Here’s a controversial opinion to start your day with. Looking for an authentic biryani with real quality in Mumbai is a bit like looking for a vada pav in Nagaland — you’d be lucky to find one. There are a few old favourites, of course, like Lucky Restaurant or Jaffer Bhai’s. But outside of these, many places serve what is essentially a pulao with ghastly red and green food colouring, masquerading as a biryani. You don’t get the sense that the meat and rice have been layered while cooking. The pleasant whiff of rose water is non-existent. And if you’re expecting strands of saffron in the dish, you might as well expect Nawab Wajid Ali Shah to return back from the dead.

Chef Lynston Correa