Three years ago, the Rashid family never knew they would become involved in the restaurant business. Until Sultana Rashid’s husband became sick and couldn’t work.
Sultana’s friends always complimented her on her food from her native Pakistan, but not until recently did the family think of starting a restaurant and a catering company.
They started off small, inside the shop of former convenience store Go Pak Bazaar, an independent business, on 2316 Hillsborough Street.
“We were really small, just selling samosas and growing a customer base,” Aisha Rashid, manager of the family business, said. “We found the space inside Go Pak and we were doing well despite the small kitchen.”
Things were tight. The restaurant, Laziz Biryani Corner, functioned in the corner of the now defunct convenience store, and according to Aisha, the location was good for business, but not for a restaurant.
“As we expanded and started serving more food, the place just became too small,” Aisha Rashid said. “It was too tight. The design wasn’t the best for what we wanted and once Go Pak Bazaar moved, we decided to find our own place that we could customize.”
Laziz Biryani had its grand opening for its current location at 3281 Avent Ferry Road on Monday and according to Aisha, many of the previous customers from the Hillsborough Street location stopped by for a fix of South Asian cuisine.
The new location allows the Rashid family to expand the menu of specialties from the Indian subcontinent, including various curries, dishes cooked in their tandoor clay oven and the restaurant’s namesake, biryani.
“Biryani is a rice dish and it’s what our family is known for,” Aisha said. “We have vegetarian biryani, with vegetables cooked with homemade spices. We have chicken biryani with tenderized chicken, seasoned rice and homemade spices. We also have a goat biryani as well. It’s all homemade, from my mother’s hands.”
Biryani is analogous to a South Asian fried rice, with very colorful seasoned rice, vegetables and fried onions mixed with pieces of roasted meat. According to Aisha Rashid, this dish is commonly eaten during festivals and weddings.
“It is very rich in color and flavor, so it is popular with festive activities. It is flavored with the spices that my mother makes at home, we don’t use the stuff from the store, so it has her secret touch. She won’t let us discuss it,” Aisha said.
The most popular menu items are the butter chicken and chicken tikka masala, according to Aisha.
“The butter chicken is very rich. It has a creamy based sauce with bell peppers and onions served with basmati rice. The chicken is boneless pieces dipped into a creamy tomato sauce and there is chili powder, turmeric and other spices.”
Spice wimps need not fear. Aisha said her food can be altered to diverse palates.
“Many people think this type of cuisine is all about spice, but we can control and make things as mild as they want them.”
Besides the numerous spices that come out of South Asia, the food at Laziz Biryani Corner uses its tandoor oven to enhance the flavors.
“The oven is a big clay oven,” Aisha said. “You know how you can barbeque and get a different taste? It’s like that, but the taste is so much better. We will also use it to bake our own breads, called naan, which you can dip in curries of sauce for some awesome flavor.”
Aisha’s younger sister, Mariam Rashid, a senior in biological sciences, helps her family with the restaurant during her free time. Mariam said the new location has allowed the family to expand operations.
“My mom’s passion is food and cooking and we aren’t limited anymore like we were at Go Pak Bazaar,” Mariam said. “We get a lot of business from people affiliated with the University and from Centennial Campus.”
Thomas Anderson, a senior in philosophy, ate at Laziz Biryani three times a week before they closed temporarily.
“I am not a vegetarian, but I also eat their vegetarian fare because I really enjoy how fresh and flavorful they do [vegetarian],” Anderson said. “It’s not like other restaurants where you’ll only find a black bean burger or veggie dip. It’s just a good deal, and from what my friends tell me, it’s authentic.”
Aisha Rashid said the proximity to the University created a large following and the diverse clientele has helped business.
“We cater a lot and the people we serve are from all walks of life, whether or not if they are Pakistani or Indian,” Aisha said. “Also, a lot of people tend to confuse the tensions between India and Pakistan. That is basically a political view. The regular people of both countries are good together. We are all family. They are our brothers and sisters.”
The Rashids said food is a way to bridge gaps.
“We just want to share this part of our family and culture with the community,” Aisha said. “Cuisine is definitely a way to connect people.”
Aisha and Sultana Rashid, the manager and cook at Laziz Biryani Corner, work in their new and enhanced kitchen prepping lunch.
