Hawker Stall Selling $5.50 Biryani Apparently Linked To Famous 103-Year-Old Biryani Specialist Restaurant
Ever since Briyani Singapura opened recently at Geylang East Market & Food Centre, there’s been chatter about the halal hawker stall’s affiliation to the iconic Islamic Restaurant at North Bridge Road.
Islamic Restaurant is a 103-year-old heritage brand founded in 1921 by Mr M Abdul Rahiman, who previously worked as a chef for the Alsagoff family (famous Arab Singaporean spice traders). The ornately decorated 52-seater, which has hosted famous folks like Singapore’s first President Yusoff Bin Ishak, late PM Lee Kuan Yew and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, among other politicians and royalty. It's known for its dum biryani and other Indian Muslim dishes.
Dum biryani refers to partially cooked meat, basmati rice and spices layered in a pot, then further slow-cooked over low heat.
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How is Briyani Singapura affiliated to Islamic Restaurant?
According to a Facebook post by Miss Tam Chiak, Briyani Singapura is “run by the fourth-generation daughter of the 103-year-old Islamic Restaurant on North Bridge Road”. The hawker stall shared her post on its Facebook page.
8days.sg called Islamic Restaurant and a staff member passed us the number of Briyani Singapura’s co-owner. When we spoke to the hawker, he declined to be named for this story or comment on his affiliation to Islamic Restaurant as he “wants Biryani Singapura to stand on its own". But he admitted that he “learned his trade” at Islamic restaurant. He also confirms that this is his first hawker venture, and that all the biryani here is made in-house, and not taken from Islamic Restaurant.
Chicken biryani from Briyani Singapura
“Come on down to Briyani Singapura and enjoy our unique taste that dates back decades,” says one of the halal stall’s Facebook posts. Its signboard boasts “since 1963”, though we’re not sure of its significance since Islamic Restaurant dates back to the 1920s.
Since we haven’t tried the new stall’s food yet, we can't say if Singapura also serves its biryani dum-style like at Islamic Restaurant.
More affordable biryani, promo prices from $5.50
Compared to Islamic Restaurant, Briyani Singapura has a slightly more extensive biryani menu - 12 versus Islamic's eight. Prices are lower here of course, given its hawker centre setting - from $5.50 for chicken biryani, $6.50 for mutton, to $7 for fish biryani. At its fancier sibling restaurant, prices start from $15 for a chicken biryani and go up to $38 for lamb shank biryani.
Note that these are opening special prices, slated to end on 30 June. Updated prices will only be available in July.
Briyani Singapura is at #01-141, Blk 117 Aljunied Ave 2, S380117. Open daily 8am - 3.30pm. Tel: 9896 2399. More info via Facebook.
Photos: Facebook/Joanne Lim, Google/Bom-Bom Batam, Briyani Singapura
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