Located right above Kintetsu's Osaka Abenobashi Station and adjacent to Tennoji Station, the Indian restaurant "DIWALI" opened on December 13, 2023, on the 12th floor of Abeno Harukas Kintetsu Main Store, which features a food court. I visited for lunch on my first trip. DIWALI's main branch is in Osaka's Fukushima, with locations in Kitahama and Sanjo Kawaramachi in Kyoto. This restaurant has taken over the space previously occupied by Ginza Aster Nentei. The interior has a casual design that doesn’t strongly evoke the feel of an Indian restaurant, with a total of 78 seats primarily comprising table seating. A tandoor oven is prominently placed at the entrance where authentic chefs prepare naan and tandoori dishes right before your eyes. The lunch menu centers around sets featuring curry and naan. The basic "Naan Curry Lunch" (1280 yen) includes curry, naan, rice, salad, and a drink. Options for upgrades include "A Lunch" (1380 yen) which adds Tandoori Chicken Tikka, and "B Lunch" (1480 yen) which includes Tandoori Seek Kebab. There are also "C Lunch" (1780 yen) with curry, naan, salad, tandoori chicken, tomato soup, and drink, and the most luxurious “Diwali Lunch” (2280 yen) featuring two types of curry, naan, salad, tomato soup, Tandoori Malai Tikka, Tandoori Seek Kebab, Tandoori Shrimp, and drink. Curry options include vegetable, chicken, spinach chicken, keema, shrimp, and daily specials, with choices for Butter Chicken and mutton available for an additional 300 yen. You can specify the spiciness level as well. There is also the option to select two types of curry for an additional 300 yen, along with variations of naan such as Garlic Naan, Butter Naan (200 yen each), Cheese Naan (300 yen), and Blue Cheese Naan (400 yen). A specialty of this restaurant is their biryani, prepared in individual pots per order, with options including "Chicken Biryani Set," "White Fish and Clams Biryani Set" (1980 yen each), "Mutton Biryani Set" (2180 yen), and "Shrimp Biryani Set" (2380 yen). I decided to order my favorite biryani and opted for the "Mutton Biryani Set." They informed me it would take about 20 minutes to prepare, but I received the biryani sooner than expected. It came in a large iron pot topped with plenty of mutton, accompanied by a stainless steel Thali plate featuring gravy and raita. I was to mix the biryani from the bottom of the pot and serve it onto the plate alongside the gravy. The crust at the edge of the pot looked enticingly delicious. The rice used is the long-grain basmati, which exudes a fragrant, spicy aroma. Upon taking a bite, the spice aroma transformed into a delightful flavor that seemed to directly stimulate my senses. Interestingly, despite the aromatic spices, the taste was surprisingly mild, with the fluffy basmati providing a slightly sweet undertone alongside a hint of acidity. It wasn’t oily like fried rice, and the mutton, being bone-in, provided a rich flavor while remaining easy to eat. The gravy was a curry-flavored soup, and the raita was a yogurt-based sauce with vegetables. Pouring these over the biryani enhanced its flavors significantly. The gravy was mild and easy to enjoy. Additionally, the dish came with kachumber (a spiced salad), nuts, sweet-spicy shrimp, onion slices, lemon, and mint sauce, allowing for a variety of sensations with every mouthful. Eventually, the mix of all ingredients created a wonderfully chaotic taste experience. The inclusion of various leaves and whole spices meant that occasionally breaking a whole spice would release a delightful aroma in the mouth, showcasing the true joy of biryani. For dessert, I ordered a hot chai. It was fragrant and appeared to use good-quality tea leaves, which I savored slowly. Having this beverage made the meal feel complete. While I often enjoy biryani from a local Nepalese restaurant, which is a simplified version, this biryani was authentic. It may come at a higher price, but I felt it was well worth the experience.

I heard that Nakatsu's Diamond Biryani is in Tennoji, so I came to try it. I ordered the mutton biryani, and it took about 20 minutes to prepare. When it arrived, it was steaming hot and the mutton was tender and very delicious, served on the bone. The biryani itself was well-seasoned with spices, and it was tasty on its own without any accompaniment. Of course, it was also delicious with toppings. For dessert, I enjoyed a hot chai. The biryani came in a large pot, and I was wondering if I could finish it all, but I ended up polishing it off completely.

The Indian curry was sweet and delicious. The curry had some ginger on top, which I found a bit unnecessary. The price was slightly higher than at the main store—typical for Harukas. I noticed that very few people around me were eating biryani. Overall, it was a tasty Indian curry.

