Lucknawi Kakori, Galauti Kebabs and Biryani - Al Kauser

I had often come across a tiny, easy-to-miss stall right in front of the Kautilya Marg red light, besides Assam, Puducherry Bhavans, it always had it's shutters downed during the day, but in the night a food stall operated from the premises, it seemed like a take away only joint, with no place to sit, but a regular line of cars (especially sedans) convinced me that there must be something special about this nondescript joint.

So one fine evening, I stopped my car and got down to check it out, the place has an open kitchen and you get the mouthwatering sight of kebabs grilling as soon you approach the joint. The place seems to be run by 5 men, of whom 3 cook and 2 take orders and manage money. I asked for the menu card, and what surprised my was the number, or the small number of dishes on it, too used to seeing even roadside fast food stalls operating from a trailer having a multi page menu comprising breakfast, Indian, Chinese, Continental.... I was a little taken aback. The place prided itself on it's Kakori Kebabs, so that's what I tried out. Subsequently I have also tried out Galauti Kebabs, Lucknawi Dum handi Biryani, Mutton Qorma and Varqi Paranta. The awards displayed, gave me a feeling the food is gonna be good.

The Kakori Kebabs look like your regular seekh kebabs with a mud brown color, but that's where the similarity ends. They literally melt in your mouth, I mean it! Mildly spiced (Al-Kauser proclaims the secret recipe has 59 spices), they gently tease your taste buds, unlike other kebabs you don't get the strong meaty flavor. Personally, I prefer having them on their own, the bland roomlais spoil the texture and the spicy chutney pollutes the taste.

The Galauti Kebabs are melt-in-your-mouth too, but they are spicier, they have a fiery taste and you can definitely taste the meat, I prefer them to the milder kakoris. Like the kakoris, I prefer them on their own.

The Lucknawi Dum Biryani, simply put is the BEST biryani I have ever had. It is unlike every
other biryani I have eaten (including the famous Matka Peer one, more on that some other day), it is light, no very light, don't be surprised if you end up eating 3 platefuls and still having room for more, it is not oily, and it doesn't sabotage your palate with spices. The spices are mild and the real flavor comes from the meat, it has a wonderful meaty taste in every spoonful of rice. The mutton pieces themselves are few, about 4 small ones, it is the pale orange colored (due to saffron) r thaicet does the magic here. The biryani comes in small matka, which is about 4 platefuls, the rice is filled to the brim, garnished with a single chilly and then the matka is sealed shut with atta. The biryani is cooked in the matka itself, and the matka is presented to you with a sling attached, it is still very hot, so be careful. The biryani goes great with the chutney, so be sure to ask for extra chutney when ordering.
The mutton qorma was as it should be, spicy,heavy with the meat well cooked, but it was nothing extraordinary. It went great with roomali rotis. The only disappointment I've had with Al Kauser was their Varqi Parantha, it tasted a bit like the sheermal, but looked like a regular parantha, I found it too oily and heavy, but maybe I was a bit too full by then.
Al Kauser also has an outlet near R K Puram, but the one on Kautilya Marg seems to be the original one, they also do home delivery within 2 KM. If you do go there to pick up your food yourself, you'll find the service quick and courteous.
So finally, whether or not you are a big fan of lucknawi cuisine definitely give this one a try, their kebabs are to die for and the biryani is simply yum.

View Al Kauser in a larger map