Biryaniz replaced another Indian restaurant, Shalimar Sizzle, at 246 Castro St.
Biryaniz is now open in Mountain View. Photo by Elena Kadvany.
It's connected to a local string of restaurants by the same name in Milpitas, Dublin and Rancho Cordova. Mountain View Sreeganesh Iyer said the Biryaniz owner is a "friend" and Iyer is operating locally as a "kind of franchisee."
The opening menu includes several biryani options, including with goat, lamb, chicken, paneer, shrimp and fish. There are variations from different regions, including Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Amaravathi. The biryani are served with raita, or yogurt, and salan (a Hyderabadi curry).
There are also vegetarian curries, chicken tikka masala and appetizers like samosas and a half chicken, marinated in yogurt and spices and then grilled in a clay oven.
Biryaniz is open Sunday to Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.