Assalamu'alaikum
It has been quite some time since I did any food reviews but that doesn't mean I'm not actively searching for new eateries to try out. If you've been following my blog, I don't do a 'one-restaurant-one-review' write up. So this one is quite random in a way. Recently I was on a food investigation/hunting that took me to several eating locations in the Klang Valley, in particular Kampung Baru/Chow Kit area, Subang Jaya and Kota Damansara. In this post I'm going to review a couple of eateries serving North Indian & Pakistani cuisine.
Punjabi Rasoi, Jalan Lumut Kuala Lumpur
Initially I was planning to check out a Pakistani eatery in Kampung Baru, but when I got there, there was a sign on the premise that says "To Let". It looked like they were closed down quite recent. I had to find another place for dinner and stumbled on this Punjabi restaurant in Jalan Lumut, not far from the Kampung Baru area. The place was quite hidden from major road but it is not difficult to find. It is just across the road from Vistana Hotel and just few doors away from Hokkaido Seafood restaurant. The place was clean, not the upscale type but still decent. It has a 'mamak' type table settings, with no air conditioning dining area.
The menu consists of Northern Indian/Punjabi cuisine, so if you're into Biryani, Naan, Tandoori, Tikka, Keema etc then be sure to check out this place.
The alfresco dining area.
The Service:
The staff that attended us was accommodating and very helpful with food recommendations. He didn't just stood there waiting for us to choose our order. It is a plus to have a staff who is attentive. The table is served with a jug of cold water upon sitting.
Our Food:
I had a Mutton Biryani, Tandoori roti (flat bread made from wheat instead of flour) and a chicken Tandoori.
This mutton Biryani is served with curry. I've tasted few Punjabi mutton Biryani before and I'd say I've tasted better. Not to say that this one wasn't any good. The rice was soft and fluffy, the mutton was tender and juicy but it lacked the savoury flavour in it. Otherwise it would've been much better. The curry helps to improve the Biryani flavour though.
Mutton Biryani rating: 6.5/10.
I really enjoyed the Tandoori roti. Made to perfection.
Tandoori roti rating: 8.5/10.
The Tandoori chicken. What can I say? It's simply delicious. Neither overcooked nor undercooked, just the way I like it. The meat is tender and juicy and rich in flavour. The marinade taste reminds me of Restoran Kapitan's ever-so-delicious Tandoori chicken in Penang. Now I know where to get my dose of Tandoori chicken if I'm craving for Kapitan's Tandoori chicken.
Chicken Tandoori rating: 8.5/10.
The missus and Faree'ah had cheese Naan and Tandoori chicken. Cheese is not really my thing and I hardly order cheese Naan, but the cheese Naan here is really good. I'd reckon it's even better than a certain 'best' cheese Naan in KL. You know, the one with the initials.
Cheese Naan rating: 8.5/10.
Price:
Price-wise the food here is not as expensive as the usual Northern Indian/Punjabi restaurants, but it is not cheap either. The Tandoori chicken is priced at RM8.50 and the Tandoori roti RM1.50 per bread. With the taste and quality I don't really have anything to complain about the price. Lovely!
Pak Punjab, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman Kuala Lumpur
Sitting at a corner lot on the Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman/Jalan Sultan Sulaiman intersection is this smaller branch of the Pak Punjab restaurant. The main Pak Punjab is located in Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah (used to be a part of Jalan Ipoh south section). Roadside parking can be a bit tricky here. But there are a few private parking lots nearby if you don't mind paying extra for parking.
Pak Punjab serves almost the same menu as Punjabi Rasoi but with the addition of Arabic grilled dishes. There is a lot more variety here. Besides the usual Biryani, Tandoori, Tikka, Keema, they also have Kebab, Shawarma, pizza, sandwich and burger. The place has an indoor dining area (without air-conditioning) and alfresco dining area. It could be quite warm during lunch hour but they have all the fans on full-blast. At least it has good air ventilation.
The Service:
Some dishes are self-service and other dishes can be ordered à la carte. If you're ordering bread, the bread doesn't come with any curry gravy, instead you'll have to get the curry on your own at the self-service food section which is actually a good idea since we can choose any curry gravy that we want. That's a plus point.
There are 3 types of rice served here. The chicken Biryani rice (orangish), veggie Biryani rice (beigeish) and Pulao rice (brownish). There are several dishes that you can choose from to accompany your plate of Biryani rice. There is mutton curry, chicken curry, chicken Korma and few types of veggie curries. Grilled fish can be ordered separately.
Some of the dishes are batch-cooked like the Tandoori chicken and Kebabs. They will re-heat the food upon ordering. I'd prefer my Tandoori chicken or Kebab to be freshly cooked.
Our Food:
I ordered a quarter Tandoori chicken and 2 pieces of Tandoori roti. The missus had a chicken kebab and chapati. Faree'ah had the cheese Naan.
Chicken Kebab. The portion was quite big although a bit dry to our liking. Can be eaten with rice or bread (have to order separately) or on its own. Could have been better if served with mayonnaise and ketchup.
Chicken Kebab rating: 6.5/10.
The Tandoori chicken was quite decent in terms of the marinade and flavour despite being batch-cooked. You could taste the flavour in the meat but it was not as juicy as I would want.
Tandoori chicken rating: 7/10.
Tandoori roti. The one I had in Punjabi Rasoi was quite distinctive in the taste. This one has a similar taste and texture to a Naan bread. But it was still good.
Tandoori roti rating: 7/10.
The cheese Naan here is simply mouthwatering. Slightly fluffy than the one in Punjabi Rasoi.
Cheese Naan rating: 8/10.
Price:
The price here I would say it is slightly expensive considering some of the food are batch-cooked instead of being cooked-to-order. There's nothing wrong with batch-cooked food, but it depends on the type of dish. I could understand the Biryani dishes since it takes a long time to have it ready. The Tandoori chicken is priced at RM10 which I feel was a bit overpriced since it was not served fresh from the Tandoor.