When I wanted to eat curry in Tennoji, I used to struggle a bit, but now that Diamond Biryani has opened, it’s the clear choice! Although the prices are typical of a station building, the food was delicious. It's great that they offer mutton biryani! I just wish there was a bit more gravy.

Diwali Indian Curry is located on the 12th floor of Harukas and I went there on a Sunday afternoon around 13:30. The menu on the table was easy to understand and good. I had requested a seat by the window, but it was a table for four and since I was alone, I was refused. Although the restaurant was quite empty at the time... I chose the spinach chicken curry from the lunch B set. The first bite surprised me with how salty it was. I ordered it with normal spiciness, and it had just the right amount of heat (I’m not good with spicy food, but I also don’t like it completely mild. Since definitions of spiciness differ from place to place, I usually consult the staff before making a decision). You can get one free refill of rice, but refills for naan cost 100 yen. The chicken tikka was also quite salty. The dressing on the salad seemed to be a regular Thousand Island dressing, which was disappointing because I expected some exotic Indian dressing. The naan was just average. As for the chai, it seemed like it wasn’t simmered long enough, as the sweetness of the milk wasn’t brought out well. There was a QR code on the table for a survey, and I was told I could receive a dessert if I completed it. After submitting my responses, I showed the screen to the staff, but it seemed that not many people were doing this, and the staff appeared flustered. The waitress came over to tell me, "Please wait a moment," but due to a sudden influx of customers, I ended up waiting for a while. It was cold in the air-conditioned restaurant, so I opted to settle the bill instead. When I told the staff that I would decline the survey dessert at the time of payment, they apologized and insisted, "We'll prepare it right away!" But I politely declined.

I visited the restaurant for the first time around 5:30 PM without a reservation. I looked at the menu and ordered with advice from the staff. I chose the Mutton Biryani Set (with drink) for 2,180 yen, which is the restaurant's signature mixed rice dish! It takes about 20 minutes to prepare since they cook it after you place your order, so be sure to order this first before deciding on anything else! It comes hot from the pot, and you mix it on a special plate with various toppings and sauces, enjoying the changing flavors. The spices layered together create a complex and delicious taste! I also tried the 10th Anniversary Dinner for 2,780 yen (with drink), which was a plate with a little bit of various items. The Tomato Soup cost 700 yen and was creamy with a nice acidity, very reminiscent of Indian flavors — it was delicious! I ordered the Shrimp Momos (4 pieces) for 880 yen, which are Nepali dumplings. In hindsight, I could have skipped these because I was already quite full, but they were tasty. Thank you for the meal!

It's located on the 12th floor, so the view is quite nice. The interior is clean and has a pleasant feel. I chose a set that includes two types of curry, which came with a salad and a drink. However, the curry felt a bit lacking in flavor, almost too mild. The naan was also just average. Unfortunately, I could only upload a photo of the salad.

This is a restaurant I visit often. The curry and naan are good, but the biryani has a delicious and addictive flavor that I loved from the very first time I tried it. Today, I had the prawn and clam biryani. The rice is cooked with spices, and I carefully remove the spices to mix them with the ingredients. Then, I scoop the rice onto a shiny, large plate and mix in various ingredients. I like to mix in yogurt, onions, and lemon. There are drink options like chai and lassi; today, I chose iced chai. There's quite a bit of rice, so I'm stuffed. Ah, it was so delicious. Thank you for the meal!

The restaurant is famous for its biryani, but since they start cooking only after receiving an order, it takes a bit of time. I didn't have much time, so I ordered the lunch set. When it comes to curry places like this, it's always a dilemma choosing which curry and which naan to have. I usually go for cheese naan, but this time I went with the daily special (clam keema curry) and opted for plain naan, considering how my stomach was feeling. Unusually for this restaurant, they had blue cheese naan, so I plan to try that next time when I have more of an appetite! The service was faster than I expected, which was great for me since I was short on time. The curry wasn’t as spicy as I thought it would be, and I was able to wipe up every bit of the sauce with naan, finishing it all off deliciously. Next time, I want to go back for the biryani!

