Old Andersonian Cafeteria, Ipoh – Banana Leaf Curry Rice
September 27, 2009 | 1,622 views| 43 Comments » |
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Banana Leaf Curry Rice – A luscious, complete meal. So is this Malaysian, Singaporean, or true-blue Indian? 
Old Andersonian Club & Cafeteria serves authentic Moghul cuisine & Banana Leaf Rice, at the most unassuming location in Ipoh city. This cafeteria/canteen-like restaurant has been operating beside SMK Anderson (Anderson secondary school )on Jalan Hospital Ipoh for a good many years now. Facing the Sultan Iskandar roundabout connecting Jalan Hospital and Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, Old Andersonian Cafeteria is unlike your average spicier and robust South Indian eatery, but instead specializing on Moghul (North Indian) cuisine.
A classic of an outlet serving banana leaf curry rice. Notice the airy environment, with opened windows, shady trees at its own parking lot, and a spacious interior setting.
Ladles of red and golden elixirs, unlimited servings of vegetables and sides (the pumpkin was delicious), and the compulsor crispy papadom crackers.
Old Andersonian Club is an alumni association of sorts (correct me if I’m wrong) but rest assured this cafeteria is opened to the public daily, for lunch and dinner. The special dishes for lunch and dinner are listed on a white board on the outside, and I believe they’re updated/changed from time to time.
Sour & appetizing Rasam to perk your tastebuds …..
We ordered the banana leaf rice sets for lunch, with choices of chicken, mutton or fish curry. You can also choose between having your curry with white rice, or Nasi Briyani. We opted for the former, to avoid over-indulging and subsequently ‘drugged’ to sleep in the office. Plus, curries go better with white rice, don’t you think so?
Dry Curry Chicken – Milder than the Southern counterpart, but richer and creamier
A complimetary steel cup containing Rasam was served with the sets. The sour soup is commonly available in banana leaf restaurants, containing tangy tomatoes, herbs, spices and lots of pepper. The sourness of the Rasam served at Old Andersonian Cafeteria is acceptable, unlike the one at Samy’s in Chemor. Some like their Rasam with a little kick though, redolent with spices and on a whole different level of sourness, but I wouldn’t want to suffer from gastric problems before a meal!
Dry Mutton Curry
The accompanying greens came in four different types, the usual stir-fried cabbage, pickled cucumbers, a tangy tomato chutney, and my favourite for the day, the pumpkins. The dry curry chicken tasted a little unusual, with a dense, and rich flavour (suspected to be yoghurt or milk in the gravy), and milder than the spicier South Indian curries. The mutton was merely passable, with more veins and fats than meat. But packed with flavours, and I do have a soft spot for Indian’s mutton dishes, for I find them very gamey (yeah, I kinda like the acquired taste, or ‘sou mei’ in Cantonese).
Looks like a canteen eh? Anything but a restaurant.
The meal was rather reasonable, priced at RM6 per person. You can order their lassi at RM3 per glass. Parking’s a breeze, with their own compound in front of the cafeteria, complete with tall and shady trees.
Previously I’ve heard of bad reviews and less than desirable feedbacks about this place. But our lunch there that afternoon was nothing short of satisfactory. True, there was not a particular dish that jumped at us, but the dining experience was above average in terms of quality, service, and pricing.
Old Andersonian Club & Cafeteria
932, Jalan Hospital,
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Tel & Fax No : 605-241 1615
H/P No : 6012-5017377
Opens daily for lunch (11am-3pm) and dinner (6-10pm).
Here’s a GOOGLE MAP TO OLD ANDERSONIAN CAFETERIA.
Ooh I just had the most DIVINE BLR lunch today as well… I staggered out from that meal practically drunk on spice and rice, but now looking at yr post, I could totally do it all over again for dinner!
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
where’s that?!! pray tell. but truth be told, my Indian colleague tells me that BLR in KL is way way way better than the ones in Ipoh. which I believe, may be true. given the sheer number of BLR outlets there!
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Wow… dry mutton curry…. yummy….
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I heard of this place many times but have yet to eat there. One day must give it a try.
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
do give it a try, it was my first time as well.
the place is rather cooling, and you’ll feel as though you’re away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
until you turn back out onto the road leading to the roundabout, that is.
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I’ve been trying to post comments in your previous posts, but was not allow to do so. What’s wrong?
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 27th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
oh really? maybe cant retrieve your post from your feeds or something.
no wonder i’ve been getting the same response from some others, saying that they cant comment.
