Indians from Tamil, South India, have been living in Malaysia for three generations, so as a lover of Indian spices, I feel I am very lucky to have the opportunity to eat such a variety of Indian food, and even the thought of it makes me happy. In fact, there are plenty of options, from high-end Indian restaurants that are not uncommon, but it’s way too expensive for me. So, personally, whenever I crave Indian food, I enjoy eating cheap Indian meals at a local Muslim Indian restaurant called Mamak.
In my local food introduction blog, I have already introduced quite a few restaurants that sell cheap mamak style Indian muslim food. No matter where you live, there is a mamak restaurant in every corner of the building, and it becomes a meeting place for locals living in that neighborhood, and since the business hours are long, it is a place where you can simply eat, snack or drink and spend time when you are hungry.
Ironically, in my opinion, the mamak restaurant makes me think that it is a place that serves as a convenience store that is more convenient and easier to spend to go and grab delicious and hearty food than a convenience store in Malaysia. Even if you don’t like Indian food as much as I do, there are so many mamak food items on the menu that there is definitely something for everyone to satisfy.
Bala’s Banana Leaf , Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
Because, for example, some people like roti(flaky oily flatbread) more, or some likes dosa and idli like me, or others prefer to eat fried nasi goreng whereas another prefer mee goreng or mee soup. So it’s hard to say that one mamak restaurant in one certain place is better than any mamak restaurant in another.
In the end, they are all good in convenience and each has a different taste and flavors for the same items, so if you are comfortable with the interiors and staff of one or two restaurants that sell mamak food in your area, eventually your taste buds become more craving, and their mamak food becomes tastier and becomes a regular as a result. It’s just a matter of time. ????
Here Bala’s Banana Leaf restaurant in Bangsar, which I would like to introduce, is undoubtedly famous, especially for its Indian-style South Indian banana leaf, as the name suggests. It is also famous for its various biryani dishes.
Also, special food of the day is prepared for each day. But I can confidently say that this is my go-to place for some of the best coconut chutneys I’ve ever eaten with my all time favorite Dosa(or Thosai) and tandoori chicken.
In particular, the types of dosa are unimaginably diverse. I usually eat plain dosa, or at best Masala dosa or Rava dosa. However, there is also a mint dosa,onion dosa, cheese dosa, paper ghee dosa, egg dosa, madurai style dosa filled with some meats either chicken or mutton , mysore dosa, and a mixed veggies dosa with beetroot and carrots called BBL. And if you add Idli and Uthappam to the Dosa variety, you can taste more than 30 kinds of South Indian snacks. So, if you don’t go and eat every day, it’s difficult to taste all these varieties.
The station for making the dosa here is located on the right side as soon as you enter the restaurant. There are about four round black hot plates, a tool for making thin and crispy dosa. Next to it is a variety of fermented dough for tosa made of rice and lentils.
And in the drawer-like in front of those hot plates that cannot be missed, my beloved coconut chutney, which I eat with dosa and Idli, is deliciously laid out. also, daily curry sauce and rasam are placed along with white coconut chutney and tomato-colored chutney. All of these chutney and curry sauces are tampered with distinct mustard seeds and curry leaves.
When chatting with the smiling staff there, when the tosa is toasted crispy, the slightly oily and savory smell and the subtle scent of chutney fill the air. 10 out of 10 times I go to a mamak restaurant and order tandoori chicken, and eat it with a dosa or idli. The reason is that I can’t resist the temptation of tandoori chicken, and in particular, the combo of dosa and chicken as a meal is a decent meal. In other words, the price is less than 15 rm (us$3.5) per meal, including decent protein, carbohydrates, and a few vegetables and drinks, so there is nothing lacking.
super juicy and flavourful charred tandoori chicken!
At Mamak Restaurant here in Malaysia, tandoori chicken is usually available in the evening after 5pm, so it could be my dinner. Since idli are usually eaten as an early breakfast snack, it’s actually not easy to eat fresh idli if you don’t wake up early. Occasionally, when eating idli late, idli is kept in the steamer all day, so freshness and fluffy texture are completely lost, which can be a bit of a disappointment.
If you live or travel in Malaysia, try the thin, crispy, delicious dosa at Bala’s Banana Leaf Restaurant, along with a really fresh variety of chutney. Even if it is not this restaurant, it is one of the must-try dishes at any mamak restaurant. So delicious!????
Bala’s Banana Leaf
Address: 25, Lorong Ara Kiri 1, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
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