Banana Leaf Rice: Careful where you eat it though

Banana leaf rice is a typical dish in South Indian cuisine.

In banana leaf rice, white rice is served on a banana leaf with an assortment of vegetables, curried meat or fish, pickles, and/or papadum. It is traditionally eaten with the hand although I do prefer to eat with my hands clean using the fork and spoon. Banana leaf is used as it is believed that the hot rice will release the coating on the banana leaf, which aids in digestion.

In Malaysia, Banana Leaf Rice is particularly popular among the locals. Kanna Curry House opened some time ago in Bandar Manjalara with neighbours Ambank (Arab Malaysian Bank to the unfamiliar) and a Chinese Food Court.

I thought I would try out the food sampling available and boy did I choose the wrong place to eat. Firstly, the servers there were authentic Southern Indians "imported" from India so there was a wee bit of a communication problem. Secondly, the prices they charge for Banana Leaf Rice is horrendously pricey - much to my dismay (although previously I did go for the typical roti canai and teh ais (iced-tehtarik) and the prices for these were so-so). Thirdly, the quality of presentation of what you may is very inconsistent.

Let me tell you how I fared in this fleece shop. I went over on a good ol' typically hot and windy afternoon for lunch. I stepped in the shop and proceeded to the counter where all the dishes were being kept warm via the electrically heated water thingajamig. Surprised that I didn't get the service I wanted, I walked out and sat at one of the tables at the patio (walkways - by the way it is against DBKL---City Hall regulations to place tables and chairs here, I would know since the restaurant I used to work with always had their business issued fines for doing so).

Anyway after a brief wait I was approached by the waiter/server and I gave him my order - Banana Leaf Rice and a teh ais, and he said not to worry as they will serve it over. Impressive I so thought at first. After some more waiting, the "leaf" arrived. It was a washed Banana Leaf cut to size. Thereafter another good few minutes of waiting before the rice arrived. Aside from the rice nothing else was really that warm or hot at all despite the earlier layout I witnessed. This was followed by a decanter held in hand by a server who then proceeded to lay a small scoop of each 3 different vegetable dishes next to the rice on the Banana Leaf. Being hungry I did not wait further but started scooping the food in. Then a another server came up and asked me if I would like a piece of Chicken, freshly fried, he said. I said ok and this cold piece of fried chicken was added to my leaf plate. Nearly finished by this time another server came up and asked me if I would like some papadum--an Indian flour-based cracker and proceeded to place one measly piece on my leaf plate but not before dropping a piece on the ground and another on the table. He asked me if I would mind having the one on the table as well. I of course said not.

A small group of 4 other customers said down at the next table and surveying what I was eating debated amongst themselves if they should have Banana Leaf Rice as well. The girl amongst them reminded them that it would be costly. Hmm she does know something about this place I thought to myself. When I finally finished what I had so uncleverly ordered to try out, I noticed that the method of serving was much different in their case as they had more various types of "condiments" on their leaf plates than mine.

All in all I paid over $20 for my meal and drinks (I had another teh ais since the first order they delivered wrong a teh limau ais and it was after all a hot day). Mind you the rice and vegetables were $4.20 for what I would normally be charged $2.00 at max elsewhere. For my meal that day I would have only been charged no more than $10.00 elsewhere -- that's 50% or half of what Kanna Curry Fleece-- oops I meant Kanna Curry House charged. I wonder how much the other table was charged...

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not dumb only naively trusting others as I believe that the majority of people do no wrong and even when they have I tend to forget and forgive.

Back to the issue of being fleeced, do not frequent or give your business to food venues which do not display their prices as required by law or who you think is not good value for your hard-earned (sometimes) cash.