A HEARTY banana leaf lunch beckons at Restoran Sri Grand City, one of the oldest South Indian eateries in Petaling Jaya.

Here, they are generous with the three vegetable dishes that come with a banana leaf meal, and the waiter obliged my friend’s request for an even bigger serving.

On our visit, the vegetables were spinach with dhal, bean sprouts, and spicy potato and pumpkin. We got a whole bowl of lime pickle, too.

Before I could decide, fish, chicken and dhal curries were ladled onto my rice – not that I minded, as the three are a great combination.

The big-head bean sprouts and spinach are delicious, and I began to feel full only from the veggies and curry-soaked rice. However, the piquant lime pickle is great at whetting the appetite again.

The basic banana leaf set, complete with rasam and payasam, costs RM10. To that, we added mutton curry (RM12.70), fish curry (RM7.10) and a fish cutlet (RM4.70).

Tender and well-infused with spices, the mutton is highly enjoyable. This comes in a substantial portion, more than enough for just us two diners.

Tenggiri is used in the fish curry, which has a welcome sourness. The cutlet, meanwhile, is a big letdown, as it has more potato and vegetables than fish.

After a heavy meal, the tart and spicy rasam hits the spot, but not so much the sweet payasam.

There are plenty more dishes to choose from to go with your banana leaf set, including chicken varuval, chicken tandoori, squid curry, prawn curry, and vegetarian selections like crispy fried bitter gourd, cutlets, and even meat-free “mutton”, “chicken” and “fish” preparations.

I look forward to returning for my favourite appam. Sri Grand City is also a good breakfast spot, serving up various types of thosai – from plain to rava and masala – as well as roti canai, roti tisu, roti pisang and upma, or fried roasted sugee with mustard seeds, curry leaves, vegetables and green chillies.

Desserts are available should you still have room after lunch. I spotted a brown glutinous rice cake, much like wajik, and kesari, which is made of sugee and ghee. Then there’s savoury vadai, which makes for a good snack.

The eatery is popular at teatime, during which more varieties of kuih are laid out.

Sri Grand City is located at 51, Jalan Dato Mahmud 11/4 in Seksyen 11, PJ, and can be reached at 012-292-6451. It’s open daily from 7am to 10.30pm, and offers catering. – August 22, 2020.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.