Dhonnai Biryani House is located at Thuraippakkam, Okkiyampettai, on the Old Mahabalipuram Road(OMR) in Chennai. There are many restaurants in the same name, but this is the actual Naidu Military hotel, Dhonnai biryani house. They have another branch at Peelamedu in Coimbatore.
Before the pandemic, the restaurant opened from 3AM to 5AM to provide night biryani. Now, it is opening from 11AM to 3PM and evening from 6.30PM to 11PM. Mr. Jayenthiran is the owner and in charge of cooking from the biryani to the thokku. He notes down his mother's recipes and cooks them.
Wooden stove lined up on the facade of the restaurant. All the items are cooked and visible to the customers. Dining inside. They can accommodate around 50 customers and there is an AC room separately available if you are with 10 family or friends. The restaurant is clean and normal. They have long tables like we see in the marriage hall. Biryani and Thokku are served in leaf cups (Thonnai). Bowl only used for kuzhambu or broths.
Dhonnai Mutton Biryani is fantastic. Grind green chilies, coriander and mint are added and used moderate spices to make it stunning biryani. The specialty is the biryani is in green color. My neighbor's kid loves this biryani and she is addicted to this. They use Jeeraga Samba rice only for mutton biryani. Chicken Biryani is also available.
There is rice called Vadasatti Soru. It can not be eaten anywhere else. Worth for the cost and we can give generously. When the curry is over at home, the mother will knead a little rice in the pot, such rice. While looking at it you will feel mouth-watering. They add rice in a cup of mutton fry and heat lightly and serve to the table.
They serve Dhalcha, onion Raita and chicken kuzhambu along with biryani is a perfect match.
Those who like a non-vegetarian military meal should go between 12pm noon to 1 p.m. Not available beyond that. Vadai Chatti soru also limited stock only.
Dinner starts at 7 p.m. You can eat Kari dosa(meat dosa) and curry leaf powder dosa. Mutton biryani is also available in the evening. They close at 10 p.m.
Starters/Side dishes are also special. Mutton sukkah, shrimp Thokku, King Fish Fry, chicken leg piece curry, crab curry, Desi chicken fry everything is prepared and kept ready in the pan. They don't prepare again once they are over for the day.
The ingredients are imported from quality vendors freshly. Fresh oil is only used every time. Fresh meats are delivered every day.
When we visited the restaurants we tried all the menu items. First, we started with Mutton Kola balls. It's really crispy and we can feel the mutton flavor. In other restaurants, they add more channa dal and less meat. so you would feel like taking a vada. Here the ratio is very good and it's Kola balls.
Then, green chili chicken. This is an excellent and unique recipe here. You feel the green chili sauce kind of taste. But, they made themself instead of using the readymade sauce. This is a must-try item.
Nicely cooked Mutton Chukka, Chicken Uppu Kari, Chicken 65, Chicken Fry, Prawn Thokku, Liver fry. When you cook meat, it has to be cooked properly, it should not be overcooked or it should not be half-cooked. Here everything is perfect. Vanjaram Fish fry is perfect. While cooking Fish we should make sure no smell is coming and masala should be marinated well, after cooking the oil should not float and masala should not come out juicy. Their Fish fry addressed all these facts. Particularly they are maintaining a medium spice, so our kids also had all the items. Liver fry is just fantastic.
They are well focusing on good preparation just an omelette too. It is very thick with a lot of onions on it. You will really enjoy this.
I have to mention this. Try their Sambar and Rasam. You feel the village-style drumstick sambar and fresh Rasam. Very Yummy.
Mr. Jayanthiran, who runs the restaurant, is an MCA and MBA graduate. He started a roadside shop in Bangalore with the desire to start his own business. Now he is the owner of a restaurant with seating for 40 people in OMR, which is growing in the heart of Chennai today.
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