PETALING JAYA, April 18 — Lunchtime fatigue is definitely a syndrome that everyone is familiar with.
For that one-hour break, what does one eat that fills you up and allows you to continue working again?
Maybe a bowl of noodles today? Or if it’s mid-month and money is tight, perhaps economy rice?
If you’re working around Damansara Perdana, here’s a tip for you: Visit Ammah’s Home Cuisine for their banana leaf rice set for RM9.90 nett.
Their focused menu is perfect for those who get overwhelmed with too many choices, leaving your brain intact for heavier decisions later at work.
Sardine Sambal (left) is an appetising tangy dish while Mutton Masala (right) is all about curry and pieces of mutton.
Order your banana leaf rice set and add on a dish from their compact menu with five to six choices.
Drinks can be just water or maybe a masala tea or bru coffee to keep your eyelids open after lunch.
Each meal is laid out on a tray lined with banana leaf, preventing any runaway curries spilling out.
There are three types of vegetables, rotated daily, where the chef’s preference leans towards brinjal, snake gourd, spinach and long beans.
It’s curated to give you different textures, sometimes a crunch from chopped long beans cooked with chana dal or a soft cooked brinjal.
The eatery offers a comfy air-conditioned space for mid-day dining.
Rasam and dhal are neatly placed in small bowls, where the rasam is rich with spices.
Brighten up your meal with the piquant homemade garlic pickle, which is also sold in jars at the counter.
They will also dole out mor milagai or sun dried curd chillies, a must for a tangy, salty hit for the meal.
And of course, do not miss out on the crunch from the pappadams.
Flood your rice with either chicken or fish curry. There’s also the vegetarian dhal to add to the mixture.
Everyday dishes feature heavily here.
Chicken 65 (left) is fried chicken with spices and Tauhu Sambal (right) uses a firmer beancurd cooked in a mild ‘sambal’.
Sardine Sambal (RM4.50) with chunks of canned sardines and vegetables has an appetising tartness with a touch of tamarind.
Or indulge in Mutton Masala (RM11) where tender mutton pieces swim in a mild tasting curry.
The homey Egg Podimas (RM4.50), a simple Chettinad scrambled egg with curry leaves and chillies, offers fluffy protein.
Their version of Chicken Varuval (RM7.50) leans towards a milder version where the spices don’t dominate.
A better choice may be their Chicken 65 (RM8.50) where chopped pieces of fried chicken have a richer spice profile.
Homey Egg Podimass (left) is comforting while the Chicken Varuval (right) is mild tasting.
The Tauhu Sambal (RM4.50) used a firmer beancurd cooked in a tangy sambal, making it an option for vegetarians.
On Friday, as the weekend beckons, there’s their Thali Set (RM12.90) to look forward to, where they serve it with vadai and payasam. However, availability dictates what is featured.
Breakfast is also served here with thosai and idly.
For your afternoon break, their teatime has thosai, idly, paal apam, pani puri and more.
From 5pm to 11pm, it’s Cine Cafe (IG:@cinecafe_my) which takes over with their coffee and limited bites.
It’s a space to chill, where the inner courtyard will host “live” Tamil music and movies on Friday and Saturday nights.
One can spot the eatery from the roadside, directly opposite Zus Coffee within Damansara Perdana.
Ammah’s Home Cuisine,
G-15, Perdana The Place,
Jalan PJU8/5G,
Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya
Open: 8.30am to 8pm. Closed on Saturday and Sunday
Instagram: @ammahshomecuisine
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
