• In keeping with my recent craze over thosai, I have been scouting for delicious thosai at Indian restaurants. Having delicious Indian food alone isn’t enough; it must be in Little India too, because that’s where you get the most authentic Indian dining experience! (Actually, the most authentic would be in India itself. But we make do with what we have here!)
A street-side coffee shop I’ve found is Sri Vijaya Restaurant, where dining is definitely no-frills (authentic dining experience!). So do not expect any cushy seats or air-conditioning.
Oh, the food is freaking cheap too!
S$0.90
Rating:
My, was I pleased with that thick froth on my teh tarik (“pulled” tea). The staff must have “pulled” the tea several times to create a bubbly froth that thick! I love a good frothy teh tarik!
Bubbles and froth aside, that was one of the most excellent teh tarik I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot of it before). The tea was extremely rich but not overpowering. It was also not overtly sweet (but I know some people may like it sweeter). By any standard, this was the perfect teh tarik. Definitely better than the famous one at Lau Pa Sat!
S$2.40
Rating:
Like Ananda Bhavan Restaurant two weeks ago, Sri Vijaya is also a vegetarian restaurant. You can choose from a variety of vegetables to go with your chapati!
The chapati is served folded in half into a semicircle. I’m no expert but I thought it tasted a tad flaky and powdery for my liking. Or is that the way it’s meant to be?
Anyhow, my main purpose in going to this place was to try out the thosai, which I’ve heard is the best around!
Paper Masala ThosaiS$2.50
Rating:
Two weeks ago at Ananda Bhavan Restaurant, I had exclaimed:
At the next table, we noticed people eating thosai that were 2-3 feet long! Boy, am I gonna have one the next time I drop by!
That’s the paper thosai and this time round I got to have it! (so I didn’t drop by the same place, but we should always be game to try out new places right?) my paper masala thosai was two feet long! Yay! It was big and long and boy, was I surprised at how crispy it turned out too!
I also loved the gravies that were served with the thosai. We could have as much of those gravies as we wanted! The staff would walk around with big metal buckets and scooped more gravy onto our plate whichever gravy ran out (authentic dining experience!).
But herein lies the real deal – the potato masala! It was creamy (very yellow and fresh potatoes), spicy (all the yummy Indian spices and chilli), tangy, tasty and had a lot of oomph! (“Oomph” may just be my new pet word after “hawt”!)
By the way, what are those purple bits speckled among the yellow potato filling? Are those pepper?
Update: Oh, those are mustard seeds! Thanks, NTT!
(Check out what the staff is wearing! How’s that for authenticity? He looks ready to “pull” a teh tarik anytime!)
The restaurant lies on the fringe of Little India along a row of shophouses. After exiting from the Little India MRT station, we found ourselves walking back and forth along Selegie Road before finally realising we had already walked right past Sri Vijaya Restaurant without realising it! It’s along the main road so keep a lookout for it!
Ah… I love Indian food!
229 Selegie Road
Singapore 188344
Tel: +65 6336 1748
Nov 12, 2007
2
Hi,
Just a note.If you like thosai,the best i’ve had is at Kamala Vilas.(Please note that this restaurant is different from the more famous Komala Vilas. It’s directly behind Tekka Market ,where the POSB ATMs are.Near the Little India MRT. Try the Rawa Onion Thosai.Or if you want the stuffing,the Rawa Onion Masala Thosai. My personal favourite is the Ghee Rawa Onion,where the ghee gives it a nice buttery fragrance.No frills food,just like Sri Vijaya,and pricing is similar.
Nov 12, 2007
2
Also forgot to add, the coffee at Sri Vijaya is really good too. Ask for the Nescafe,not the Bru (an Indian brand.I find it too bitter).I’m a tea drinker,but ar Sri V,I always have the coffee.
And on Tuesdays and Fridays lunchtime ,Sri Vijaya does a really good Vegetarian Biryani.They don’t have a menu,so u just gotta ask for it.Comes with papadums and a sweet dessert pudding called payasam
Nov 12, 2007
3472
Ahhh! You got me craving for Indian food again!
Actually I have been to Sri Kamala Vilas twice already. Check out my review. The chicken masala left me with a deep impression!
But out of these Indian eateries (listed above), my favourite place for thosai is still Sri Vijaya!
May 11, 2008
1
I tried paper masala dosai & poori, I had worst acidity that night. Better get canned water & don’t go with the water they serve, it is not clean.
Parata is good when it is made fresh. don’t try parata after 6pm, they are all precooked before noon & ready to reheat, so better ask them you need fresh paratas.
Average shop to eat
Aug 15, 2009
16
The paper-masala thosai @ Sri Vijaya is excellent possibly the premier tasting thosai in SG. I went on a thosai-binge a while back and tried several outlets mainly in the Little India vicinity but Sri Vijaya came up absolute trumps! Komala’s (the express version) is disappointing with lacklustre consistency in their sambar and chutneys.
But they have another speciality which is their mock-mutton masala which is excellent! Even Seetoh reviewed it and gave it 2 thumbs up. It is uncannily like meat but is probably a soy-gluten substitute. The flavours are authentically spicy south Indian with a flavoursome aftertaste. You can order it separately or with their freeflow veg-briyani meal which comes with an assortment of south Indian vegetarian dishes. A definite die-die MUST-TRY according to many. Thanks for the post, now I’m drooling on the keys already! :)
Next (ad)venture is a briyani-mission!
Aug 17, 2009
3472
Hey thanks for the recommendation! I MUST try that free-flow meal at Sri Vijaya. What a great way to sample all their dishes! How much is this meal, if I may ask?
Coincidentally I was here just a few weeks ago, but only had the Teh Tarik as I wasn’t hungry then. Next time round I would be back to have a proper meal.
Sep 1, 2009
16
Wasn’t that expensive (someone else paid actually). I believe 2 vegetarian meals with white rice and accompaniments with soft drinks came under ten bucks. The briyani set is slightly more and that includes the mock-mutton dish. Must return there some time soon.
Sep 1, 2009
16
For some exquisite tandoori food try and check out Usman’s at the corner of Serangoon Rd & Desker Rd. Was introduced to the place recently and the tandoori chicken was perfect! Nothing fancy, your typical coffee-shop setting but great food.
Sep 2, 2009
3472
That’s a lot cheaper than what I had imagined! No reason not to have that free-flow meal now.
Thanks for the tip about Usman’s, too. You seem very familiar with Little India. Do you know of a certain open-air cinema there? They place plastic chairs around and sell snacks and drinks to people watching their movie.
Sep 7, 2009
16
Open air cinema? Haven’t heard about that before but certainly sounds fascinating indeed! Must be modelled after those in the sub-continent I bet? Prob. serving samosas (yum!), kebabs, spicy potato-chickpeas and masala tea. Must find out more about this. I tend to save my appetite for good Indian fare at Little India but the choices are endless. Love the varieties of Indian food there. And your blog certainly helps!
Sep 7, 2009
16
Slightly off-topic but does anyone know if you can get Nasi Kandar in S’pore? I tried it way back in Penang but have never come across it anywhere else?