For those who have read my previous post on Nice Spicy Food, Banana Leaf, you would have come across the post on Passion of Karala’s banana leaf rice. There are actually few outlets of Passion of Karala in Penang, one of them is located at Service Road off Burma Road and another at New World Park. The one that I am blogging this time is located at Lorong Endah 4, Brown Garden.
The easiest to get to this place is via Jalan Yap Chor Yee. By following the road which goes from Jalan Delima to Bukit Jambul watch out for the signboard of Taman Jade View, turn left at the junction to Jalan Permai, keep driving straight until you see a field on your right, and at this moment you have to slow down for the right turn, just after the turn you will see Passions of Kerala in front of you.
The prices of all the food are listed down on a white board even before you enter the shop. It is good for first comers who are wary of their expenditure.
The prices of drinks are also listed near to the counter just after you enter the shop.
The banana leaf set (RM4.50) which I have ordered came with four types of vegetable. All these four vegetables came in 4 different tastes – sweet, sour, salty and spicy. All of them were very tasty.
The “Dalcha” (vegetable mix curry) were poured on top of your rice before you started your meal. You can also choose to have chicken curry and fish curry as alternatives.
I have ordered a Mango Lassi (RM3.50). The taste of the lassi is still up to standard with the average thickness and sweetness. Lassi serves as a good neutralizer for the spicy food that you had. However, I am a bit disappointed to have the cup presented that way. I was expecting the cup to be the one that was normally used for milk shake in Karala at Service Road rather than this normal plastic cup.
The fish curry (RM4) that I have ordered as side dish is nice, and the spiciness and the thickness of the curry is marvellous. I just love the taste of the fish curry. Again, the drawback of this dish is the plastic bowl. It really looks to like I am back to kindergarten eating instant noodle.
3 pieces of fried chicken (RM7.50). Crispy and crunchy which were fresh from hot wok. This was a nice combination with the banana leaf set. Again the presentation of the food is so “potong steam” (disappointed). If this was served at Karala at Service Road they would have served the chicken on top of a banana leaf on a plate.
Rassam soup, the cleansing soup to clear off the excessive fat and cholesterol after the heavy meal. The soup was very sour, for those who doens’t like sour, beware when you order this.
Overall the taste of the food is comparable to the one at Service Road. I have no complain on the environment as it is quite cosy. The only thing that needs to be improved is the utensils that are used to serve the customers.
Editor’s Review (5 Stars Rank):
| Taste |  |
| Price |  |
| Food Presentation |  |
| Service | |
| Overall | |
Operation hours: 12:00noon – 3:30pm; 6:30pm – 10:30pm (7 days a week)
Contact: 04-657 8550 (Gary G.V. Nair, Managing Director)
Address:5, Lorong Endah 4, Tmn Brown, Gelugor. 11700 Penang.
then i think the only thing this place lose a bit is their “presentation” lo, right? see, actually they can present better, just change better plate and cup, then u’ll feel totally different liao.
anyway, i like indian food too, sometime it’s quite oily and heaty, but we dont expect to have it everyday ma, haha~ nice post again steven!
That indian soup is called RASSAM.
You missed out an appetizer which is their fried bitter gourd. In KL Banana leaf restaurant, they gave it for free.
How come they never give papadam? Out of stock? the deep fried bitter gourd beh pai oso but a bit oily…
Bb community, long time didn’t see you dee. How’s every thing. Hope to see you more on blogging again.
Ken, thanks for updating. I almost forget the name of the soup dee.
Qi, got give papadam just that I leave out that portion. Hahah…
The curry is very spicy … *sweat*
i heard of this place before… and i was told kinda costly, right?
i heard of this place, and i was told kinda costly, right??
I wonder if you realize that there’s another great banana leaf rice shop deep inside brown garden. The food there are not so oily and taste great too. I’m not going to tell you where… do stalk it out. 😛
http://crizfood.blogspot.com/
Hi..
I would like to inform those people who use to eat at BBQ coffee shop which is locted at the back of ‘SUNSHINE SUPERMARKET” at Bayan Baru in Penang
This shop have all the food stall inside but one experiences I faced on the 1Nov 2008 is with ice ( without milk ) and it cost me 1.20rm.
