Crab masala joins the line-up

Clockwise from left: Chicken tandoori, Chicken Lakshmi Kebab and chicken tikka on the Tandoori Platter. (Right) The spicy and flavourful crab masala at Curry Leaf Restaurant.

CRAB masala as a new addition to the menu is definitely a way to tempt those who simply cannot get enough of Indian food.

A favourite for north and south Indian cuisine in Damansara Uptown is Curry Leaf Restaurant, which sees it timely to introduce its flavourful crab masala to diners this month.

Flower crabs lend their sweet taste to this savoury and spicy dish. The crustaceans coated with thick, fiery masala is presented in a claypot to deliver an earthy flavour.

Restaurant owner Dewayne Thanabalan, who has operated the eatery for five and a half years, said he planned to launch the dish as a special this week , priced between RM30 to RM35.

The Curry Leaf Restaurant branch in Damansara Uptown originates from his family’s restaurant of the same name in Seremban, which is famous for their banana leaf meals and Indian speciality dishes.

The spicy and flavourful crab masala at Curry Leaf Restaurant.   

A standard banana leaf set meal at the Petaling Jaya branch (RM7.50) comes with generous portions of four types of vegetables.

Diners can then order additional dishes to go with their meal. One of the popular items is the Butter Chicken (RM14), cooked in rich spicy butter sauce.

For those dining in a group, I recommend the Curry Leaf Claypot Fish Curry (RM25).

The dish uses a rather unusual choice of fish for its curry.

Dewayne said the cooks decided on dory because of its boneless fillet that makes it easier to eat.

Though dory is most commonly used in fish and chips in Malaysia, the rather flaky meat seems to go great with curry too.

The spicy and flavourful crab masala at Curry Leaf Restaurant.

Another favourite of mine is the Fried Platter (RM37), a combination of deep-fried squid, Curry Leaf fried prawn and chicken 65.

The platter is great for sharing and each individual item is bound to please those with a liking for deep-fried food.

The squid is cooked just right so it remains tender, while the prawn comes out firm and juicy.

Chicken 65 comprises tender cubes of chicken breast, marinated in various spices. I later learned that the name possibly comes from the recipe being invented in Chennai in 1965.

Those who want to indulge in a much simpler meal can go for the Chicken 65 Briyani (RM13), or even palak paneer (RM9) with paratha (RM3.80).

Another great meat platter for sharing is the Tandoori Platter (RM28.90), which comprises chicken tandoori, boneless chicken tikka as well as egg-coated Chicken Lakshmi Kebab.

Parking spaces can be scarce for most of the day as the restaurant is located in the heart of Damansara Uptown.

However, those who choose to park in Starling Mall can use the pedestrian tunnel near Ace Hardware for easy access to the restaurant, which is just across the road.

CURRY LEAF RESTAURANT, Ground Floor, 75, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. (Tel: [phone]). Business hours: 7am to 10.30pm daily.

This is the writer’s personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.