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Successfully post a comment if only I un-tick my latest post.
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Of course Indian! Ha
My…you reminds me of the banana leaves meal I used to have in Indian temple. :p
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 8:01 am
in Indian temple?!! aiks. prayers ah?
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I would say the dish is a lil bit of our SHARED history and heritage. How’s that?
.-= Life for Beginners´s last blog ..Daniel Boulud: One Night in Singapore =-.
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 8:03 am
agreed.
after all, we were all in the same family back then. right?
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not bad this banana leaf rice…….but sometimes go there later than lunch time..the side dishes were a bit cold
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
erm, the curry was not piping hot, nor freshly cooked for sure.
i doubt any BLR outlets serve them hot here in Ipoh.
maybe Samy with those claypots, but still doubtful.
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6rm dirt cheap..what a steal!
dont tink can get anything for less than 9rm nowadays, rice with 1 meat.
fry a few pieces of chicken here and there and the prices swell..
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
maybe in KL. in Ipoh, about RM6-RM8 can net one a full banana leaf meal.
still, not as many options as KL’s.
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BTW, I have the same problem as Little Inbox.
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
hi NKOTB. i hope its better now. i’ve taken out CommentLuv, to stop retrieving the last post.
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i just realized, we missed out the kacang puteh during our trip in ipoh!
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
no problem. next time come again, we go grab them together ok? heheheh ….
so many biscuits and such to buy, how to buy all leh?
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I’ve heard about this place but unless I go back to Ipoh for a week or more, I don’t think I have the time nor tummy space to eat this, lol! BLR is not my priority in Ipoh, hehe!
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
hmm, but purely binging on Chinese hawker food can only get you so far.
sometimes some varieties are much welcomed.
though of course, dun compare to Nirwana, Krishna or whatever else you have in KL.
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wow… next time i shall let you know earlier if i plan to visit ipoh again hohoho but guess gotta be 2yrs later =p
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
2years?!!! you’re leaving that long ah? aiyo …by then maybe I already left Ipoh liao.
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I always passed by this roundabout last time. So there IS indeed a cafe inside! I always wondered! LOL. I totally agree with you, can’t take sour drinks on an empty stomach lest I want a gastric!
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
yeah, but this one not a drink, it’s a savoury soup, thats more sour than sweet.
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somebody once tiold me Ipoh is a place where one can find good food. yr blog sort of confirms it with the gorgeous pics
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
been here b4? yeah, there’s good food hidden in nooks and corners.
not publicized as much, but ask the locals and you’re bound to be surprised.
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i miss rasam! hehe…
wanted to have banana leaf rice yesterday but ended up in klang for nasi briyani ;P
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
all the way down to Klang for Briyani? heheheh …. how nice.
to be traveling n such. you’re still waiting for your posting?
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Most people who love spicy food will find banana leaf rice good, especially if the frieds come out fresh and hot !
That means the trick is to frequent a place that is fast on turnover ( like here in PJ which is Kanna & Raju )
tho smaller towns have their outstanding shops too but funny we have never tried a proper Ipoh BLR before .
tho as usual we expect some to be special like this one
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
erm, not as many varieties like KL’s BLR that’s what my fren said.
but satisfying nonetheless.
after a while, one can only have so much nga choy kai, chee cheong fun etc.
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Did they try to push their crab curry? They normally do.
I’ve tried some BLF restaurants in KL such as Kanna, Abirami and Sri Paandi besides those mentioned above and definitely its more expensive than in Ipoh.
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J2Kfm Reply:
September 29th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
yeah indeed. KL prices ma, how to compare?
i myself never realised this Andersonian cafeteria is rather cheap.
they didnt push for the crab curry though.
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just the whole concept itself is worth a visit. what’s more when the food’s good. i wonder if there’s such an interesting place like this in kl.
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we are lucky malaysian we enjoy all kind of food, I love Indian food. Will
visit this place when I am in Ipoh the next time. TQ.
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Hey, I’ve actually eaten here be4 and the food is pretty decent. Not as good as some of the top indian rest in uk but nevertheless good. For indv curries, they do an excellent palak paneer and tandoori chicken. The best bit is that u can bring your on beer (BYOB) which is excellent to wash down the curry.
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:05 am
wow, to get your stamp of approval, this must be really something.
yup, heard that they do a mean palak paneer. BYOB?!! beer and curry?! what a combination.
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