Arsalan Restaurant & Caterer - Park Circus — Restaurant in Kolkata

arsalan restaurant

Arsalan Restaurant is an acclaimed restaurant chain based in Kolkata, widely regarded for its signature Kolkata-style Biryani and classic Mughlai cuisine. The flagship outlet is prominently located at 191 Park Street, Park Circus Area, Kolkata38]. Arsalan has several branches across the city and nearby locations, with options for dine-in, takeaway, and online delivery.

Key Features: Known for: Special Mutton Biryani, Chicken Biryani, kebabs (especially Reshmi Kabab), Chicken Chap, and Mughlai dishes[18]. Cuisine: Primarily Indian, North Indian, Mughlai, with some Asian influences; serves both non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes. All outlets are Halal certified[5. Ambiance: Casual dining; the main Park Street outlet is considered family-friendly and offers amenities like table service and takeout. Some outlets are more suited for takeaway or casual meals5. Popular Dishes: Special Mutton Biryani, Chicken Boneless Masala, Mutton Haleem, Reshmi Kabab, Phirni, Fish Kabab8]. Special touches: The Kolkata biryani served here typically features a whole piece of potato and boiled egg, along with the meat and fragrant rice—a regional hallmark[5].

Customer Reviews: Arsalan has received over 1,700 reviews on Tripadvisor, maintaining a solid average rating of 4.2/5, making it a top choice for biryani lovers visiting or living in Kolkata[5]. Many reviews praise the unique flavor, portion sizes, and value for money. However, a few recent critiques cite inconsistency in quality and service, with some diners finding the food bland or the service lacking compared to the restaurant’s reputation[5. Despite some mixed feedback, Arsalan remains one of Kolkata’s most iconic spots for Mughlai food, especially biryani5.

Locations & Ordering: Main outlet: 191 Park Street, Near Hotel Akash Deep, Kolkata 700017 Other major branches: Chinar Park (Rajarhat New Town), Barrackpore, and outlets across various city neighborhoods69]. You can order online through platforms like Swiggy or find an outlet near you by searching “Arsalan Biryani Near Me”[1.

Opening Hours: Most outlets, including Park Street, are open daily from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm5].

Reputation: Arsalan is widely regarded as a “must-visit” for Kolkata biryani, making it a fixture in both local and tourist food itineraries, though some locals debate the consistency...

I have been visiting this outlet for the last 15 years. Its heartening to see that they have expanded this outlet in terms of seating capacity in the back and that expanded section is even more beautiful than its original seating area. Out of all the Arsalan restaurant outlet, this one serves the best biryani of all. If you prefer your biryani to be on the loaded side in terms of greasiness, you can always ask them to serve you from the bottom of the pot 😛 and they will happily oblige. Though, the cleanliness of the table and chairs could be an issue due to the leftovers left behind by the previous guests in your seating table (this often happen due to the huge rush they experience on a daily basis), thanks to the prompt and quick service rendered by the wait staffs, you can always ask them to clear your serving table and plates more thoroughly. They do serve the orders quicker if you order from the commonly ordered dishes like biryanis, chaaps, pasindas, rotis and naan's. Others may take about 5-15 mins extra to serve. Overall, the waiting time for the food you order is around 7 to 10 mins. Staffs are super friendly and inspite of being super busy and overwhelmed by the crowd visiting this restaurant as guests, they still are very kind towards newbies who are not sure what to order or attend the guests who are confused about where to start. They are also kind enough to advise you if you order too much to eat and suggest a way to work around your desired dishes. Also, I have to say one more thing about this place, there is No access for wheelchair. For specially abled people, its better to order takeaways as the overcrowded space and lack of wheelchair access may overwhelm them while disturbing other guests visiting this place At the end of the day, one may argue this restaurant not being a perfect one when it comes to the availability of tables, but when it comes to taste and the satiating factor that's worth your money, this restaurant is the perfect one for mughlai cuisines in Kolkata. As long as this restaurant maintains its wow factor in its biryanis and chaaps, I am not stopping myself from visiting this restaurant whenever I am in the city atleast...

Not an expert on biryani but know what I like. Firstly, my Bengali friends will be happy to know, my respect for the humble potato's presence in a biryani has gone really up. Sadly, once upon a time before ever trying a Kolkata biryani, I used to make jokes saying potato has no place in a biryani. I am proud to say I was plain wrong.

This is the first time I tried a Kolkata biryani and have to say it is quite different. Arsalan has done an absolutely brilliant job of using more fragrant spices for the rice itself. You have those subtle and mild flavors in a BEAUTIFULLY cooked rice where each morsel holds its own. Perhaps when you put the first bite of the rice in your mouth, I think you will be forgiven for thinking (like I did) that while the rice has the flavor, it doesn't have the umf you have in a Hyderabadi, Sindhi or Awadhi biryani. BUT, that's the first bite.

The mutton that came with it was so fantastically cooked. Falling off the bone so easily. Now here, the mutton had the heavier use of spices. The flavors really penetrated the meat wonderfully. When you have a bite of the mutton on its own, you realize wow, the flavors infused in the meat are powerful; very different from the rice.

Then you have the humble potato. OMG, I think this was probably the best potato I've ever had. While still firm, you could cut through it easily with your fork and when you did, you saw the the flavors and the masala have penetrated the potato and gone deep inside all the way to its core. Now for the taste; I failed to recognize most of the flavors but I'll say this. IT WAS GOOD.

Now for the grand finale; to get the true experience which I would like to believe is what the creators went for. The bite where you put the 3 together creates the melody in your mouth. The beautifully spiced and cooked mutton mixed with the fairly strong flavor of the potato mixed with the rice; all the flavors come together...