DO YOU know where to get good banana leaf meal in the Klang Valley?
If you do, nominate your favourite eatery and share it with The Star People’s Food Awards.
You also stand a chance to win attractive prizes such as hotel stays and dining vouchers.
The stall you nominate will be up for the best Malaysian street food title in the Klang Valley.
Participating is easy. Just take pictures of the meal and a general shot of the eatery with your smartphone.
Write us a short note via Metro Online Broadcast (MOB) and post it on our site.
Nominations are open for the first 10 days of the month, followed by endorsement and voting.
Every month until May next year, the public can vote for their favourite category-based street food such as satay, banana leaf meal or asam laksa via MOB.
This week, MOB features two popular banana leaf meal eateries.
RESTORAN SRI PAANDI (PJ)
Jalan Dato Mahmud 11/4, Section 11, Petaling Jaya
Sri Paandi Restaurant is accustomed to dishing out good food to Petaling Jaya folk over the years.
Opened in 1999, the place prides itself on banana leaf meal and various South Indian Chettinad dishes.
Each banana leaf meal serving comes with pappadam, cucumber, brinjal and other vegetables.
Owner A. Sinnaiah said some popular side dishes were the fried chicken, muttonvaruval and fried fish.
Sri Paandi is accustomed to dishing out good food to Petaling Jaya folk over the years.
“We prepare and grind the spices ourselves for a more authentic flavour,” said Sinnaiah, who learnt his cooking skills from a young age while working in restaurants before venturing into his own business.
Powdered milk is also used as a substitute to coconut milk for a healthier option.
The writer’s personal favourite was the fried mushrooms, which was crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside, a feat difficult to achieve with mushrooms as they tend to be too oily.
The mutton varuval was packed with flavour and cooked until tender.
“We get a lot of families who have been coming here since the shop’s early days. My customers are not only Indians, but Malays and Chinese who come here to enjoy quality food too,” said Sinnaiah.
A plate of banana leaf meal costs RM5 per set, while mutton varuval is RM7 and fried chicken is RM5.
Sri Paandi Restaurant (PJ) operates from 6am to midnight daily. – By Choo Woon Lim
ARCHANA CURRY HOUSE
62, Jalan Tengku Kelana, Klang
Jalan Tengku Kelana and the streets around it often has locals and tourists thronging the area dubbed Little India looking to dine and shop for the latest Indian traditional clothing.
Set within this busy street is Archana Curry House, one of the places you can go for good banana leaf meal.
The family business has been in Little India for about 14 years now.
A banana leaf rice meal with mutton costs RM11, while a rice set with fish or chicken is priced at RM10 at Archana Curry House.
Its owner, Subramaniam Somasundaram, said he left his job in the banking sector to open a restaurant as he had an interest in the food and beverage industry.
Archana Curry House is one of the two restaurants Subramaniam he owns.
This restaurant serves savoury South Indian food to both locals and tourists daily.
Subramaniam said that the restaurant has done well as Little India always has tourists and locals. It is especially busy during public holidays.
Subramaniam said that most people who come into his restaurant would definitely try the banana leaf meal.
Subramaniam said the must-try dishes at Archana Curry House are the mutton curry, mutton varuval and fried cauliflower.
“If you’re a first-timer here, I would suggest you try our mutton curry, mutton varuvaland fried cauliflower,” he said.
After hearing this, I tried their mutton curry and fried cauliflower.
The mutton served at Archana Curry House was tender and it did not leave a funny aftertaste in my mouth.
The vegetables served on the banana leaf was not much but out of the three vegetables served, I enjoyed the mushroom masala the most.
The simple dish of oyster mushrooms cooked with masala powder was something I have not had before.
A banana leaf meal set with mutton costs RM11 while a set with fish or chicken is priced at RM10. – By Kathleen Ashley Michael