Living with an Indian roommate this year has only augmented my infatuation for his native cuisine. The only downside is that I now get late-night cravings for basically any Indian dish. As I write this, in fact, we are now discussing how much we would kill for a spicy chicken biryani. Paradise Biryani Pointe at Emory Point serves just that and more.  

Biryani Pointe is the perfect place to satisfy a biryani craving, or most any other Indian craving for that matter. Biryani is a term for a rice-based dish with spices. There are practically hundreds of different types of biryani that come from all different regions of India, each with its own flare. From mild to ultra spicy, from chicken to beef to goat to shrimp, nearly every combination of biryani you can imagine exists somewhere. Biryani Pointe offers vegetarian, egg, chicken, boneless chicken and goat biryani. You can also choose between regular and spicy – for me, it’s always spicy.

The biryani at Paradise Biryani Pointe is definitely worthy of being the name of the restaurant – it is paradise in its own way. The chicken is fall-apart tender and mixes so well with the rice. Beware; if you order the biryani spicy, it indeed packs a punch. My roommate Armaan, who is quite familiar with Indian spice, even admits this dish is quite far along the spice spectrum. Of course, if you do not have a high tolerance for spice, do not hesitate to order it regular.

But Biryani is by no means the only dish worth ordering here. The Mix Platter is great if you want a bit of multiple dishes. You get a main dish, like chicken tikka masala, chicken rice, naan and a chef’s choice of both an appetizer and dessert. I have by no means tried close to everything on the menu, but you can bet I am going to eat my way through it. Vegetarian options at Biryani Pointe are quite prominent and not neglected like they are at so many other restaurants. I’m the farthest thing from a vegetarian, but their kadai paneer is succulent and rich with cheese and spices; I would have no problem eating it every time. Their naan is not to be overlooked, either. They have plain, garlic and my favorite – bullet naan. The bullet naan is spicy, but I think it could be even spicier. However, you may want to cut back on the spice, especially if you get the spicy biryani.

Biryani Pointe has a chic, yet cozy atmosphere. It’s always welcoming. It doesn’t get any more convenient than being located in Emory Point (okay, maybe if they opened one in Cox, it would be), but I wouldn’t mind it being open 24 hours and a delivery service to satisfy my cravings. Too greedy? I know, but I can’t help myself. Check it out for yourself if you haven’t already, and you will see why I am so excited to have a great Indian restaurant so close by.

– By Ethan Samuels 

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