I exited the改札 at Tennoji for a transfer and decided to have lunch at a nearby Indian restaurant on the 12th floor of Kintetsu that serves biryani. I ordered the mutton biryani for 2,180 yen and had to wait about 20 minutes after placing my order. However, the freshly made biryani had an incredible aroma! The plate came with onions, some kind of chips, a red item, nuts, yogurt, and tomato soup curry, and I poured the biryani into the empty space on the plate. I took a bite without anything else first and wow! It was delicious! The biryani portion was quite large, and as I progressed, I added different toppings and sauces, which changed the flavor each time, so I never got bored and finished it in no time. The quality was high! Thank you for the meal!*\(^o^)/*

I visited during lunch time. I'm curious if DIWALI and Diamond Biryani in Nakatsu are run by the same management. This was my first visit, and I ordered the chicken biryani set. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare since they cook the biryani from scratch once you place your order. The biryani set arrived in about 20 minutes. The biryani itself isn't heavily seasoned; instead, it features freshly cooked rice served on a plate along with curry, yogurt sauce, and various side dishes, allowing you to enjoy mixing them as you like. The aroma of the spices wafting through the air is delightful. The way you eat it changes the flavor, making it not just delicious, but also fun. I definitely want to visit the Diamond Biryani location in Nakatsu as well.

I was curious about the biryani served in a pot, so my husband and I decided to visit the restaurant after our work and training ended around the same time. It was Saturday, early dinner time, but the place was quite empty. A window seat was available, so we took it. I really wanted to try the biryani, but my health had been a bit off lately, and I wasn’t that hungry. I had seen reviews indicating the biryani portions were large, so we decided to share one. We also ordered a single serving of tandoori chicken. Both dishes took some time to prepare, so we waited a little. During the wait, I enjoy browsing the menu. - **Tandoori Chicken:** It looked quite sparse compared to the menu photos, possibly due to the lack of vegetables. It came with two types of sauces—one was a spicy mint sauce, and the other contained onions and wasn’t too spicy. I had seen similar sauces in local Indian restaurants. The chicken was well-cooked, but the spices felt a bit subdued. - **Mutton Biryani Set:** Just as I was about to order, I noticed an allergy warning at the bottom of the menu. My husband has a soba allergy, so we checked, and the staff confirmed there’s no soba in the biryani (although I wish they wouldn’t list it to avoid confusion). The biryani came with a prompt to take a photo before mixing it. After I finished, the staff mixed it for us. The crispy bits looked delicious! We followed the advice to try the biryani alone first, then with the side dishes. Just the biryani was already very tasty! The mutton, which was on the bone, was large and satisfying. Adding the curry sauce made it even better. I tried a bit of the side dishes, and I really liked the sweet and spicy shrimp. It was all delicious, but I ended up giving up after about a third of the biryani. My husband finished the rest. Even shared, it was a decent portion. My husband had debated between a set that included naan with the tandoori chicken but made the right choice by going for the single serving that day. The drink that came with the set was lassi, which was plentiful and just the right sweetness. I’d love to have the biryani again when I'm hungrier! (laughs)

Since I was free, I met up with a friend in Tennoji. While wandering around, it became lunchtime, so we headed to Abeno Harukas. I usually go to the Ganco Sushi in the basement, but today I was in the mood for curry, so I tried this place for the first time. The salad arrived first, and I was happy to see that the bowl was cute and well-chilled. My friend ordered medium spice, while I opted for spicy, and as we enjoyed the view, our food arrived shortly after. The curry here is genuinely spicy for the spicy option. Sometimes when I order spicy, it turns out to be sweet or mild, but this one was a hit. I later heard that their biryani is famous, so I’ll challenge myself to try that next time. The naan was delicious too. Thank you for the meal!

I suddenly craved curry, so I went out to eat. I ordered a casual set with chicken curry, butter naan, and an iced chai for my drink. The curry wasn’t too spicy, and the freshly baked naan was very delicious. The portion was larger than I expected; I skipped breakfast before going and almost ended up leaving some food behind.

I visited during lunch on a weekday and ordered the recommended biryani, which took a little time to arrive. It came about 20 minutes after ordering. Biryani is a type of Indian spiced rice dish, and it's served with various curries and spices on the side. The rice was very tasty and the portion was generous. Thank you for the meal!

I had a chicken biryani set for lunch, which cost 1980 yen. I wondered if I could finish the generous portion of rice when it was served, but I easily ate it all. The serving was quite substantial. It was fun and delicious to change up the flavors with yogurt and various toppings. The rice in the picture was enough for three servings. The ice chai I had afterward was refreshing. Next, I want to try the naan set.

