KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 — About 40 years ago when Sathiyanery Vegetarian Food Centre started as a roadside stall in Brickfields, vegetarian food wasn’t on trend like it is now.
For patrons of this food stall, eating vegetarian food was a way of life.
On days they visit the temple, they must adhere to a purely vegetarian diet, abstaining from meat, fish and eggs. Some practised vegetarianism their entire lives.
It may look like canteen food but tastewise, it’s a love letter to humble vegetables beautifully cooked to coax out all their goodness.
When it comes to vegetarian food, Indians are masters in the kitchen, crafting meat-free meals that taste just as good as, or even better than traditional meals.
They don’t rely on gluten or meat substitutes; instead, their food is a love letter to humble vegetables, cooked just long enough to retain their colour and crunch, never over spiced or over sauced.
As I looked down at my RM11 tiffin lunch — two vegetable dishes and a beancurd dish ladled into the compartments of my aluminium platter — it may look like canteen food but I polished off everything except the rice.
Add-ons like banana stems, moringa leaves, coconut chutney and tempeh can also be ordered.
There’s a mound of par-boiled rice topped with a sun-dried chilli marinated in yoghurt, a crunchy pappadam and an assortment of bowls: one with rasam, another with creamy dhal cooked with spinach and lastly a bowl with creamy yoghurt. There’s also a small cup of mooru or buttermilk drink infused with spices.
It’s a mix of textures: crunch from the lady’s fingers poriyal, flash fried with grated coconut, and cubes of a firmer beancurd mingling with a mild curry.
What grabbed me was the unassuming tomato cooked down to a jammy consistency that oozed a savoury taste from its high glutamic acid, pairing well with the soft, slow-cooked white radish.
Pasumpal Masala Tea is the best way to end your meal here.
With rice, I usually don’t eat the full amount given but this time it was super hard to resist because it served as a vehicle for the vegetables mixed with the dhal and yoghurt..
In my mind, I kept negotiating: “One more spoonful, one more,” like a chant, until I ate three-quarters of the rice.
Variety is the fun part as they tempt you with an array of add-ons for an extra RM1.
Usually one would select just one small cup but I greedily chose all four on the pretext of sampling everything for work: the finely chopped banana stem, tempeh cubes, coconut chutney and stir-fried moringa leaves.
Finish the meal by sipping the hot and sour rasam and you’ll be all set for the rest of your day.
Lunch is a quick affair with limited seating, allowing others to dine on their vegetarian set meal.
As a closing note, I also ordered the Pasumpal Masala Tea (RM4.50) with fresh milk for a rich fragrant pick-me-up to keep awake.
The piping hot tea is served in a dabara set, allowing continuous pouring between the two cups to cool it down until it reaches a comfortable sipping temperature so you can savour that aromatic drink.
Now, we usually don’t discuss service because it’s often nonexistent at the humble spots I feature but I must tip my hat to the servers here.
Everyone was cheerful and super efficient, coming to my rescue when I dropped something or looked lost. It felt genuine rather than forced, adding another layer of happiness to a meal here.
Located inside The Mansion, an apartment block, the restaurant offers a comfortable, clean dining space.
The new place next to Menara Monorail was spotless too, allowing for a comfortable dining experience.
As space is limited, this is not a place to linger. Once you finish your meal, please make way for others.
They’re open all day: they serve breakfast until 11am before serving lunch from noon onwards. You can get Poli, curry puff, kesari plus various kuih at the counter.
Teatime snacks are available in the afternoon, and they also offer dinner,
During the Raya break, business will continue as normal.
Sathiyanery Vegetarian Food Centre
Lot G-09, The Mansion
291, Jalan Tebing,
Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 012-3499662
Open: 6.30am to 8.30pm. Closed on Sundays.
• This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
• Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
