderabad, serving good Telugu Cuisine with a modern touch and in style. They have four outlets in the city.
Our feast started with a bottle of local Goli Soda (called Banta Lemon in North) which was quite refreshing and nostalgic. This was followed by a glass Rajamundry Rose Milk which I kept sipping in between the spicy starters which followed. Served on a broad Banana Leaf, the hoard of starters included Tomato Mirya Rasam (very spicy and yet tasty), Konaseema Paneer Vepudu, Palavelli Mushroom Vepudu, Spicy Corn Rolls (loved the crunch outside and the corny mushy inside) , Ramagundam Kodi Vepudu, Golkunda Kodi (loved that potato wafer rolled over flavourful morsel of chicken) , Bhimavaram Kodi Vepudu (a spicy Chicken fry) and Rajamundry Royyala Vepudu (an amazing Prawns dish done in green masala; loved it). Each dish was spicy yet flavourful. The spices opened up our taste buds which actually prepared us to enjoy the main course, which surprisingly was slightly lower on the heat quotient.
Since Atul is a strict vegetarian and for me everything works, the natural long-standing agreement between us is that he would taste the vegetarian fare and I would taste the non vegetarian with only selected vegetarian dishes. So, for the detailed vegetarian review of this restaurant, one may refer to his blog.
Despite the small bites I had restricted myself to during the starters, still I was quite full by now. Therefore, requested the staff to give us only select dishes to taste. We were served Guntur Kodi Kura (a flavourful Chicken Curry) and Methikura Paneer (a spicy Methi Paneer Subzi) enjoyed with crispy Butter Naan.
How could I miss my favorite Plain White Rice served with loads of Ghee and Pappucharu (a tangy Dal called pappu). This is something to die for and come what may, I had to have it.
What came next were Nellore Mamsam Pulao (Mutton Pulao) and Guthivankaya Pulao (Brinjal Pulao). A simply amazing stuff. Frankly, I loved the Brinjal (Egg plant) version more than the meat one. One must not miss these Pulao here. The mains were wrapped up with the customary Ulavacharu with Cream and Curd Rice, which again I enjoy eating.
The desserts which came on the table were a delight to look at. Set in Earthen Bowls, each one appeared to be very instagramable. These were Junnu (a mildly sweet dessert made out of first milk of cow post it delivers a calf), Jamun Delight (a delicate dessert made with Jamun Milk and dry fruits) and the hero dish was the Sitaphal Rabri (a Rabri made with Custard Apple and served over a cake base). These desserts are to be experienced and can not be explained in words.
A brief chat with the Chef Partner of the chain, Yadagiri, revealed that he is a qualified Ayurvedic Doctor. That’s the reason, he says that they don’t use Artificial Colours, Ajinomoto Salt and Vanaspati Ghee in their recipes. In fact, each recipe is taken from the traditional grannies’ kitchens and infused with ingredients which have medicinal use. As per Chef Yadagiri, their meat supply, except Prawns which lasts two days, arrive fresh daily and nothing is leftover for the next day. Even the Banta Lemon (goli soda in local language) is made by them without preservatives and has a shelf life of just two and a half days as compared to the branded ones which last three months.
The young owner, Raviraju Nagaraju, also came in briefly to have a chat with us and one could make out the passion he has to bring out the best of the cuisine for people to enjoy. So, if you love Telugu Food, this is a must visit restaurant. Do share with me what has been your experience here. Till then….
Bon Appetite !!
Rajesh Tara
#MagicOfFlavours
Read my earlier Food Stories of Hyderabad here:
- Where To Go For The Best Fusion Food In Hyderabad
- A Royal Breakfast In Hyderabad
- Ever Smiling Chef Sankara Serves Flavourful Punches At ITC, Dakshin (unfortunatley Chef Sankara succumbed to covid but Dakshin continues to serve some amazing stuff)
- Haleem : A Spoonful of Divinity
Magic Of Flavours 
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