Happy Diwali or Bandi Chhor Divas to those who celebrated this past Monday and Tuesday! In honor of these joyous occasions, I took it upon myself to go review a South Asian restaurant right here in Riverside to celebrate!
When asked what food I could eat for the rest of my life, my answer has always been my grandma’s chicken biryani. So, when I discovered a restaurant on Iowa Avenue named Biryani Heaven, I knew that it was about to become my heaven too!
When walking into the restaurant, I was cheerfully greeted by the host. The restaurant had a very homey, simplistic atmosphere. The warm lighting and soft leather booths gave the seating area a nostalgic feeling. Keeping that in mind, the walls themselves were not overly decorated and they had a very minimalist appeal.
There was a decent variety of options to choose from on the menu and it was separated into vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. This restaurant definitely has a wide variety of vegetarian options making it amenable to all kinds of dietary restrictions..
Overall, I found this to be relatively affordable for a South Asian restaurant, taking into account the portion sizes they offered. The quantity of food was enough for two people and could easily make for great comfort food for a night in.
Mango Lassi
Price: $4.99
Rating: 4/5
A staple drink in South Asian Culture is mango lassi. Mango lassi is a refreshing yogurt based mango beverage which is served commonly with meals, at events or on a hot day.
When trying the mango lassi at Biryani Heaven, I was very pleased with the flavor of it. The lassi had a thick, creamy texture and a strong mango taste which I enjoyed. In my experiences with mango lassi, there should be a good balance between the tartness of the yogurt and sweet taste of mango and this restaurant provided that balance. Even though it had a slightly acidic aftertaste, the lassi did not taste too artificial and was not overly sweet making it go well with the meal.
Chilli Paneer
Price: $16.99
Rating: 4.5/5
Paneer is a type of cheese that is a prominent ingredient in South Asian cooking. It can be served in various ways and is a very popular protein.
The chilli paneer was hands down my favorite dish of the night. When eating dishes like this I am very used to having a soft texture in my mouth, however this particular paneer was fried on the outside, giving it a crispy yet very spongy feeling. This added a nice crunch when biting into it which added to the flavor and sensory experience.
In addition to this, the paneer had the perfect amount of tomato and garlic in the sauce contributing well to the flavor profile of the dish. It was not overly spicy, but did have a slight kick to it. It was also sautéd with vegetables, specifically bell peppers and onions. The vegetables were well cooked as they were tender and not soggy or drowning in sauce.
I could definitely see myself going back and having this dish again.
Chicken 65
Price: $17.99
Rating: 4/5
The next dish we tried was Chicken 65. If you are a fan of popcorn chicken, this is a great pick for you. In trying this, the chicken was incredibly tender, crispy and juicy. It was perfectly salted and spiced with garam masala .
Squeezing the lime juice on the chicken flawlessly tied everything together.
Chicken Dum Biryani
Price: $17.99
Rating: 4.5/5
For the main course, we had to try their biryani. Afterall, the restaurant is called Biryani Heaven. The one that caught my attention was the chicken dum biryani as it was under the section of Zafrani Biryani (flavored with saffron).
This dish definitely reminded me of home. The chicken was bone-in and was served with very well-seasoned rice. Both the rice and chicken complemented each other very well and enhanced the dish. The chicken was cooked separately as it had different spices on it, but was still very soft and tender. The rice tasted of cloves and other flavors and eating the two together felt like Diwali in my mouth!
Double Ka Meetha
Price: $4.99
Rating: 3/5
The manager of the restaurant was kind enough to provide me with a complimentary sweet dish called double ka meetha. This dish is a warm bread pudding served with nuts.
This sweet dish tied perfectly with the cool autumn weather outside and left you feeling warm and cozy. It was cooked in ghee and although I am not the biggest fan of it, the dish was subtly sweet which I did enjoy.
Biryani Heaven was an absolute gem of an Indian restaurant. With good Indian food being hard to find in the Riverside area, finding this spot was an absolute win for me, and for so many others looking for a taste of home. So grab some takeout from Biriyani Heaven, it’ll make your day and the Diwali celebrations that much better.
