Do you salivate at the single mention of banana leaf rice, like we do? Rejoice our fellow banana leaf rice lovers as we’ve stumbled upon a brand new banana leaf restaurant in Klang Valley. Tanah Aina Banana Leaf Restaurant in Shah Alam recently opened its doors in June. We knew that we couldn’t resist to pass up a banana leaf rice experience! Read on if you’re eager to find out how it fares.
Step Into Tanah Aina Banana Leaf Restaurant In The Neighbourhood Of Shah Alam
A serene atmosphere greets us as we entered the restaurant. The place was decked out in woody elements and decorated with photographs of forest. Every corner of the room was minimalistic and aesthetically pleasing, enabling us to take insta-worthy shots of our food.
Looking at their menu, a basic set of banana leaf with 3 types of vegetables, rasa, sambar, bayam, and papadum is at a fixed price of RM9. As for the dishes, it starts from RM 4 for smaller portions. Their menu not only offers a wide range of dishes to pair with our banana leaf rice but also various types of rotis and tosais. We had to try them all!
Rolling In With The Rotis
We wanted to awaken our pallets, with a lighter meal. So we started off by ordering their tosais, rotis and martabaks, and put them through the taste test.
So, we ordered their Tosai Rawa (RM 6), Tosai Paper (RM5), Murtabak Vegetarian (RM 12) and Roti Canai Cheese (RM 9). The portions turn out to be bigger than what we expected, especially the Tosai Paper. It was almost the entire length of the table we were seated at. Although it was huge, the Tosai Paper was crispy and lightly sweetened with sugar.
Each of them came with servings of dhall, fish curry, coconut chutney and red chutney/sambal. Their red chutney was definitely the “scene stealer of the show”. As we took a first bite of the Tosai Rawa dipped in red chutney, a tantalizing taste of chili and coconut envelops our tongues. Although the red chutney was redder in colour than usual, it wasn’t as spicy as expected. It perfectly complemented the tosais and martabak by giving each bite a flavourful punch.
Now Onto To The Main Show
After the tosais, we were even more excited to get a taste of their banana leaf rice. The waitress served our individual spread of banana leaf rice with the full works of veges and the curries in individual canisters, perfect if you can’t handle the heat of the curries.
We tried the veges with the curries first, and boy-oh-boy, it was delicious . The veges by themselves were crunchy and savoury with every bite. We couldn’t help but munch on more veges. It was later that we found out that the vegetables were actually grown in their own farm at Pahang. Hence, being able to serve the customers with fresh, chemical-free vegetables all year round.
Signature Kari Kepala Ikan
The first dish that was served on the table was their Kari Kepala Ikan (RM 75) and it smelled so amazing! It was loaded with an assortment of vegetables and a huge chunk of fish head. The curry itself was heavenly and rich with flavours from the herbs and spices used. The meat from the fish head was fresh and pairs perfectly with its broth.
It was indeed a dish that we could go back for more. There’s only one portion size for the fish head curry. Don’t worry, it can easily be shared among 4 to 6 people!
Thankfully, the rest of the side dishes were smaller in portion. The subsequent dishes that arrived at our table was the Ayam Kurma, Sotong 3 Rasa, Kambing Varuvel and the Kambing Lada Hitam. Their Sotong 3 Rasa was easily notable from the rest. It packed a punch yet wasn’t too overbearing on its own.
Other that that, the Kambing Varuval and Kambing Lada Hitam was good as well, the meat was soft and tender. However, we do prefer the varuval over the blackpepper as it had more of a kick to it. If you’re sick and tired of the usual chicken or fish meat, do give this a try.
Goreng Goods You Have To Try
However, if you’re feeling like having something else other than their banana leaf rice set. Do give their Nasi Biryani a try and pair it with various goreng side dishes that they have to offer. From Sotong Goreng to Peria Goreng – you gotta admit, everything fried is bound to taste good! Add tinge of savouriness by squeezing lime onto it to give a bit of zing to the dishes.
A Little Dessert To End It All
Apart from the main courses of rice and curries, we also tried their beverages and desserts. Our favourite would have to be their super foamy Teh Tarik (RM 6). Unlike the usual teh tarik from the mamak, the hints of tea was stronger than the sweetness of the condensed milk – making it smooth and creamy.
Not only that, Tanah Aina’s fruit juices, Celery Apple (RM 7) and Breakfast Burner (RM 7), are also worth a try if you want something refreshing for your palate. Of course, if you still had space like we did, you can also get their Ice Kacang for desserts. They also offer other authentic Indian desserts like Kulfi (RM9), Sugee Cake (RM9) and Moru Ice to cool down from all that spice!
Tanah Aina Banana Leaf Restaurant: A Hidden Gem In Shah Alam
Overall, we think that Tanah Aina Banana Leaf Restaurant in Shah Alam is worth a try. It’s actually not too far from Subang Jaya too! They offer a great variety of Indian cuisines with a mix of Western and Malay culture in it. All the while still maintaining the quality of the taste in each dish served. Their spicy dishes are definitely our favourite, they not only pack a punch but is delicious in every bite. We highly recommend having the banana leaf rice with their Fish Head Curry if you do stop by!
Tanah Aina Banana Leaf Restaurant
Operation hours: 8am – 10:30pm (Daily), Closed on Tuesdays.
Address: No. 3, Jalan Mesra 1, Taman Mesra, Batu Tiga, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor.
Contact: 03-55232257 | 03-55243258
Status: Muslim-friendly | Vegetarian-Friendly
Also read: Top 10 Healthy Eats For Every Budget In The Klang Valley To Try This October 2019
–
We would like to invite you to join our New Private Community Group! Here you are free to ask questions, share your love for food, and explore the Klang Valley community! We will also regularly post about casual promos and latest findings.
Click on the button below and hunt good food with us today!
