The Grand Trunk Road
Overall
4.0/5
Ambiance
5.0/5
Food
3.5/5
Service
3.5/5
The Grand Trunk Road is one of Asia's oldest and longest major roads.For more than two millennia, it linked the eastern and western regions of the Indian subcontinent, connecting South Asia with Central Asia. It runs from Chittagong, Bangladesh, west to Howrah, West Bengal in India, then across Northern India through Delhi, passing from Amritsar to Lahore in Pakistan, further up to Kabul in Afghanistan. This legendary road passes through seven Indian states and also known as Food highway of India. Taking inspiration from the dhabas spread across the Grand Trunk Road, TGTR the newbie in madhapur area has designed a menu as diverse as the cities through which the Grand Trunk road passes. The menu brings in diversified dishes onto the plate and sure is a promising debutant.
The place as you even park your vechicle makes u go , "This is interesting". The decor is so unseen in hyderabad landscape thats so brick reddy all over with typical dhaba style entrance. The bright lights on the red bricks elevates the total mood to another level. Interesting private dining area made on backside of a highway lorry, number plates from all states hanging over the A/C vent tubes, wooden chairs and tables that almost becomes a modernised version of dhaba style sitting and of course my favourite color red all across, I couldnt ask for me and every person who entered the place was WOWed PERIOD. The place has lot of thinking done in implementation and designing and no doubt about the spacious setup that makes you are in an open dhaba on a highway where sky is the limit. One of the best thought through ambiance in recent places I have visisted.
The menu has been again thought through right from naming it authentic and at the same time witty and catchy for any type of customers who wanted to experience the place right from menu viewing itself. The menu has different sections as follows:
Shorbas & Soups - soups of course
Tusse Veg Ho - Veg Starters
Meat Machchi Teh Kukkad Shukkad - Non-veg Starters
Chawal Ka dhukhaan - All Biryanis & Pulaos
Roti Soti - Choices of Indian Breads
Chinese - Not sure why they have this section (totaly out of sync)
Desserts - of course
Nasha Mukt Kendra - Choices of Drinks
Masala Cola - Priced at 75 , its nothing out of ordinary other than chaat masala , lemon and cola. Not sure of the extreme pricing.
Dhoodh Soda - The name and reviews on it intrigued me that I didnt even think of any other choices and ordered orange flavor, The color is eminent to tell you its noth worth the hype. Its a combination of milk, sugar syrup, regular aerated soda and lemon. I felt the overpowering of raw milk which didnt sit well with soda water and gave a wierd taste. Not to my liking and of course again high priced.
Mast Soya Tikka Kebab - This is unlike you have ever tasted anywhere. Made out of soya chunks neatly made into rectangular shapes and fried like regular kebabs but not too much as if it becomes too dry, rubbery feeling will just kill the dish. I'm a hater of soya and as I had couple of pieces, I liked it, its mostly like unseasoned meat kebab but different. Overall a definitey try if you are really looking for something different.
Tandoori Murg -Typical tandoori chicken of about 4 good sized chunks of meat. It looke juice, felt juice and of course on tasting it melted juicy, perfectly done with ample corinader shredded all over and looked so authentic. Must try.
Tangri "Oye-Hoye" - Typical tangdi kebab marienated with chatpata and they were agin aso flavorful and almost melted when took the first bite. Aptly named "Oye-Hoye" which is exactly the feeling the meat gave me on first bite.
Butter chicken Biryani - With my wife its a sin without having biryani if its on the menu but this one oesnt have the typical hyderabadi dum biryani and so we opted for butter chicken version. The quantity is on par of the market for its pricing. This one tasted sweetish more than our spicy version of dum biryani. The rice was perfectly boiled and cooked but the butter chicken to me was too sweetish that overall it just looked like butter chicken pieces tossed inside kashmiri pulao. Never the less nothing was wrong witht he flavors and so we could enjoy it till end.
Butter Naan - Nothing typical of it but yet the butter overdose made the magic in this place and went superbly with the biryani and curry.
Jalebi Teh Rabri - A meal is never complete without a heartfelt and soulful dessert. Too stuffed I couldnt order anything but jalebi with rabri. Though the pricing looks on the higher end for just 3 medium sized jelabies and a small cup of rabdi, the flavor makes up for it. The rabri is easily one of the most riches ones I have had in hyderabad. The pistacio shavings on top of it made it even more relishign . The jelabies as such are alreayd super crisp and not at all soggy and I could feel the crunch on every bite. Together if tried (something I havent) its pure MARRIAGE MADE IN FOOD HEAVEN. A FOODASMIC EXPERIENCE. MUST TRY.
Service & Hospitality:
Service is nothing that will make you go WOW as its a typical newbie pressure for serving top notch and managing the crazy crowd pouring in for trying out any newbie anywhere. The servers could use little more smiles and more approachability body language. They look most of the time uninterested and lost somewhere and kind makes the customers to think twice to order. They can definitely work on this area.
Verdict:
The Grand Trunk Road, is overall an impressive debutant and you can go for just experiencing the pure ambience aspect of it with some intersting menu choices and overall a good-above good food expeience. Prices are I would say on par of the area and nothing over the top except the drinks which are too high for what they serve. Overall must go for their ambience DOT.
