Fierce Curry House, Bangsar Utama, Kuala Lumpur

“IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, THEY CAN MAKE IT!”

That ought to be the tag line of Fierce Curry House (FCH), where specialty biryanis are the order of the day.

Owner Herukh T. Jethwani has perfected the art of making a sublime blend of 27 herbs and spices for the authentic Hyderabadi dum biryani recipe, which apparently comes from an aunt from Hyderabad.

On the menu are three ‘genres’, if you will, of biryanis:

1. Ordinary Biryanis: Chicken and Mutton. (You can walk into FCH directly and order these on any given day.)

2. Fridays-Only Biryanis: Mackerel Fish and Vegetarian, consisting of cauliflower, carrot, potato and long bean. (Only available on Fridays, for now.)

3. Specialty Biryanis: Lobster, Crab, Scallop, Cod, Ostrich, Lamb Shank, Venison etc. (Please be advised that you need to order at least a day in advance for these.)

Note: If you have a very extraordinary order, do not hesitate to ask Herukh if he can work some of his magic into cooking it up for you :-)

All biryanis are served with a side of curry gravy, a vegetable and yoghurt, and they come in pots that are sealed with chapati dough and steamed for two hours. The dough keeps the moisture and aroma in but prevents steam vapour from entering the pot.

The meat and fish used are delivered daily to ensure that freshness is maintained. Herukh also uses a special grade of Basmati rice which is longer and a whole lot pricier than ordinary short grain rice, but assures that it makes his biryanis that much more luxurious.

Besides these unique creations, they also have other more typical Indian fare such as banana leaf, thosai, rava thosai, thosai nutella, chapati, roti canai, roti nutella etc.

Good news for you health freaks out there: FCH’s cuisine is free of MSG. Woohoo!!!

Now, on to the dishes. First up was Crab Biryani. Served in a big portion, it can easily feed 4 BIG eaters or 6 small eaters. (RM120)

Kav: The crab was fresh. The biryani was well flavoured and the spice mix used was perfection. The sweet flavour from the crab permeated the entire biryani. Loves!!!

Gaj: I love crab and this dish was amazing! The crab was fresh, succulent and fairly huge. Would definitely order it again!

Shiv: Wowzer! Crab lovers, leave whatever you’re doing immediately, and call FCH, because this is too good! The crab meat was flavoured well, despite it being a huge piece, and the rice was also very fragrant.

Mien: Good… The rice was infused well with the crab flavour. However, as a lazy eater, I probably wouldn’t order this again, because cracking the crab shells is an arduous task for me! Unless… someone cracks it for me, and presents me the beautifully shelled crab meat only… :-)

Next up was the Scallop Biryani, which comes in a normal portion, fit for 2 average eaters or 1 BIG eater. (~RM75)

Kav: The scallops were cooked to perfection and the the seafood flavour carried the entire biryani. To top it off, the masala, like in the other biryanis, was very good. However, felt like the ratio of rice to scallop was high. Nevertheless loved it!

Gaj: The scallops were alright, and though it was cooked to perfection, I felt something was missing in terms of flavour. I am not entirely sure if scallop and biryani go together, but it was interesting nonetheless.

Shiv: Delicious. The scallops were bouncy and juicy, and again, the rice had a strong seafood flavour to it. However, I would have liked it if they were slightly more generous with the scallops, as I was left wanting for more.

Mien: Good, but I expected it to be better. I too wish there were more scallops to go with the abundant rice.

Finally, we had Cod Biryani,  which also comes in a normal portion, fit for 2 average eaters or 1 BIG eater. (~RM85)

Kav: OMG!!! I have never been this WOW-ed in a long time! The oily, fatty, fresh cod, together with the deliciously-spiced masala, was like nothing I’ve ever had before. Unlike most other fish biryanis that I’ve tried, they were very generous with the fish, and the fish was cooked to perfection. My only complaint about the biryanis, as a whole, is that the rice could be fluffier.

