Vegetarian Indian Banana Leaf Rice at Lakshmi Vilas

Good evening!

As I have promised you last night, this post I will be writing on a similar note of indian banana leaf rice, but a slight different restaurant, although they are operating just next to each other in the same street. LOL.

Introducing Lashkmi Vilas, also a pure vegetarian restaurant which my friend, Deepa has introduced to me my first vegetarian banana leaf rice about 3 years ago.

Here they called themselves the Superior Vegetarian Restaurant. LOL.

Their operating hours are pretty similar, runs only during lunch hours, assuming from 12pm onwards and they do not serve other meals in between of the banana leaf feast.

They are served with water on every table as well and you can request for canned drinks of you wish to have a little carbonated after burp in your tummy. :)

Introducing their thick dhaal version. I love this as it is very flavorful and less spicy as compared to Woodlands.

They had the long beans too but this is definitely has more kick on the overall flavor but a little too cooked for my preference.

Another potato dish where you can it a little more solidified compared to dhaal. :p

Fried Brocolli! (in red color) I loike this. Its great that they deep fried with their own curry powder and it has more indian taste to it. Definite refill dish for me.

This tasted almost like the white sauce you usually eat with Thosei, where Thosei is complimented with two of its distinctive sauces, one of it looking like this, but a bit more liquified and the other in pale orange. The pale orange sauce is the spicier one and this tastes almost the same, with less spice and a bit more savory and generally more appetizing.

Served with a must, the Papadam! We will always refill this 2-3 times. Hehe! Also, take note that they pour the sauces into your rice, making somewhat like a whirlpool of different sauces and almost drowning all of your white rice. Or I like to call it, Banjir. ;D

Notice the difference between Woodlands and Lakshmi now? They are still served with banana leaf, just that the presentation of food rather sets them apart from two different vegetarian restaurants. This way, it is more authentic, leaving the original shape of the banana leaf, a bit trimmed to have a standard size, but nonetheless, there is nothing else served below it. if you're gonna have your sauces, flowing out, then so be it. LOL. And this way too that the restaurant workers will know if you enjoyed the food! Closing one side of the banana leaf into your direction (folding inwards) is to show that you liked their meal and would come again, Closing on the opposite direction (folding outwards, from you) is to show that you're not satisfied with their meal. How cool is that?? (and yes, my friend taught me this too. :p )

Another  new version of Payasam! Its supposed to be a liquid dessert which I have been looking forward to try but instead I got this. It had the same taste. just that this time they made it into a pudding-like, kuih texture. Very milky and you can taste the fine bits of it. Yums!

I do not have any interior picture of the place but note that they too has two floors and the upper floor is opened for air conditioning seating and when the lower floor is full. I think half the time I sat at the upper floor because it is always packed with people at the lower floor!

I understand that because in my personal opinion, I actually still preferred to dine here than in Woodlands. Its simply because I find the place more homely (comfortable) and the people are just as friendly, but the definite reason that sets apart are meals served here is definitely cater to my level of tolerance to spicy food, the overall taste of the vegetarian meal and the originality of the meal is presented.

Do take note too that they bring in their banana leaf supply everyday so do not worry of being re-used, like the satay celup concept in Malacca which I find it horrifyingly disgusting.

All in all, my meal here cost only RM6, one ringgit cheaper than Woodlands, and sadly, you do not get to have Wi-Fi services here (although you can go surf the net at the Cyber Cafe located at the upper floor) so you will enjoy your company/ friends better and chatter mood in the restaurant.

To keep it simple for you readers, here is a quick comparison between both restaurants which I have tasted in two consecutive days;


Type of meal served: Indian Vegetarian Banana Leaf Rice

How they are served: Bakti Woodlands: Circled-shaped banana leaf in a metal pan
                                   : Lakshmi Vilas: Standardized banana leaf rice

Food serving: Eat-All-You-Can/ Unlimited with an average of 6-8 side servings including vegetables, sauces, curries and sambals with rice and local dessert/ sour milk.

Price: BW: RM7
         : LV: RM6

Operating Hours for Vegetarian Meal : Lunch Hours only (preferably from 12pm onwards)

Wi-Fi hotspot: BW: Yes
                       : LV: No


Address;

Lakshmi Vilas
57 Leboh Ampang, Kuala Lumpur 

Contact
03- 20722166.
  

There you have it! Do give it a try! Not many people will be open to such a new taste but its definitely worth the trip!

P.s: Since Lakshmi Vilas is just next to Bakti Woodlands, you can just look up for directions in my previous post on Bakti Woodlands and head up there!


Cheers!

Vegetarian Indian Banana Leaf Rice at Bakti Woodlands

Good evening everyone!

I know my timing to post such delicious meal at this hour is really tempting your taste buds and I admit I am being mean of doing this but more the reason for you to look out for this restaurant!

Can I see how many hands up for Indian Vegetarian Banana Leaf Rice?
Has any of you heard of it before?

Well, I have been a vivid fan for vegetarian banana leaf rice since back in my college years (which was only 3 and a half years to be exact!) when I was introduced by my dear noisy loud friend, Deepa (she's gonna be so famous now).

