A new restaurant serving Indian cuisine is set to open in Reading town centre.

Preparation works have begun at Biryani Mama Bar & Restaurant in St Mary’s Butts, which will be taking over from the Ask Italian after it closed in 2020.

Scaffolding remains after a new sign was installed at the restaurant unit.

Ahead of opening, the owners of Biryani Mama have applied to sell food until midnight each night, and sell alcohol from 10am to midnight each night as well.

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Details about Biryani Mama are scarce, as the restaurant does not have appear to have a website or any social media presence, and appears to be an independent.

However, the clue for what Biryani Mama will be serving is in the name.

Biryani is mixed rice dish originating from the Indian subcontinent.

Unlike curry dishes from the subcontinent, biryani is drier and focused on a large portion of rice with meat, potatoes and/or vegetables, rather than spiced sauce found in curries.

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The  Biryani Mama Ltd company was incorporated in August 2021, with Jayakumar Madanagopal and Laskmi Suresh listed as its directors on Company’s House.

The Ask Italian that Biryani Mama will be taking over from closed during the UK’s first coronavirus lockdown in March 24, 2020, and never reopened.

Now the closest Ask to Reading is located in Basingstoke’s Festival Place shopping centre.