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Roaming the busy streets of Jalan Besar, I tend to pass by restaurants with claims like ‘Best’ or ‘Ultimate’. Bismillah Biryani on Dunlop Street is one of the unique cases where those claims are backed up. A spot that boasts 9 Michelin Bib Gourmands. If that is somehow not impressive enough for you, they have had those Bib Gourmands every year since 2016 (except for 2020 due to COVID). Biryani is also arguably the most popular indian dish in Singapore, so I obviously assume one bite of their biryani will blow my socks clean off.
To those wondering, ‘what’s the big deal about the Bib Gourmand thing?’ Well, the Michelin Bib Gourmand recognises not just how good the food is, but also the quality, value and the bar of that recognised dish. In this case, it is the biryani. So let’s see how good their biryani really is.
When we entered the restaurant, my friends and I noticed the condition of the place. The tables were shaky and overlapped. The windows were stained, and not in the intentional way; it has a very old-school charm about it. The entire spot just screams ‘no nonsense.’ You’re there for the biryani and nothing else. I respect that, to be honest.
What to order at Bismillah Biryani
We wasted no time ordering. I had several Michelin-recognised meals in my life, and I was relatively confident I could determine if it was truly worth the recognition. We order the Lamb Shank Biryani (S$28.50 à la carte, S$32.90 for the set). We elected to order the set, which includes 1 samosa, a bowl of aloo mattar and a mango lassi. We also ordered an extra side of Samosas (S$4.50 for 3) and Pista Kulfi (S$4.90) as it was unbelievably hot that day.
Let’s start with the starter. The Samosas (S$4.50 for 3) were absolutely classic. The crust was thick and buttery with a slight saltiness. So many spots that serve samosas neglect the crust, often tasting bland despite the nice texture. Bismillah Biryani does not. The filling was nicely seasoned, with the taste of cumin, and the spice was just right. However, I love my food spicy, so do be careful should you order this.
What really levels up this treat is the mint sauce. It was bright, smooth and refreshing. It made each bite of the samosa very balanced, as well as cutting through the richness. Don’t have it without the sauce.
Singapore’s highest-rated biryani has 4.9 stars — is it really that good?
Now onto the main event. The Lamb Shank Biryani (S$28.50 à la carte) is, unfortunately, quite disappointing. I’ll start with the positives. The lamb shank was wildly tender. While trying to get a pick-up shot with the fork, the meat pretty much unravels. It was juicy, fatty and soft. However, I do wish the shank overall was seasoned better.
There was also a side of Aloo Mattar that came with the set. It was spicy with a smoky curry flavour. The potatoes were fluffy and stewed in the curry very well. I could taste the fragrant curry throughout the surprisingly chunky potato. It added a much-needed contrast to the rice.
And therein lies the problem. The rice has all the telltale signs of a beautiful biryani. The grains were nice and separated. It was firm but not hard. The colour is what you’d expect from North Indian biryani. Slightly pale but fragrant. North Indian biryani is supposed to be milder and floral compared to the more common biryani, which is heavily spiced and rich. The rice was anything but mild.
Biryani experts would be familiar with biting into one of the cloves when eating the rice. That sudden shock of spice acts like a flashbang to the senses. Now, imagine that, but the entire time you’re eating. I will say, alongside the Aloo Mattar and lamb shank, the rice started to balance out. But I won’t lie, that was a wild first impression.
On the brighter side, the pista kulfi (S$4.90) and mango lassi were delightful. Kulfi is a South Asian ice cream that uses highly reduced, unsweetened condensed milk as the dairy of choice. It is sweet, rich and carries flavour surprisingly well. In this case, it’s blessed with the nutty notes of pistachio. The mango lassi is also brilliant. That sweet, illuminating mango flavour along with the tart and rich yoghurt was a match made in heaven. With the day being as hot as it was, these two items saved my friend and me. No, I’m not exaggerating.
Who is Bismillah Biryani best for?
I will say, there is a chance that this was a bad batch. I can only say for certain if I come over again another time. But even then, I still feel that this biryani is nothing mind-blowing, and not something you would expect from a restaurant that has received the Michelin Bib Gourmand 9 times. But if you’re just looking for a decent biryani with some pretty awesome sides, I’d say give Bismillah Biryani a shot.
Also, I do notice a lot of younger patrons trying out the dishes and taking loads of pics. I feel like this place is definitely a hotspot for those foodies who enjoy testing whatever is reported to be the best.
How to get to Bismillah Biryani
Much like a lot of other spots located in Jalan Besar (blue line), Bismillah Biryani is gonna be a walk from that MRT station. It will be a merciful 4-minute walk from the MRT station. Alternatively, you could alight at Little India (blue and purple line), which is an 8-minute walk with access to the purple line as well. Also, the closest bus stop to Bismillah Biryani would be before Rochor Station Exit B, which is only 3 minutes away.
Do we recommend Bismillah Biryani?
I think the expectation of something dazzling really let this place down. After thinking over it for a few days, I think it was actually a decent lunch with my buddies. Personally, the 9-time Michelin Bib Gourmand title might be doing more harm than good, though I did end up trying the place because of it.
But should you go there with realistic expectations, it is a chill spot for a biryani variant you may not have tried before. At the end of the day, this was my experience. I would definitely still recommend you try this place because there’s always the chance that I’m wrong. Also, their pista kulfi (S$4.90) really hit the spot on such a hot day.
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