Other than nasi lemak and bak kut teh, one of my favorite local food of all time must be banana leaf rice. My usual fix for this Southern Indian dish is at Kanna Curry House, since it is rather good and pretty close to where I stay. Mell, however, insist that the best banana leaf rice is this particular Restaurant Nirwana Maju at Bangsar.
Restaurant Nirwana Maju Banan Leaf Rice
Nirwana, as the restaurant is commonly referred to, is located at the heart of the most happening area at Bangsar, just right across Bangsar Village on Jalan Telawi 3. Street parking can be a bit challenging most of the time, but parking at Bangsar Village shouldn’t cost more than a couple ringgit for a meal.
fried brinjal, potato, cucumber, with 2 curries and dal
For those who are not familiar with banana leaf rice:
- a clean and preferably fresh sheet of banana leaf
- rice with usually 3 types of vegetables
- choices of curry and/or dal
- condiments such as deep fried salted chili
- usually also serve with papadum
As you can guessed, the standard banana leaf rice is basically a vegetarian dish. However, you can always add fish, mutton, chicken, fried fish roe and squid, and a host of other side dishes for a meal worthy of any glutton.
Mell and KY, deep fried brinjal & papadem at Nirwana
The rice and curry at Nirwana is as good as any that I’ve had, but the really special item here is one of their standard vegetable served that I haven’t come across anywhere else – deep fried eggplant (the green and white type). The crispy yet savory batter and the sweetness of eggplant is a combination that proved to be very addictive, I love it!
Sri Nirwana Maju banana leaf rice is located next to Bangsar Village
Two sets of banana leaf rice with an order of fish or fried chicken and drinks usually come to some RM 15 for two person. Still pretty reasonably priced despite being located at Bangsar. If you love banana leaf rice, give this one a try!
Address:
Sri Nirwana Maju 43 Jalan Telawi Tiga,
Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
GPS: 3.131014,101.670892
Tel: 03-2287 8445
Related Posts:
- KY eats – Banana Leaf Rice at Kanna Curry House, PJ Seksyen 17
- KY eats – Banana Leaf Rice at Raju, Petaling Jaya
- KY eats – Chatterbox at Bangsar Village (DongPo pork – 東坡肉)
- KY eats – Meaty House at USJ Taipan
- KY eats – Sagar at Bangsar One
By icehart85 on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
First!!
i did it for the lulz. Nice review btw. You always make me salivating like a hungry dog.
By CloudyRainbows on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
The fried squid is awesome! Sometimes in place of fried eggplant, they serve fried okra or bittergourd!
By Justin Koh on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
Mell has good taste! Nirwana is the best banana leaf makan place in KL!
You HAVE TO TRY the fried squid!!!
By ashleighhhh on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
I dont like that they’re now charging for extra vege. have to pay if wanna add deep fried bittergourd
quite over rated imho. can get better banana leaf elsewhere and its not so expensive too. Curry House in Sitiawan kicks nirwana’s arse at half the price lol.
By Simon Seow on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
My favourite place for banana leaf rice for supper when I am working night shift.
By JD on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
Banana leaf rice, one of my favourite food because it’s spicy! I think will drop by there soon.
By KY on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
icehart85,
Heheh thanks thanks.
CloudyRainbows,
yah I love fried bitter gourd too!
Justin Koh,
Cholesterol! Just kidding
ashleighhhh,
Hahaha you want to compare food in KL with Sitiawan?
Simon Seow,
Yah they do open till quite late.
JD,
Make it happen!
By Mellissa on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
Ashleigh: I’ve never had to pay to add anything before, and the last time I added on more stuff for free was just 2 weeks ago. Are you sure they still charge to add stuff? o_O
I’m totally craving Nirwana now!
By eiling on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
is it papadom or papadem? and nirwana sounds like the graveyard to me! haha,..
By KY on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
Mellissa,
Yah don’t think we ever need to pay extra for vege.
eiling,
Hahah here we call it Indian keropok!
By Tey Cindy on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
so, which one is nicer?!
By paranoidandroid on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
The Banana leaf rice there is great. Too bad I had to eat under the hot sun the other day because the place is absolutely crazily packed. At the end of the meal, by tongue was burning, my head steaming and I look like a contestant in a wet t-shirt contest with bulges at the wrong places.
Any idea what time they close?
By KY on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
Tey Cindy,
I think Nirwana is my current favorite!
paranoidandroid,
I think they close at 11:30pm or something like that.
By j2Kfm on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
they’ve fried bitter gourd as well?
rmbr passing by this shop when going for Alexis.
so crowded during lunch hour!
wondered what’s the fuss …
By ShaolinTiger on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
So it it better than Kanna?
