In Hyderabad, food is as important as life itself, a world-view no doubt inherited from the Nizams, who reveled in culinary intemperance. Hyderabad is known for its dum-style cooking (with its origins in Lucknow): the practice of sealing the pot or dish and gently simmering its ingredients over a slow fire, thereby increasing the absorption of aromatic spices. Lavishly decorated in vibrant blues and distinctively Hyderabadi objets d'art, Dum Pukht (ITC Kakatiya Sheraton & Towers; tel. 040/2340-1032; Rs 325-Rs 950/$7.40-$22) is the city's most celebrated upmarket restaurant, and known for its dum-style dishes. (Dum Pukht literally means cooking by locking in steam.) Try the chef's kareli ki nahari, mutton shanks cooked in their own juices and marrow, tinged with cardamom and saffron. Melt-in-the-mouth kakori kebabs prepared from finely minced mutton, green papaya, cloves, and cinnamon are skewered, chargrilled, and eaten with sheermal, saffron-and-milk-infused flaky bread.

One of the best examples of dum-style cooking is biryani, Hyderabad's most time-honored dish, best made with marinated mutton which, together with basmati rice and spices, is prepared in a sealed pot for an aromatic result. Available practically anywhere, it's best enjoyed with a spicy mirch ka salan (chili curry) and yogurt salad. Azizia, adjacent the Nampally railway station, is said to be the home of biryani, and its chefs claim to be descended from the Nizams' master chefs. Though it's pretty tough to get a bad biryani in Hyderabad, some restaurants, or so the locals say, are just a notch above the rest. Try Paradise (Paradise Circle, M.G. Rd.) or Café Bahar in Himayatnagar. Finish your meal with Hyderabad's famous desserts: khubani ka meetha (apricots and cream) or double ka meetha (bread pudding with cashews and almonds). Another place that serves authentic biryani, among other delights, is Firdaus (Taj Krishna, Rd. no. 1, Banjara Hills; tel. 040/2339-2323; Rs 225-Rs 955/$5.10-$22). At this large, elegant restaurant, waiters serve dishes prepared by the young, enigmatic Chef Sumeet Sood; try the shaane raan, tender lamb steak marinated in assorted spices and tandoor grilled. But really, all the meals are fit for a Nizam, especially enjoyed against a backdrop of live ghazal music.

To sample the regional delights in a value-packed buffet, head for the Viceroy hotel's Patio coffee shop on Sunday night, when a great-value Hyderabadi Shahi-Dastarkhan ("Royal Dining Experience") is laid out. You can sample Chef Tarun's authentic nehari soup (trotter soup -- strong, pungent, and powerful, this is possibly an acquired taste); flavorful biryani; and rich haleem, made with lamb, lentils, and cracked wheat, slow-cooked to a sticky-smooth consistency -- in truth, somewhat akin to mashed mince.

But Hyderabad is not just the haven of regal Muslim fare. You will find toned-down versions of other Andhra cuisines at several city restaurants. If you're keen to sample regional Andhra cuisine without forever losing your sense of taste (it's intensely fiery), take a table at Chutney's (tel. 040/2335-8484; Shilpa Arcade Rd. no. 3, Banjara Hills), to sample their pesarattu (spiced mung bean flour pancake) eaten with allam pachadi (ginger pickle). Better still, make your way to the first floor and take your pick of a huge variety of vegetarian dishes at their reasonably priced all-you-can-eat daily buffet spread (Rs 135/$3.10).