Gaj: The cod was very very very GOOD!! The fish was fresh and was oozing with oily goodness. AMAZE-BALLS! The downside to the biryanis here is that the rice is not flavoured well enough and a tad bland. The rice could use a pinch more of spice.

Shiv: CODGASMIC! Every mouthful was so delectable, and the cod slice was huge, and more than enough to complement the entire serving of rice. The cod was also über fresh, and flavoured beautifully without overpowering the natural fishy flavour of cod. Seriously good stuff.

Mien: MY FAVVV!!! SOO GOOOD!!! The fish - so fresh!!! More fish than rice. LOVES LOVES LOVES!!!

Verdict: WOK ON!

PRICE: Expensive – as expected, as pricey seafood items were used for our orders and the portions were rather big. (RM280 for 3 dishes)

AMBIENCE: Standard family restaurant with a cosy edge – has an air-conditioned section.

SERVICE: Good – the staff here are very friendly and accommodating. One of them actually helped us to crack the crab shell. (Thanks, Nurul!) However, it can get slightly understaffed on a busy day, especially during lunch hours.

FOOD: Very good – MSG-free, flavourful and prepared freshly. (A fresh batch of food is prepared daily for dinner.)

FIERCE CURRY HOUSE,

16 JALAN KEMUJA,

BANGSAR UTAMA

59000 KUALA LUMPUR

Tel: +6019 383 0945 / +603 2202 3456

Email: info@fiercecurryhouse.com

Website: http://www.fiercecurryhouse.com

Opening Hours:

10.30am – 10.30pm

Yarl Corner, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

WHAT? Sri Lankan cuisine prepared and served by Sri Lankan refugees who are under UNHCR.

WHERE? Jalan Tun Sambanthan 3, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur (opposite the Petronas petrol station).

*Notice that ALL dishes are contained in earthenware cooking pots and kept warm. 

HOW MANY DISHES? Approximately seven.

❶ Crab Kuttu Curry – crab cooked in a thick coconut gravy (RM5).

Kav: The crab flesh was so sweet and fresh and the gravy was savoury-perfection. Super tasty! They even obliged and cracked the crab leg for me. =)

Mien: Really fresh and I loved the spicy gravy.

Shiv: Wow! This was so amazing. The gravy was infused really well with the crab flavour and the portion was decent for 4 people. Reminded me a lot of my mum’s home-cooked crab curry.

Gaj: Crab was fresh and the gravy was perfection. Will definitely come back here for seconds.

❷ Mutton Peratal – mutton chunks cooked in a dry gravy style (RM4.50).

Kav: Loved the way they prepared this dish. The gravy was spicy and savoury to the core. My only bone to pick (no pun intented!) was that the mutton was not tender enough.

Shiv: Didn’t like this. The mutton was not as tender as I would have liked it, and the gravy coating it was not spiced well. Lacked the splendour of the other 3 meat dishes. Was also way too oily.

Gaj: Was not a big fan of this dish, as the flavouring was not done well.

❸ Prawn Sambal – prawns cooked in a chily-based sauce (RM4.50).

Kav: This was ultimately the best dish there. Unlike most sambals these days, it was not sweet and was flavoured to perfection. There was a ginger-y, garlic-y spiciness. However, the prawn was overcooked and therefore a little tough.

Mien: Good, but not the best dish there. Spicy, but the prawns were overcooked.

Shiv: The best dish I have tried here! The sambal was so savoury and spicy, and the prawns used were very fresh – they could do no wrong with this dish except for the excess oil used. Highly recommend this.

Gaj: The prawn was tough, however, the sambal was very savoury and spicy, just the way I like it.

❹ Sura Vare – shark fish shreds cooked with coconut gratings (RM3).

Kav: The sweetness of the coconut shreds complimented the savoury fish flavour. Loved it.

Mien: Well flavoured.

