Sri Rajya Lakshmi Narasimhan Vegetarian - Farrer Park

Back in October 2010 I reviewed a South Indian eatery called Sri Lukshmi Naarasimhan.  Frankly, I was not impressed at all by this establishment, instead I usually prefer to visit Komala Vilas or MTR for my South Indian fix.  Well, a lot has changed since my original review of this eatery.  Firstly, the owners decided that the name Sri Lukshmi Naarasimhan was just too short, so now it goes by the name Sri Rajya Lakshmi Narasimhan House of Vegetarian Dining - Quite a mouthful.  Secondly, the entire eatery was renovated sometime back.  I have heard a lot of good things about this establishment since my original review, so I decided to visit again to see if they have improved.









Sri Rajya Lakshmi Narasimhan Vegetarian
Opening Hours: Daily 7.00am-3.00pm & 5.00pm-10.00pm.  Closed Wednesday


There is no question that the place has changed a lot.  Now it looks very neat, and much cleaner.  Not only that, but the service level has improved.  Now it has a much more homely feel.  Lakshmi Narasimhan is actually a local brand, unlike most of the Indian eateries in Singapore.  At one point, they had four separate outlets in Singapore - But now just this one remains.
One thing that hasn't changed is the menu, which offers the typical South Indian specialities.  One unique aspect of their cooking is the use of Andhra Pradesh style of cooking, and particularly the Andhra 'gunpowder' (more commonly known as kandi podi or karve pakku podi), which is a spice mix (masala) used specifically in this region of India.  They are also famed for their filtered coffee, which acts as a brilliant crescendo to the meal.
We kicked off the meal with Medhu Vadai, which is one of three different varieties of vadai on the menu.  Medhu vadai, which is also known in other regions as ulundu vadai is apparently (I am assuming) different to normal vadai in some way, but frankly I can't tell any difference.  I did fully enjoy these sinful crispy savoury doughnuts though.  I find that the Komala Vilas vadai is still slightly better (especially when freshly fried), but these come as a close second.

Price: $1.80 (1 piece).     7/10


The most filling meal on the menu is certainly the Andhra Meal.  This elaborate feast is a myriad of flavours on one plate.  For vegans like myself, you will have to alienate yourself from the curd (white coloured) and sweet dessert, everything else is vegan friendly.  I loved all the dishes served here, which highlight sour and spicy flavours predominantly.  An Indian thali (at its best) should be a fireworks display of flavours - Totally the opposite to cuisines like Chinese and Japanese - Which is why I love Indian food so dearly.  This thali certainly ticks all those boxes.  Price is a little steep, but consider the fact that, like with all thalis, you can top up everything (including the rice) until you are bursting full.

Price: $10.40.     8/10


As an accompaniment to the thali, red pickle and ghee is served on the side.  Needless to say, if you're vegan you will want to avoid the ghee.  The Indian pickle, however, is an essential component (in my opinion) to any thali.  It is ridiculously sour and brings to life all the other flavours.





Last and certainly not least is the Hot & Spicy Andhra Masala Dosai.  Objectively,  I would have to say this is one of (if not the) best dosai I have eaten in Singapore.  The texture of the dosai skin was absolutely perfect - Crispy, yet not too brittle.  One will notice that this dosai is actually slightly red in colour - This is because the dosai is smeared with Andhra chilli paste underneath when being cooked.  This chilli may be too spicy for some, but I loved it.  The chutney was ideal, the only thing stopping this dish from being a ten was the potato masala.  The masala was a little bland and forgettable.  No question that this is an astonishing dish though.  Price is high, but it is worth it.

Price: $6.80.     9/10


Conclusion - Being a food reviewer, I am always open to visiting places a second time, and for this restaurant I am glad that I did.  It has improved considerably since my first visit, and now I can see myself being a regular customer here.  The prices are on the high end, but still not to the level of criminal extortion of Ananda Bhavan on Syed Alwi Rd.  The hot and spicy dosai is the dish you should be ordering - I still can't stop thinking about it.

Overall Rating
Food - 8/10
Ambiance- 7/10
Service - 8/10
Value - 5/10