Restaurant Nagas @ Brickfields

Brickfields, also known as the Little India of Kuala Lumpur, is not only the hub for all kinds of spices, textile, goldsmiths and flowers, but the go-to place for authentic Indian cuisine. The stretch of long and colourful street is sprinkled with Indian restaurants offering either North or South Indian cuisine, for your dining pleasure. Last week, Saucer and I were passing by this area and spotted Nagas Restaurant, located at one corner of Jalan Tun Sambanthan. We were also lucky to find a parking spot in the parking area adjacent to this restaurant, complimentary for customers.

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Restaurant Nagas
No.3339, Jalan Tun Sambanthan,
50470 Brickfields,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: +603-2273 7475 Fax: +603-2273 7476
Opening Hours: 24 hours

Self-service restaurant

It was my first time there and I didn’t know what to order, but someone before me was ordering the Mutton Briyani which looked really good, so I decided to follow suit. The person at the counter scooped the rice into a bowl, placed a few pieces of mutton on top, put it on a flat plate and added a boiled egg on top.

The restaurant only had an alfresco seating area in the morning, with plenty of big fans to keep the temperature low. It can get pretty warm towards noon, due to the zinc roof top. The way Nagas work is purely self-service. Just think of it like a fast food joint. One is supposed to go inside the shop and order, wait, and within minutes, food will be served on a tray. Pick up the tray and proceed to the cashier in front of the shop to pay, and get a seat. Simple and clear cut.

Mutton Briyani (RM10)

The rice was extremely fragrant, fluffy and not overly oily. The clever use of spices made this rice bursting with flavour, and even got Saucer nodding his head away. To top that off, tender pieces of well-marinated mutton with delicious curry gravy made this rice almost faultless. Well, except for the fact that it would definitely add inches to my tummy.

One is supposed to scoop out the rice from the bowl and place it on the flat plate lined with banana leaf before eating. This way, not only will you have more room for the rice, you will also have banana leaf giving it a little extra aroma, aside from aiding in digestion. Spread it on the banana leaf In the spirit of Indian food, I also tried a piece of the Capati, which was already pre-made beforehand, to cater to the fast-moving self-service concept. Even though I found the taste of the capati to be not bad, I would actually prefer it to be served piping hot with the surface still powdery and aromatic.

Capati (RM1.50)

Saucer was more adventurous and tried the different dishes on the counter display. The Tandoori Chicken was pretty tender and juicy, but lacked a little flavour to make it more desirable. Perhaps a little bit more masala should do the trick?

Tray of food! The fluffy white rice was doused in a variety of curries and dal, not unlike the ones found in Nasi Kandar places. Rice with assorted curry and dal Tandoori Chicken

There were two dishes of vegetables ordered, one of them being the Potato Leaves. Both of us found this to be overly salty, and did not manage to finish it.

The Spinach Dal, on the other hand, was very impressive! To be honest, looking at the spinach was not the most appetizing thing to do, but once I had a taste of it, I was sold. The dal was flavourful and thick, wrapping the spinach wonderfully without overpowering it. It was like a healthy dish with a twist! We loved it!

Potato leaves Spinach Dal Overall, it was quite an enjoyable brunch affair, with the star award going to the Mutton Briyani. Even though it came in a rather large portion, I could actually finish it all by myself! But this was very filling that it lasted me until night time. Munching down the rice Satisfaction guaranteed I initially wanted to try the roti canai or roti sardin that day, but the counter was closed. Well, given the fact that they serve authentic Indian food with reasonable prices and free parking, I don’t see any reason for not coming back again. Dining environment of Nagas Nagas Restaurant at Brickfields Of course, after the filling meal, one could roam around the streets of Brickfields and take in the wonder and colours of the surroundings while shopping the weight day away…