Shiv: Flavoured well, and they were not stingy with the shark meat. The coconut gratings added a nice bite to the dish. If you have a sensitive stomach, this may just be the right thing for you. Liked it!

Gaj: The combination of fish and coconut was surprisingly pleasant. Will come back to have this again.

❺ Tofu Sambal – tofu cooked in a chily-based sauce (RM2).

Kav: They know how to make their sambals. It was so savoury and spicy just the way I like it.

Mien: Really really good. Spicy and the tofu had a nice fresh soy taste.

Shiv: Very good – sambal was not sweet, and the tofu had a springiness to it indicating that it was fresh. A good option for vegetarians.

Gaj: Best dish here. The level of spiciness was just right and the tofu just melted in my mouth.

❻ Vaalappu or plantain cooked with coconut gratings and Ponanganni or dwarf copperleaf vegetable (RM2).

Kav: This dish was a little overcooked and it was a little bitter, just the way I like it. It brought back memories of my Ammamah’s (maternal grandmother’s) cooking and I loved it.

Mien: Not a fan – bland.

Shiv: Had an issue with this one as they overcooked the greens and it ended up tasting a bit burnt.

Gaj: Did not enjoy this dish as it had a burnt taste to it.

❼ Green leafy vegetable kadaiyal – mashed green leafy vegetables (RM2).

Kav: LOVE LOVE LOVE! It was sour and earthy. It just melted in my mouth!

Mien: Amazing (anything with spinach is amazing to me). Not too oily and had a good blend of ingredients. Nice clean detox-y feel to it.

Shiv: Wow! Super good, as the mixture of greens were not mashed to a purée (I hate when it is!) and it was flavoured very well.

Gaj: Tasted good and well-mashed.

Side Ⓐ : Paruppu  or dhal, which is a thickened lentil soup.

Kav: Generally, I am not a big fan of paruppu /dhal. However, this was to die for. It was earthy and the flavouring brought out the taste of the lentils.

Shiv: Very tasty. Had a nice, earthy taste and blended well with the other spicy side dishes.

Gaj: Was amazing – the lentils were cooked to perfection. Not too soft, nor too hard. 

Side Ⓑ : Rasam, an Indian soup made with various spices.

Kav: On previous visits to this place, it had the best rasam I have ever tried – super spicy and full of flavour. However, this time round, it was diluted and lacked flavouring.

Mien: Good, however, it was too oily and spicy!

Shiv: Mediocre – tasted like it was watered down. Funny, as it is usually really good.

Gaj: Just ordinary, nothing special.

Verdict: WOK ON

PRICE: Very reasonable (RM30.00 for 7 dishes).

AMBIENCE: Stall concept; next to a bustling road – can get a little busy and noisy during lunch hour, so be prepared to rough it out a little.

SERVICE: Very good – waiters are smiley, friendly and responsive.

FOOD: Insanely good, authentic and a wide variety of dishes to choose from.

YARL CORNER

JALAN TUN SAMBANTHAN 3,

BRICKFIELDS,

50470 KUALA LUMPUR

Annalakshmi, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

If you are in the mood for a cultural and spiritual experience, and craving for some good old vegetarian food, then there could not be a better place to visit than Annalakshmi in Brickfields.

This restaurant is situated inside the Temple of Fine Arts, a school of arts, offering a variety of cultural arts classes, such as classical music and Bharathanatyam (Indian Classical Dance).

This explains the spiritual and ethnic interior deco of the place which added to its unique charm.

We had the buffet lunch (RM12), as the ala carte menu is only available from 6.30pm onwards. The buffet lunch is very similar to a banana leaf meal, except that it is self-service and is served on a silver platter rather than on a banana leaf.

The buffet comes with plain white rice and pulav (seasoned rice).

 *You can also request for chappati from the volunteer waiters as it is also inclusive in the lunch buffet.*

Kav: I decided to go with the pulav rice which was fragrant and well flavoured. It went well with the dishes served.

