PAKISTAN ๐ต๐ฐ
COVID-19 UPDATE: The indoor dining room is open.
If you drive down the avenues of Hawthorne long enough, you will probably see the Biryani House delivery and catering van with the words "Best Biryani in LA" emblazoned across the side. And if you are a specific type of person, "challenge accepted" immediately rolls through your brain.
Biryani House has been around for most of the time more popular places like Zam Zam and others on Inglewood Avenue in Hawthorne and Lawndale have been getting media attention, but somehow never makes lists and roundups. Do the editors at Eater LA know more than the owners of this truck? The only way to find out is to give everything a try.
The truck advertises four versions of biryani, but there are actually six including "student biryani," named for the national chain in Pakistan that makes their own style. In addition to the usual suspects, you can also get vegetarian or shrimp biryani.
At the top of the list is chicken biryani ($11, below), cooked with healthy chunks of meat, a couple potatoes, and even a few pieces of star anise. The basmati is still slick with oils and fragrant from spicing, but will not overwhelm you as the combinations are done just right.
This space does not exist to declare bests in the city, but rest assured that you will be far from disappointed, and for the price there is at least two meals here. South Asian foods can hold up well for takeout that is meant to be eaten later in the day or even overnight. The microwave might not be good at much, but rice like this that has been infused with so much moisture and spice is one thing that works.
Do not skip the goat section of the menu, which includes only a korma and this goat karahi ($14, below), named for the wok-like cooking vessel. Peshawar, a city that prides itself in having the absolute best karahis in South Asia, would be proud of the chef here, who has created an explosion of deliciousness.
When shared between three people, it seemed to be the dish that kept getting returned to most. The pieces of goat were full of large bones, but pick them up and make sure to remove every morsel from every crevice, as you do not want to leave anything behind.
It must have been over a decade since the last time a Pakistani restaurant was left without an order of haleem ($10, below), an absolute favorite. The version here is good, not great, but not a loss if it is what you are in the mood for.
The shredded beef, barley and lentil stew is not quite as spicy and herbaceous as recent bowls eaten nearby, but still hit the spot.
If you are able to dine in, grab big discs of naan to scrape the last liquids off your plates and explore their tandoori menu. They also do a nehari that looks tasty, and a fish fry which would be great eaten fresh.
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