A few years ago, a friend of mine brought me one Sunday afternoon to a restaurant that served an all-you-can-eat banana leaf rice lunch. It got me at "hello" and I've been hooked onto Santhiya's ever since. Unfortunately shortly after my introduction to it, I was told that they were moving. Now they are located on Dominion Road and is as popular as ever.
So what is Santhiya's banana leaf lunch special? Every Sunday, Santhiya has a special menu both for lunch and dinner. I believe it should be $16 and $19 for each respectively. It includes rice, 2 curries - chicken and mutton, 4 sides - tomato chutney, dhall, sliced carrots and cabbage. Served on a banana leaf as a plate, this lunch is an all-you-can-eat style meal. The chicken and mutton are both cooked to perfection and having it together with the carrots and cabbage is like having an explosion of flavour happening on your tastebuds.
Another reason why I'm absolutely addicted to Santhiya's is because there is always a plate of roasted Papadum that is served as an appetizer before the main meal. This is a type of savoury cracker that can be cooked in a variety of ways. Some, like in the photo, can be plain, whilst others may have cumin added to it. I'm pretty sure that you should be able to get a pack of it from any supermarket but having this together with the banana leaf rice lunch is truly a meal fit for a king.
To wash down the lunch, I will always recommend a cup of delicious Teh Tarik, or pulled tea. Unlike a normal cup of tea made with sugar and milk, Teh Tarik is tea made with concentrated milk and in order to cool it down, is poured from one cup to another cup. This explains the froth at the top of the tea. As you would have suspected, this cup of tea will be much sweeter than a normal brew made with sugar. It is also very rich in flavour and will definitely be a cup of tea that you will want more of.
If you are feeling rather ravished on a Sunday afternoon, I highly recommend making a trip to Santhiya's. Right opposite the National Bank on the corner of Dominion and Mt Albert Road, you can't miss this place. Also, if you're not hungry enough to try the buffet, there are always other Malaysian dishes that you can try. Although personally I have yet to try anything else besides the lunch special, I'm sure that it will be
Until next time, eat well and may your tummies always be filled.
If you are feeling rather ravished on a Sunday afternoon, I highly recommend making a trip to Santhiya's. Right opposite the National Bank on the corner of Dominion and Mt Albert Road, you can't miss this place. Also, if you're not hungry enough to try the buffet, there are always other Malaysian dishes that you can try. Although personally I have yet to try anything else besides the lunch special, I'm sure that it will be
Until next time, eat well and may your tummies always be filled.
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