THERE are some restaurants in Petaling Jaya where diners find themselves feeling immediately welcome and at home, even before the waiter gives them the menu.
The warm welcome diners receive from the owners or waiters encourages them to linger and chat at these eateries long after their meal.
Also, most people are opting for restaurants that offer reasonable prices and good service.
StarMetro readers had recommended Restoran Sri Grand City’s paal appam and egg appam and Appu Uncle Curry House’s rawa tosai with onion chutney for breakfast.
Apart from the rava tosai, Appu Uncle Curry House was given the thumbs-up for its fish head curry that lures a good lunch crowd of office workers from around Petaling Jaya.
Another makan place for lunch that allows patrons to fully enjoy the food at their own pace is Nasi Kandar Al-Fairos that has its roots in Penang.
For a banana-leaf meal, Kanna Curry House in Section 17 is worth checking out as the restaurant is packed to the brim during lunch hours.
Malaysians are known for enjoying their tea-time and one place that serves traditional delights is Lotus Restaurant along Jalan Gasing.
Restoran Sri Grand City
About 300 paal appam (coconut milk pancakes) are made at this restaurant from 7am to 11pm. Staff from Universiti Hospital, teachers from schools in the area and families living around PJ can be seen having more than one paal appam for breakfast.
Saree-clad Madam K. Letchumy is skilled in making paal appam as she has been making them since she was just a teenager.
The appam is sprinkled with brown sugar while another variety is the egg appam. The latter can be eaten with chicken curry or with sweetened coconut milk.
One paal appam costs RM2 while the appam with egg is RM2.50.
No 51, Jalan 11/4, Jalan Dato Mahmud, PJ.
Business hours: 7am to 11pm
Appu Uncle Curry House
Rava tosai is a popular South Indian offering and can be made plain or like at the restaurant where it is spiced up with chopped onions, fresh curry leaves, herbs and spices. Some choose to add shredded carrots and green chilli.
Curry house manager R. S. David said the tosai was crisp due to the thin batter. Rava tosai is served with chinna vengayam chutney (shallot chutney) that gives the sweetness and it is the perfect accompaniment.
Other than that, this family-run business is famous for its fish head curry that has a distinctive home-cooked flavour.
The South Indian cooks here make their own curry powder instead of using the commercial variety.
Using red snapper, kurau or jenahak, the fish head is cooked in curry with assorted vegetables such as okra and brinjals and served with rice.
No. 14, Jalan 19/3, PJ
Business hours: 7am to 10pm (Mon-Fri), 7am to 8pm (Sat) 7am to 6pm (Sunday).
Nasi Kandar Al-Fairos
Nasi Kandar is a tasty and popular northern dish, which has its roots in Penang.
Several types of gravy, ranging from mild to hot, are poured on your plate of rice and this gives it a diverse taste.
Chef Mustafa, a Penangite, prepares the curries using spices that are blended at the mill.
Most diners love the telur sotong, telur ikan, fried chicken drumstick and chicken in onion gravy.
Sambal nyior or coconut sambal, which is savoured with blanched okra is a must if you are eating nasi kandar.
Mint and desiccated coconut with black pepper will make you crave for more. One drink that goes well with nasi kandar is iced air bandung.
No 62, Jalan Othman, PJ Old Town.
Kanna Curry House
Kanna Curry House in Petaling Jaya is popular for its South Indian cuisine. It is located along a row of shophouses in Section 17.
Kanna Curry House in Section 17 is always packed during lunch hour.
The vegetarian banana leaf meal comes with an unlimited serving of appalam and is priced at RM5.50.
The reasonable price woos office workers in the vicinity. Some go for the teh tarik, which costs RM1.60. The succulent fried chicken drumstick is priced at RM5.50 at this restaurant.
No 29, Jalan 17/45, Section 17, PJ.
Lotus Family Restaurant
Craving for afternoon treats with a cup of tea or a Malaysian teh tarik? Well, head to Lotus where traditional kuih will make tea-time a wonderful experience.
Kuih sago, tepung talam, kuih lapis are served here.
Other than this, there are curry puffs, cucur pisang and vadai. All these traditional offerings are priced between 80 sen and RM1. Teh tarik is priced at RM2.20.
No 15, Jalan Gasing, PJ.