Shiv: The pulav rice was tasty on its own but to savour the other dishes, I suggest having white rice.

There were four different types of soup / gravy accompanying the meal, Rasam, which is a soup made with various spices, Sambar, a lentil soup which contains vegetables and spices, Dhall, similar to sambar, except that it is thicker and contains chickpeas, and Brinjal Tomato Kulambhu, which is a vegetable curry.

Clockwise from top left: Rasam, Sambar, Brinjal Tomato Kulambhu, Dhall

Kav: The Rasam was very poorly flavoured. The Sambar was delicious, and the Kulambhu tasted like it was home-made, EXCELLENT! The Dhall was mediocre.

Shiv: The Kulambhu was superb, reminded me of my Amamah’s  Venthiya Kulambhu (grandmother’s onion curry). The other three were very ordinary.

There were four different vegetables served:

Mix Greens Saute

Left to right: Mixed Greens Saute, Vegetable Kadai

Kav: This tasted just like a Chinese pak choy preparation. I was pleasantly surprised!

Shiv: Good on its own, but didn’t blend well with the other Indian dishes.

Vegetable Kadai (type of deep cooking pot used in Indian cooking)

Kav: Very ordinary!

Shiv: I enjoyed this vege. The spices flavoured it well.

Tomato Paal Curry (Tomato Coconut Milk Curry)

Left to right: Tomato Paal Curry, Mixed Yam Hot Curry

Kav: I disliked this dish as it was too creamy and a bit too sweet for my taste.

Shiv: Was not a big fan of this dish as the coconut milk was toooooooooooooooooo overwhelming!

Mixed Yam Hot Curry

Kav: Oooooooooooooooooooh… this was SUPERB! Was savoury and the spices flavoured the yam perfectly!

Shiv: The best vege of the day! It was so good that I had second helpings!

The set also came with mini- vadai (savoury south Indian lentil doughnut).

Kav: Was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and was served PIPING hot! Was truly a treat to my senses! Couldn’t have enough of it.

Shiv: ONE OF THE BEST VADAIS I HAVE TASTED! I could go back to Annalakhsmi JUST for their vadais.

Dessert was also a part of the meal and this time it was Kesari (Semolina Pudding).

Kav: The kesari was vile!

Shiv: It was cloyingly sweet and sickeningly ghee-ladened!

There was a variety of condiments to choose from, such as Raita (Yogurt Salad), Deep Fried Dry Chilli, Podi (Chickpea Powder) and Ghee, Yogurt, Papadom, Mint Chutney, and Uruga (Pickles).

Clockwise from top left: Yogurt, Podi, Uruga, Mint Chutney, Deep Fried Dry Chilli

Kav: Raita was SWEET! Very disappointing. I mixed the podi with the ghee and ate it with rice, delicious! Their popadom was something to shout about as it was strongly flavoured with spices. YUMMY!

Shiv: I expected the raita to be sour, but to my disappointment it was sweet! I am a podi lover and as such I heaped the podi and ghee on my plate. The spicy popadom was to die for!

Verdict: WOK ON!

PRICE: Very reasonable, and remember it is all in the name of charity!

AMBIENCE: Calm, peaceful and very cultured. The female volunteers were all clad in traditional Indian sarees while the male volunteers were in traditional Kurtas, adding to the cultural feel.

SERVICE: Good. The waiters were volunteers from various backgrounds.

FOOD: Excellent. Definitely worth revisiting.

*The lunch buffet selection varies daily. You can also opt for Kaveri (South Indian Set Meal), Narmatha (North Indian Set Meal), Thairu Saatham (Yogurt Rice Meal) or Sambar Saatham (Lentil Soup Rice Meal).*

ANNALAKSHMI

116 JALAN BERHALA, BRICKFIELDS,

50470 KUALA LUMPUR

Tel: +603 2272 3799

Opening Hours:

11.30am – 3.00pm

6.30pm – 9.30pm

Open daily except Mondays