or Hyderabad for that matter…
This isn’t exactly a business promotion, more like a recommendation for a couple of businesses we tried and found excellent over the past 3 months that we’ve been in Hyderabad. (not an exhaustive list just the few that come to mind right now)
- Harleys Fine Bakery (Owners have two flats in Krishe as well, yeah same place that we live in) — The founder runs a management training institute in Gachibowli and during the lock-down he listened to his better sense/half and started working on the bakery experiment. The stated objective is to make exclusive fine bakery goods accessible to everyone and at the same time make sure that the goods are baked using healthier alternatives. Today it’s got 12 branches all over Hyderabad and some of the best croissants in the world. The owners (husband wife and two beautiful daughters aged we fight with each other all the time but are inseparable) are very warm folk and showed us around the workshop when we happened to walk into their quaint place near the Nanakramguda-Khajaguda circle. Hopefully the kids can start their internship at the bakery soon as we get back from the Goa trip (yeah it’ll be hot but AC hai ne re). Also check out their Shawarma offerings under the Kadir Nurman brand name. Both are on Zomato. https://harleys.in/ http://zoma.to/r/19938312
- Onebasket (owners have no flats in My Home) — Organic does not need to mean sell all your gold to buy rice… The answer is onebasket… they are a new entrant and the complete 360 degree integration is what has me very impressed and eager to associate. So the owners are techies like most people who would be reading this are. Worked all over the world (Wipro, CISCO being some of the names that came up). Successfully exited their startups and started Ira Realty (that’s where we initially came in contact with them when we bought a 3BHK at Kollur from Ira… the other Ira not our daughter who is also named Ira). Then when we started talking to them about acquiring farmland we were introduced to onebasket and the backend 2000 odd acres in Gulbarga and another 230 odd in Chincholi and another… you get the picture. The story of how the owners successfuly got out of IT and yet stuck to IT by launching the platform was really heart warming. The team behind onebasket is actually inhouse and sits at the corporate office of Ira Realty in Gachibowli itself. The fact that in the real estate deal so far all transactions are 100% white and there has been no demand for any cash component is another huge plus point, shows integrity. It is rare to find such gems. When you do find them, hold on to them with all your might.
- DriveU (owners probably do not want you knowing where they live) — Reliable drivers always available on call. Multiple times during the past few I needed to get a driver to help ferry the cars to the RTO for re-registration or ferry relatives visiting or take visting friends/family out for sight seeing. I found the drivers who turned up always responsible looking professional folk. They know the city and since I’m new to the place it’s actually more efficient to let these guys do the driving around rather than me trying to balance work and driver duties. The pricing is very convenient and you have flexibility in terms of duration you want the services for. A very good option if you have a car are new to the place, can’t take off from work are not sure about parking and yet need to drive people around in a familiar trusted clean car. The application is available on all app stores.
- Sheraton Gachibowli (I did not meet the owners yet) — This was the transit camp when we were shifting in in January and I had written a complete saga about how they made it all so easy. The great part is that now when we go there to celebrate any birthday or anniversary or just like that the chef just needs a heads up and a head count. The menu is designed by him, we just need to show up and be wowed all over again. Absolutely the best place to go to when you want to head out for a good experience (I’m sure there are a lot of other great ambience places out there, Glass Onion,The Golconda comes to mind, but then it’s the people who you’re familiar with now that makes it all worthwhile).
A good job done well is rare, because everyone seems in a big hurry to get paid without actually wanting to do what they are being paid for/expected to do. But then you also see people doing justice to their chosen line of work every single day that they do turn up to work. You are reassured by how there is still hope amidst all the noise that’s all around. There is still hope in Hyderabad for sure. Oh yes Al Saba Haleem, best in Hyderabad by miles and Arabian Mandi King has the best juicy mandi.