Raju’s Banana Leaf

I went to the school right next door for 11 years and yet I hardly ate there, I’m not sure why really, maybe as a kid I just never had enough money so I had to make do with much cheaper canteen food.
I came here more once I started working and when I haven’t yet discovered really good banana leaf. I feel that eating banana leaf is more of an experience than say eating chicken rice so I like to find places that let’s us sit, chat and have a good time with good company with a nice steaming glass of teh tarik.
Disclosure: This is a backdated review to the time when Rajus still could use the area under the trees, they had to since downsize their operations.
So although the food is okay, the environment was fantastic when we got to sit under the trees (the trees are gone now), but the service was just horrendous. Waiters are robotic unsmiling people, they avert their gaze when you lift up your hand, pretending not to notice and to get service takes a long time.
Then there’s the sign hanging by the cashier…
«We have nothing against our cheaper competitors as they know the value of their food» (I paraphrase)
The irony of this sign is that their competitors have much better food at much lower prices.

Rajus banana leaf is a popular restaurant in PJ. It’s famous for its banana leaf rice but they also serve up other dishes as well. I used to go there often while I was in school. The price range is slighter on the higher side for average food. Recently, I went to their new branch in Jalan Gasing. It was quite big and clean. We ordered chapatti, purée, samosa, egg thosai, bru coffee, teh ais and teh halia. In my opinion, their food is very mediocre. Nothing to shout about. It’s honestly not worth the money at all. I would not go back here as I feel I don’t need to pay so much for very average tasting food

When it comes to Indian food, I am there, especially if its banana leaf. My first and last visit to Raju’s Banana Leaf was when I was on a vegetarian diet and boy that was one tough week that I endured.
My close buddy decided to go for banana leaf and knowing that I was a vegetarian diet, he thought Raju’s would have a good serving of Indian vegetarian dishes.
However, it was the the exact opposite. There weren’t much choices so I had to eat whatever they had which wasn’t very nice. At the same time, I felt their service to be very slow. It took them more than 5 minutes to get me a glass of water and to catch their attention was very difficult. They are either spacing off or totally ignoring my hand gesture. Well, since that visit, I have not been back and I don’t intend to.

Authentic banana leaf rice!
Raju’s has definitely seen better days. Recently, the outlet has had to downsize their operations. They’ve lost the right to operate on the extra piece of land next to their restaurant.
During the good old days one was able to enjoy a meal under the trees. Now raju’s is nothing but a shell of their former glory. The restaurant is extremely packed and stuffy.
The food is still alright tho. I’d definitely recommend ordering their sotong goreng and chicken 65. The curry is not in any way watered down like most banana leaf establishments.
The roti canai here is really good as well!
Last time, the waiters were arrogant and rude but now it seems like their attitude has changed as they realise that each and every customer is now important to the longevity of the establishment, so I guess not everything has changed for the worse.

Raja’s has been a place that I have been visiting for ever since I was a little kid. It has definitely slacked quite a bit. The banana leaf is pretty expensive now. The crowd is filled with rich datuks and such not that it’s a bad thing, but it now caters to the higher class I would say. I loved the seating area outside which would allow you to be seated under the trees. It was really cooling and refreshing.
Service is still pretty decent, you can pick out your meat and dishes inside or you could also have the option of ordering with them if you already know what you want for the meal. Drinks are the usual mamak food. My all time favorite is their fried fish and their chicken masala. It’s just so spicy and so good! I can never miss the chance of having this dish.
The parking is pretty alright as well, there’s a few spots by the street which you can park your car. Nothing much is busy around that street besides Raju’s.

Raju in PJ (Off Jalan Gasing) is legendary; a name renowned that most people know of, almost synonymous with good (yet pricey) roti canai, which in other words is an Indian Flat Bread. Most people come here for either the Roti Canai’s or Banana Leaf. On Sundays this place is packed with people from around town just to eat the Roti Canai. Perhaps the softness (yet crunchy) roti’s and the curries and dals they serve it with is what people fall for.
The ambience of Raju’s is different from most «mamak’s». The outside seating area has a greenery effect with a wall of painting which gives it the cozy homey effect. If you’re lucky, in the mornings… the sun ray will fall through in between the trees and that’s when it’s the nicest.