Rashtrakutas in HSR is your go-to place to get some authentic nati-style non-vegetarian fare. All your mutton paya soup, donne biryani, and nati koli (country chicken) fry cravings are sorted here. And that too at pocket-friendly prices. The first thing you notice about the place is the decor. Beautifully done, with colourful Chettinad floors, and murals, there’s a distinctive ‘fam-jam’ vibe to the place. The traditional feel to the place extends not only to the decor but right down to the copper utensils and the use of plantain leaves.
If you’re a vegetarian, you will see that the menu is rather heavy on non-vegetarian options. But having said that, they do dish out a couple of good veggie options such as the mushroom masala and pappu (daal) that are best consumed with either the Ceylon Parathas or Donne biryani rice. We started the meal with a portion of the brothy and meaty paya soup, which was refreshingly light yet flavourful.
For mains, we ordered Chicken Donne Biryani along with Nati Koli Fry and Coin Parathas. The biryani, with its blend of spices, coriander leaves, and tender chicken was definitely bae-ryani for us. After bread and butter, the chicken fry and parathas are the next best duos we’ve had on this side of the town. Greasy chicken and flaky parathas all come together, and explode in your mouth leaving you wanting more. If you’re weird like us, you could simply scoop some of the chicken and top it on the parathas, and pretend it’s a pizza. To finish off the rather heavy meal and wash down the food, a glass of buttermilk and fresh lime each were enough.
