By Shari Benyousky
Guest Columnist

Column Note: This is the 30th column in the Diners and Dives series in which a small group of Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club members and their guests road trip to explore the restaurants of Kosciusko and the surrounding area.

WARSAW — Wildcard guest Deb Townsend waited for me on the sidewalk outside of Biryani Kitchen at 114 S Buffalo St, Warsaw with a huge smile. I hardly recognized her without her pickleball cap and gear. “I love Biryani food,” Deb told me. “I’m really excited about this.”

Northern vs. Southern Indian Food

Biryani Kitchen bills itself as providing an authentic Indian eating experience. I asked our waiter Karthick (“You can just call me K though”) if the food came from the north or the south of India. His brow furrowed. “It’s a fusion of both. Naans and butter chicken are from the north. Rice and biryani are from the south. Most things with brown style sauces are from the south.”

What’s the difference in cooking styles? Northern Indian cooking uses more flour while southern uses more rice. As far as spices go, northern cooking uses more mustard and more cumin as they have colder and harsher winters. Southern cooking uses more spices such as cardamom, nutmeg, and clove. For now, just remember that you can get both southern and northern style dishes at Biryani Kitchen.

The day was chilly, so we opted to sit inside. On a warm day, you can sit outside under the blue sails in the lovely alley decorated with Cardinal Center Red Bird art just outside as well. Karthick gave us tips as we ordered. “How hot would you like that?” he asked for each order.

“So, on a scale of 1-10, where does mild fit?” REMAX Jeff Owens asked.

Karthick contemplated. “I’d say mild means 4 or 5. Medium 7 or 8, and hot 9 or 10.”

Jeff probed. “What about the higher level oh-hell-no hot option?”

Karthik gave him an appraising look. “We have that too. Do you have the day off tomorrow?”

Local coffeehouse owner and attorney Travis McConnell didn’t blink before ordering, “Extra hot and add a side of spicy bullet naan. What? What’s the matter?”

The Wildcard

Deb is a retired nurse, so we asked what she did for fun. “Um, I go to Florida? I play pickleball, eat lunch, walk the beach, go back and eat dinner, and maybe play more pickleball, you know? I told you I’m boring!” She folded a piece of garlic naan to scoop up her Saag Paneer (an addictively delicious green spinach gravy with cream).

Chris took a bite of his Goat Pepper Fry. “Oh my! Oh MY! This may be the best thing I’ve ever eaten. Like in my entire life!” he raved. I tried it and disagreed only in that it was second to my bowl of tender peach-colored butter chicken over rice.

Chris kept raving. “Seriously guys, this Pepper Fry is absolutely, freaking amazing. Are you writing this DOWN, Shari?”

Jeff shook his head and ate some of his lunch special from a cool metal tray. “Right now, I really want to say something to get Chris’ goat.” He speared a sweet red lychee fruit with his fork.

The Chai

Karthick returned to check on us often. As we got to the part of the meal where we slowed down into a food stupor, and passed around our plates to try everyone else’s dishes, he asked if he could bring us some complimentary Chai (tea).

The chai that Biryani makes is rich, milky, and steamed with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and anise. They steep the chai on the stove in a pot on the stove, so you’ll have to wait a few minutes to get some. I added a few packets of sugar to mine.

Someone said it right: “It tastes just like a cup of fall.”

Not The Geek Thing Again

This discussion of food got us talking about the Breakfast Optimist’s new caterer — Dana Munson of Saucy’s Barnyard BBQ and Catering and REMAX Jeff’s affection for cheesy grits with breakfast.

“You guys are Rotary, right?” Wildcard Deb asked and paused as gasps erupted around the table. “Oh, right. Breakfast Optimists. Sorry. I’m a major geek.”

“With that comment, you’re demoted to Private Geek and will need to work your way back up!” REMAX Jeff retorted. He’s been a loyal breakfast Optimist for more years than I can count on two hands.

Coffeehouse Owner McConnell agreed. ‘Maybe you’re even a geek-want-to-be now. Confusing Rotary with Optimists!” To be clear, a geek is someone with a deep specialty knowledge of something. Some of the group could be considered Optimist Geeks.

“You’re assimilating my geek territory,” Podcast Chris shook his head.

“What is your geek area?” we asked. Chat GPT? LEGOS? Star Wars? The Godfather?

“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli,” Chris answered.

Thankfully Biryani’s Chef Sivakumar Kannappan arrived at the table to save us from diving further into geekdom. “How is everything,” he asked. We assured him that everything was amazing.

“Especially the nut and raisin naan,” I added to the chorus.

“And shout out to the goat,” added Optimist Rick Swaim. We thanked Sivakumar for his hospitality and the excellent food.

Everyone chimed in. Wildcards, Optimists, and Geeks.

Tip 1 – Biryani is closed Sundays but opens at 11:30 a.m. the other days of the week.

Tip 2 – Tandoor items on the menu take 30 minutes, so plan accordingly.

Tip 3 – Breakfast Optimists meet at the Shrine Building at the Kosciusko Fairgrounds on Wednesday mornings. Breakfast at 6:45 a.m. and meeting 7-8 a.m. Come join us.

Do you know of an interesting place, restaurant, nonprofit, or person that you’d like to see featured in Dives and Diners or in Profiles behind the scenes someday? Send SB Communications LLC an email at [email protected].