By KY on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
j2Kfm,
the fuss is that it’s tasty!
ShaolinTiger,
I’m liking this place more for now.
By taufulou on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
heee, very long didnt visit that place already. forgotten also..keke.
might visit back~
By STUMPBO on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
Hi KY, can you review your blackberry? How’s it compared to Iphone 3GS and Nokia N97. Been thinking of these few models, but i still heart my SE C905 for its fantastic photos and xenon flash.
By Huai Bin on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
Banana leaf rice…with real banana leaves! I like. A lot of places now just put a sheet on a place (e.g. Kayu) or even worse, give you one of them plates that looks like a banana leaf (green, with grooves, but made of plastic).
By Ee Vonn on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
Ya! I think its banana leaf is the best among all! I MISS BANGSAR.
By crappy booze on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
Both Kanna & Nirwana dishes out good stuff. Personally, i recommend the fried fish roe at Raju Banana Leaf (KY posted this as well).
By KY on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
taufulou,
Hahah make it happen.
STUMPBO,
Ohh, i might have a review then in that case. I never had an iPhone before but I imagine the multimedia feature is quite a lot better, the N97 is a good phone by itself, bigger screen and keyboard, but the blackberry messaging integration is the best I’ve seen yet.
Huai Bin,
Hahahah i hate those fake banana leaf plates!
Ee Vonn,
Yaaa slurpsss!!!
crappy booze,
Yah except fish roe – cholesterol lol
By beccs on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
hey…. wow! according to my travel journal…ive been there! and its good! hehe
By Bangsar-bAbE on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
I find the fried chicken overdone, but the fried brinjal/bittergourd rocks! =D Their dry mutton curry is also not bad…but slightly exp.
It closes later than 11.30pm…as I come here to sober up after my ladies night out. I’m guessing they open till 1am?
By KY on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
beccs,
Good job you!
Bnagsa-bAbE,
oOO overdone fried chicken isn’t exactly a good thing, and maybe you’re right, I think they probably open till a bit later than 11:30 esp. on weekends.
By Lorna on Jul 13, 2009 | Reply
i like fried bitter gourd d most~ haha
By foongpc on Jul 14, 2009 | Reply
Yes, I do agree their banana leaf rice is fantastic! The only thing I hate about the place is finding a parking space!
By KY on Jul 14, 2009 | Reply
Lorna,
especially when it’s crunchy!
foongpc,
That’s why you park at Bangsar Village.
By ashleighhhh on Jul 14, 2009 | Reply
matter of fact, i think i should. next time i go back i’m gonna start compiling a post on all the good places to eat in sitiawan. bwahahaha.
By Billy on Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
I think the green-white brinjal/eggplant you mentioned is actually petola ular. They usually have it at Indian/banana leave restaurants
By Billy on Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
leaf*
By KY on Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
ashleighhhh,
hahaha make it happen!
Billy,
Ooo thanks for the info.
By philters on Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
parking is awful in this area la, sometimes seriously not worth the food.
best banana leaf i know is in seremban. nak pegi tak?
By KY on Jul 15, 2009 | Reply
philters,
that’s why you park at bangsar village.
By Kev. on Jul 16, 2009 | Reply
it’s not fried brinjal… it’s fried bittergourd… =) but gotta love Nirvana!
By KY on Jul 16, 2009 | Reply
Kev,
It’s fried brinjal they’re serving, I asked.
By Charlene on Jul 17, 2009 | Reply
Mell is right, Nirwana is wayyy better than Kanna!! Looking at your pics makes me wanna fly across the oceans right NOW to eat some of that. About the bittergourd vs. brinjal thing, I think Kev might be partially right. I think they serve bittergound most of the time but they do sometimes serve okra and brinjal too, in place of the bittergourd.
By KY on Jul 17, 2009 | Reply
Charlene,
They’re slightly different, I love the outdoor seating at Kanna and their deep fried sotong tho.
By Seow on Jul 18, 2009 | Reply
I used to go Nirwana for banana leaf but recently I find Devi’s Corners Banana Leaf taste better. They have 2 types of fish curry (Malaysian & Indian). The Indian Fish Curry is much more spicy.
Note : Banana Leaf Rice is served upstairs
Don’t think they are open for dinner though.
By KY on Jul 18, 2009 | Reply
Seow,
oOo interesting. Thanks!
By Boon on Aug 16, 2009 | Reply
Looks yummy indeed.
By KY on Aug 18, 2009 | Reply
Boon,
Oh yess definitely