However, throughout the years, I have only tried one particular restaurant in Masjid Jamek and little do I paid attention to the other vegetarian restaurant just next door!
This time, I was introduced by my friend, Denise and I decided to bring along my partner in crime from university, Coddy to try out the difference offered by this Indian Vegetarian Restaurant.

Its called Bakti Woodlands- Pure Vegetarian

One important thing to know; they only serve their banana leaf rice ONLY during lunchtime on weekdays, from 12pm onwards. If you come any later than 2pm, you may miss out some of the side dishes as they are served finish because Indian Vegetarian Banana Leaf rice is Eat-All-You-Can concept!

In Woodlands, their banana leaf is cut into perfect round shaped to compliment the size of the metal plate and served with 8 different size dishes comprising of vegetables, potatoes, sauce, dhaals, curries and desserts. I personally think this way is served cleaner and more systematic as compared to Lashkmi Villas (that will be another restaurant I usually go to blog post). However, it losses the authenticity of eating from a pure banana leaf rice style as served in Lashkmi. The usual dishes offered in a vegetarian banana leaf rice comes with till-you-say-stop rice intake, papadam (fried cracker), some dried fried chillies, and salted mango sambal and the side dishes as mentioned above. Apologies for not remembering all of their specific names, I'll keep a note to ask and jot down next time!

One of the 8 dishes served in mini metal bowls. This is long beans served with dried chilli, carrot, and peas.

One of my likings goes to this side dish, Potato with curry leaves, onions and curry powder.

This is their version of payasam. Its supposed to be the dessert which tasted like sweet gingerish taste to it, almost similar to one of their candies. This version is something new to me as the other restaurant I tried does not have such creamy bits of texture to it like this. I think they blended the ginger, some hidden indian sweets, cinnamon, another type of spice I forgot the name and sago! I always look forward for the dessert as it gives me the final taste of the banana leaf adventure.

Sour milk, or they call it fermented cow yoghurt. Its very sour yet has the milk-ish taste to it. I am not used to it as it is too sour for my preference. Those who are not familiar with this at all may thought that this has turned bad.

Of the many variants of sauces to compliment your rice. Some may come a little sour because of the assam they put in, but usually you'll get the hang of it when you throw all of the sauces into your rice altogether! :D

I am not too familiar with this, but I am guessing this is the old cucumber (in chinese they call it 'lou kua') with clear curry sauce to it. Take note that all of their sauces do not use santan, all pure curry taste.

Also one of the curries, this is the sour type. You can see that the curry is cooked with curry leaves, carrots, onions and perhaps more condiments. Since this is a vegetarian restaurant, the materials they use are pretty similar, they mainly played on the taste and the spiciness. ;)

If you notice the fried cracker, the next companion to it is the salted, sour mango sambal. Don't, don't throw everything into your rice, before having a small taste before. I did throw half of it into my rice and Denise stopped me, 'Don't put all of that! It's really sour!'. Imagine salty and sour comes into place. A bit of mind and taste bud tingling for me. Oh btw, during this time of the hour, they DO NOT serve any other meals like mee goreng, roti canai or even teh tarik. The best way (complimentary drink) is to have it with water, which they serve on every table. You can opt for canned drinks, if you think it is too hot to handle with just water. :p

View from the inside of the shop. In case of the lower floor too packed with people (don't mess with their lunch hours), they have a second floor equipped with air-conditioner. yeap, You heard me. Air conditioned comfort while eating. :p Also, it is preferably to be eaten with hands, as the culture is to eat with hands, but my hands were dirty from traveling by train and my nails were long at the time. I'm not saying that they do not provide a wash hand area and toilet, I'm not used to eating with hands in public just yet. :p I tried before awhile back, its quite exhilarating. You'll get all messy in the end. Hehe.

All in all, my meal here cost RM7, slight dearer compared to Laskhmi Villas. The great thing is, Vegetarian Banana Leaf Rice is eat-all-you-can concept, where they serve you rice and the side dishes until your stomach can't take it anymore.

Other than that, this restaurant offers free Wi-Fi hotspot, and Uni-Fi powered too so you will expect fast speed internet checking in while eating. Password is given upon request.

In my opinion, this restaurant is definitely equipped with friendly workers serving us meals and rice every time and their command for English/Bahasa Malaysia are slight better compared to the other restaurant.
But take note; their vegetarian meals here is spicier too, than Laskhmi, which I find it a little struggle to consume but nonetheless, the authentic taste of the Northen Indian meal is definitely lived up to its expectations and I had been a satisfied half vegan for the day. :D

For easy access through public transportation (do it like me!), it is very easy to locate by just hopping into Star LRT and stop for the Masjid Jamek station. Upon leaving the station, you will see a busy two-lane road with a McDonald's at the corner lot. (McDonald's is just next to Guardian's, very easy to spot on.)
Walk past McD and you will see a junction with a traffic light and turn left. You will notice the street is filled with Indian ornaments, and just at the opposite you will see the signboard in bright lime green that says, Bakti Woodlands. :D

If you wish to have another alternatives,
Here's the address;

Bakti Woodlands
55 Leboh Ampang  50100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
03-20342399


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P.s: I will do a comparison post soon between Bakti Woodlands and the much talked about competitor restaurant, Lashkmi Villas. They're just next to each other! LOL.

So stay tuned!

Till then, cheers!