Feeling no satisfy I then ask the owner why it cost 1.20rm and not 1.10rm.As reply was that cos it is a mix drink.What a stupid reply??A cold glass of “Kopi O peng or Teh o peng cost only 1.10rm.What the difference between mixing both the drinks and still using the same glass costing me 1.20rm.
Tell myself…this is the last time I am entering this shop for any drinks
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I stayed around the area and familliar enough of this place as I went there a few times.
No doubt the food is good.
a big… BUT
Me & My Friend when there for a makan at dinner time.
The dissapointment on the service was terrible.
Not the first time as I had experience it 2-3 times.
In short what I can remember the few other days was they were showing “sour face” everytime we are there.
( What did we ever do to have them treat us that way as we are paying for the food as well )
The last visit was around last week when I was asking for mutton curry from the worker.
He said he would ask the owner ( Lady ).
He asked the lady and and the LADY answered loudly stating ” Dia Mau Mutton Curry, Pi lah PASAR MALAM beli”.
Indeed that she let me hear that and how freakin RUDE was she.
and what i notice is that if you are a family friend or maybe a regular they will treat you like King & Queen and bring whatever curry they asked for ( it happen beside my table ).
So when I left with anger, I asked a Man ( at the counter) should be the owner, I asked “Is there no mutton curry, he stated we don’t have mutton curry but only Mutton Masala.” ( The LADY should have told me in a proper way right?, why must she mention all those? )
After Finish eating…we walk to pay…
Then I confronted him and stating ” why is the lady so rude” he answered….. ” why cannot ah”…
What Kind of Service is this???.. I rather take my money somewhere else than to see those faces again
i been to this restaurant Passions of Kerala Restaurant, Banana Leaf Rice @ Service Road, Penang, although i like their fried squid, but their services were not good. the owner was rude to me and the restaurant was dirty, i even saw a cockroach passing by my table. i wont go back to this restaurant no more.
I have got some bad experiences from this indian restaurant too,Passions of Kerala Restaurant, Banana Leaf Rice @ Service Road, Penang, it’s a big NO for you to visit.
I have never been to an indian restaurant who provided such bad service to customer. From the moment i stepped into their restaurant, not only the owner of the restaurant gave me a sour face of not welcoming, they were just too rude with their tone and attitude.
I never got a friendly smile from them, not even once, i spent money in their restaurant and i dont deserve a smile? That was not im asking for with my money. No more visit to this restaurant.
i will bad mouth about this restaurant to all my friends regardless they are staying in Penang or they are not, right away im going to text all my friends for whoever been to this restaurant to write in here with their comments.
I will tell them not to go this restaurant, not worth to spend in such place with a return of a sour face, never ever consider that.
Hi Eiscully, I do understand your frustration. I had face some issue about their cleanliness and the cutleries used as well. In order for them to improve their business, I think these are the few details that they need to look into seriously.
hi Amanda, like the reply to eiscully. I faced the problem with their cleanliness too. I hope they would improve this.
Hi west, there are many bad comments about their services and cleanliness. I think they need to do something else they will sure close shop.
Hi All, my colleagues and i just went there for lunch. We all felt that the food was below average, and the service was bad.
Total cost of our lunch is RM60.50 for
5 veges set lunch (3 veges side dishes RM4.50 each)
1 plate of Chicken Masala RM 10.50 (which is cut into pieces from 2 pieces of chicken),
3 small pieces of ikan bawal (RM4.00)
Papadam > extra charges RM1
guess what, the Limau ice drink costs us RM2.50/glass ! OMG!
Hi all, please think twice before you’re going to this shop. it is not recommended!
I agree that their prices are a bit on the high side, considering the fact that the restaurants are not ‘5-star’ outlets. Cleanliness is a concern, and service is alright, but the food, oh glorious food.
I love their crab curry. Spicy, thick gravy and super tasty. Goes superbly with rice.
One more thing to add – have not personally experienced any rudeness or shoddy treatment from the workers or the boss.
Planning to go to the Service Road branch for crab curry dinner tonite.. 🙂
Hey i just wanted to clear up somethings the shop in service road is not the same owners as the two shops in brown garden and new world park. i was very upset with the shop in service road and had complained to the owner at the new word park restaurant only to be told that the owners of the shop in service road are using their name and in no way linked to passion;s of keral
tadums, are you for real? all the while I taught they were under the same owner. Anyway, thanks for the finding.