In January 2024, I enjoyed the A Lunch at DIWALI Abeno, a set that is packed with delightful flavors! The curry features a mild and creamy butter chicken and a fragrant shrimp curry that is very enticing. The naan is soft and slightly sweet, pairing perfectly with the curry. The tandoori chicken tikka is aromatic and juicy, making it quite satisfying. I was also happy to find that I could get a refill of rice once. For dessert, I highly recommend the rich and cool "kulfi"! ◉ A Lunch - Curry 1 Type: 1,380 yen / Curry 2 Types: 1,680 yen Refill for plain naan: 100 yen. You can get a refill of rice once. - Curry (1 or 2 types) - Naan - Rice - Salad - Tandoori Chicken Tikka - Drink - Kulfi: 400 yen DIWALI Abeno (Butter Chicken, Shrimp Curry, Kulfi) 06-6625-2084 12F, Abeno Harukas Kintetsu Main Store, 1-1-43 Abeno-suji, Abeno Ward, Osaka City, Osaka https://tabelog.com/osaka/A2701/A270203/27139812/

I went shopping at Abeno Harukas. I felt a bit hungry but didn’t want to wander around, so I headed to the restaurant floor. I noticed that a new Indian restaurant had opened. Great, let’s have some curry! I ordered the Naan Curry Lunch, which is 1280 yen for one type of curry, and switched the naan to butter naan for an additional 200 yen. There are eight kinds of curry to choose from, including a daily special, and I went with the spinach chicken curry this time. You can choose from five types of naan, including plain, cheese, and garlic, and the spiciness can be adjusted in six levels. Basically, you can customize it to your liking. First, the salad arrived. Indian restaurant salads often have a delicious, orange-colored dressing that's plentiful. The vegetables were fresh and there was a good amount. Then came the curry plate. Compared to the plain naan, the butter naan was spiral-shaped and didn’t puff up much, so I felt a bit shortchanged. However, the butter naan is likely heavier because of the butter's oil content and the density from being rolled up, which might mean I need to chew more. But who knows? Anyway, I dipped the crispy naan into the curry. I love the richness of the spinach curry, which is nearly all spinach! The chicken pieces were big, tender, and delicious. Although I said I was just a bit hungry, I ended up feeling quite stuffed. Looking at the menu, I saw that the biryani is served in a tandoor pot, which really caught my interest. I’ll definitely stop by again next time I’m shopping at Harukas.

I love biryani made with proper Indian rice! It frustrates me when it’s made with Japanese rice. Here, I can see from the photos that they use good rice, so I feel safe to enter. There’s a set menu where I can choose the type of biryani. Since I focus on the rice, I don't mind the ingredients, but it was my first time having mutton served in a pot! The locals mix it for you, and the meat is chunky and incredibly delicious. I tried it with yogurt and enjoyed it alongside other dishes. For an additional 150 yen, I added cilantro, which made me so happy. The base flavors are fantastic, so I ordered prawn butter curry as well, which was reliably delicious. The condiments they brought with the meal were amazing—especially a chutney that was like a sweet-sour pickled dish made from tomatoes and bell peppers. It was so good that I couldn't stop eating it. Next, I want to try the samosas! I regret not coming here before; my enjoyment of Tennoji has just increased!

On January 2, 2024, after visiting a shrine for the New Year, my family of three stopped by the restaurant around 11:30 AM and were able to get a table with no wait, although it quickly filled up after we arrived. I chose the "Mutton Biryani" and a Nepalese beer. It was my first time trying biryani, and I enjoyed changing the flavors with lemon, yogurt, curry sauce, and various spices, making it a fun and filling experience! We also shared some samosas and momos (both steamed and fried), and once again, we all ended up completely stuffed. Still, we somehow managed to find room for dessert—the "Kulfi" ice cream. I opted for a milder spice level, but thanks to the spices, I felt warm and cozy afterward. The staff seemed to be either local or possibly international students; some had a bit of trouble with Japanese, so it's best to approach it all with an open mind. Everything was delicious, and I definitely want to go back!

I visited shortly after it opened. I happened to walk in, and I was intrigued by the biryani cooked in a pot, so I ordered the mutton biryani. It took about 20 minutes for it to be ready, so I waited for a bit. It was my first time trying biryani, and I was blown away! It was incredibly delicious! The basmati rice was fluffy, and the whole spices added an amazing punch! I mixed in the accompanying pickles, squeezed lemon on the onions, added nuts, curry, and yogurt sauce as I ate. It was absolutely outstanding! And the meat! The mutton! It was so tender, and the fat was rich in flavor. There was no gamey taste at all—just perfect. The portion was generous, and I felt very satisfied. Wow, I’m completely hooked! I’ll definitely come back again.