Hyderabad, April 11 -- Queuing up for a steaming plate of biryani is a familiar sight in Hyderabad. But to find a huge crowd snaking down a sidewalk in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah is a scene that feels entirely out of place.

Yet, in the city's Aziziyah district, this is the daily norm. Here, a diverse mix of desi expats and locals go on a pilgrimage to the modest, 34-year-old spot called Mughal Biryani. The long lines outside the spot prove that the hunt for the perfect place of rice is truly universal.

Run by a Hyderabadi man named Saleem, this tiny, unassuming restaurant is one of the most exclusive lunch clubs in the Kingdom. And it operates on a clock that waits for no one.

A 60-minute window for Hyderabadi Biryani

The rules at Mughal B...