[Yamagata, Higashine City] Tohoku Starra | Full-fledged Indian Cuisine ‘Biryani’ Tasting Report
2026/04/14 This site contains advertisements. Category: indian food
Did you know that the recently trending “biriyani,” popular on social media, can be enjoyed right here in Higashine City?
Located near York Benimaru Higashine, Tohoku Starla is a restaurant where you can savor authentic biriyani cooked with aromatic spices.
I’d been curious about biriyani for a long time, and when I heard that Tohoku Starla serves it, I headed there immediately!
In this article, I’ll share all the charm I discovered while actually tasting their biriyani.
What Kind of Restaurant Is “Tohoku Starla” in Higashine City?

Tohoku Starla is an Indian restaurant located in Higashine City. The dishes are prepared by chefs from India, allowing you to enjoy authentic flavors. It’s located near York Benimaru Higashine and has become known as a place where you can enjoy delicious biriyani in Yamagata.
A Place to Enjoy Biriyani — One of 2026’s Trend Foods

By the way, are you familiar with biriyani? Biriyani is a rice dish enjoyed in India and other South Asian regions, cooked together with spices and meat. It’s currently gaining attention as one of 2026’s trend foods!
It’s exciting to be able to enjoy authentic biriyani right here in Higashine.
Tohoku Starla Offers a Wide Variety of Menu Items

Tohoku Starla has such a wide menu that you’ll find yourself wondering what to choose. Here are some examples of what you can enjoy at the restaurant!
Classic Curries and Rare Indian Dishes


At Tohoku Starla, you can enjoy not only biriyani but also curries and various Indian dishes. There are many curry options—chicken, seafood, mutton, and more—so you can choose based on your mood. There are also about six types of biriyani, making it hard to decide!

You’ll find unique dishes like Chowmein (Indian-style stir-fried noodles) and Shami Kebab, making the menu itself fun to browse.

There’s also a wide variety of naan, including unique flavors made with walnuts from Murayama.

During lunch hours, there are special weekday-only sets!

There’s also a great takeout menu, so you can enjoy their dishes at home.
Finally Tasting Biriyani! Visit Report from Tohoku Starla

Ever since seeing biriyani on social media, I’d been wanting to try it. So I finally headed to Tohoku Starla to fulfill that wish!
Welcomed by the Aroma of Spices

As soon as you enter, the aroma of spices greets you. Indian movies play inside, giving the restaurant a distinctly exotic atmosphere—almost like a mini overseas trip.
Hooked from the First Bite — My First Biriyani Experience
From Tohoku Starla’s extensive menu, I ordered a biriyani & naan set. For the biriyani, I chose their most popular option: Chicken Biriyani.

You can choose the spice level, so as a spice lover, I went with level 2.

After enjoying the salad for a few minutes, my long-awaited biriyani finally arrived!

The vibrant appearance and generous portion instantly lifted my spirits! One bite and the fluffy texture of the rice spreads through your mouth. The lightness of Indian rice made me think, “I didn’t know it could be this fluffy!”
Inside, there are large chunks of chicken, making it very filling. The shredded ginger adds a refreshing accent and enhances the overall spice aroma. For me, level 2 was pleasantly spicy. If you’re sensitive to spice, choosing a milder level might be better.

My family ordered the Choi-nomi Set. You can choose a curry and a drink, and despite the name, it comes with a large piece of chicken—making it a surprisingly hearty set.
So Delicious I Had to Go Back! I Tried the Daily Biriyani Too
Tohoku Starla actually offers daily specials, allowing you to enjoy different dishes depending on the season. I went back again in search of a new biriyani!
The Daily Special Biriyani Is a Little Healthier

The daily biriyani this time was Fried Paneer Veg Biriyani—biriyani with fried cottage cheese and winter vegetables.

The paneer had a pleasantly chewy texture and paired wonderfully with the biriyani. It’s packed with vegetables, making it lighter and healthier than meat biriyani—a dish many women will appreciate.
This biriyani also comes with raita, a yogurt sauce that lets you enjoy a refreshing flavor change. Adding the tangy sauce transforms the dish into a lighter, more refreshing taste.
You can check Tohoku Starla’s daily specials on their official social media. It’s a place that makes you excited to see what kind of biriyani you’ll encounter next!
How to Access Tohoku Starla
Tohoku Starla is located right next to Daiso Yamagata Higashine, near York Benimaru Higashine. There is a shared parking lot, so visiting by car is recommended.
| Restaurant Name | Tohoku Starla |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 0237-48-9200 |
| Business Hours | 11:00–15:00 17:00–21:00 |
| Closed | Monday |
| Address | 1-6-10 Chuo, Higashine City, Yamagata 999-3711 |
| Access |
1 minute on foot from “Kobayashi 1-chome” bus stop (Higashine City Bus) 25 minutes on foot from Sakuranbo-Higashine Station (Yamagata Shinkansen / Ōu Main Line) 1,246 m from Sakuranbo-Higashine Station |
| Parking | Available |
| Official SNS |
Tohoku Starla Official Instagram Tohoku Starla Official X |
Summary

Tohoku Starla in Higashine City is a restaurant where you can enjoy authentic Indian cuisine and delicious biriyani. The fluffy, light texture of the rice and the fragrant spices make their biriyani something you’ll want to eat again and again. The daily specials also let you discover seasonal biriyani variations, which is part of the charm.
If you’ve been curious about biriyani, this is a place you should definitely visit.
