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Stories narrate themselves long before we jot them down. They are born from prayers, dedication, and years of hard work.
These tales take shape repeatedly until we finally capture them in writing to preserve them for keepsake. And, the story of Biryani & More 2.0 is ready to be jotted down, one flavourful morsel at a time.
Started by Toseem and Rohiny Shaikh, Biryani & More 2.0 was not an inspiration-struck business, but rather one that arose from the need of the hour during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“During lockdown, we had no jobs or income coming in, so we thought of starting a food takeaway business,” begins Toseem, as he scoops out a generous serving of Biryani from a big hot handi.
“Fast forward to September 2022, we finally started our first outlet which had only four tables and the seating capacity of only 16 people. Going steady, our second outlet came to life in January 2024,” Rohiny chimes in. Today, both their outlets are located in Panjim.
Going back to the start, Toseem and Rohiny reminisce about how like any other business, the beggining was a little slow and a whole lot stressful.
“Firstly, starting a restaurant requires a good amount of money. So, it was quite the risk thinking that if the restaurant didn’t do well then we would have to suffer huge losses. Staffing was the second hurdle, it was very difficult to find staff and train them. And last and most importantly, building our customer base took time and patience,” she adds.
“Initially, getting customers to visit your restaurant is difficult. We had to make sure that we provided good quality and delicious food at affordable rates and that’s exactly what we did. We knew that the goal was getting customers to try out our food in hopes that they would like it and return for more. After which, the only thing we had to do was maintain the quality of the food,” Toseem says as he watches his hopes turn into reality.
Platefuls of biryani and more leave the eatery on a regular basis, which speaks for how delicious the food at Biryani & More 2.0 is. And, as for the interiors, cosy, tasteful, vibrant and inviting are the words that can be used to describe it.
Opening their doors in the morning and keeping them open till late at night, even to this day, Toseem and Rohiny put their heart, soul and all the necessary spices that make their business aromatically different from the rest.
Speaking about the familiar faces that they see almost every day, “Our customers are mostly college students and office staff. The only thing that has changed over time is the growing prices of ingredients and how it has affected us,” Toseem says, adding how although there are several new restaurants opening the area, their seats are almost always full as someone above smiles upon them.
Speaking of the all-important menu, “Our menu is quite big,” Rohiny smiles.
“We sell all kinds of Biryani, from chicken, mutton, prawns, veg, paneer, egg, etc. We also have Indian, Chinese and Tandoor items!” she further adds.
And just like the name suggests, Biryani and More 2.0 does not limit itself only to Biryani’s, but also sells everything right from gravies to starters and kebabs.
The list of the bestsellers goes a long way with items such as Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani, Mutton Biryani, Prawns Biryani, Paneer Biryani, Chicken Schezwan lollipop, Dragon Chicken lollipop, Chicken Crispy, Honey Crispy Chicken, Chicken Do Pyaza, Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka, Mutton Handi and Mutton Sukka.
Reflecting back on the day they opened their little restaurant, Toseem and Rohiny recall how their cup overflowed with joy.
“We were so happy, a few of our friends and family came to support us, fireworks lit the sky, and we celebrated through the night. It was truly a dream come true,” she embraces the nostalgia.
Simple and sweet, the only success mantra that the duo follows is the fact that, “There is nothing shameful in starting small. If you want to start your own business, start small and eventually it will grow. All you need is hard work and determination,” they smile as the clock strikes 1 pm and lunch break is declared.
No matter the weather, the regular customers always flock at their favourite afternoon biryani spot - Biryani & More 2.0.
DETAILS
WHERE: Biryani and More 2.0, Madhu Vihar Complex, Near Daud Electricals, St Inez, Panjim
PRICE RANGE: Starting from Rs 100
CONTACT: +91 9822167767 / +91 9767779981
INSTAGRAM: @biryaniandmoregoa