Royal Biriyani Thiruvanmaiyur

I’ve been running Royal Biriyani here in Thiruvanmaiyur for a bit now. We are right on East Coast Road, just a few steps away from the mosque. It gets pretty busy around prayer times and on weekends when people are heading down the coast. The kitchen is small and usually quite hot, but that’s how it goes when you’re making biryani all morning. We start early, getting the rice and meat ready before the lunch rush starts. It’s not a fancy place, just some tables and chairs for people to sit and eat. Most folks just come in, get their food, and go. Sometimes the traffic outside is a nightmare, especially being on ECR, but we’ve gotten used to the noise. I handle most things myself or with a couple of guys who help out. We don’t have any big corporate plans or anything like that. It’s just about getting the pots filled and making sure there’s enough for everyone who stops by. There are plenty of other shops around, but people seem to know where we are because of the landmark. I spend most of my day near the stove or checking on the orders. It’s hard work, and my hands usually smell like spices even after I go home. We just keep the doors open and do what we do every day. If you're walking past the mosque, you'll see us there at number 129. Nothing more to it, really.