Malabar Indian Restaurant, Crows Nest

There are times when you just have this craving for Indian food. It helps that it is still not the height of summer and there is a cool breeze to help with the spiciness from the food. Not that Australian Indian food is very spicy.

We start the meal with the ever popular mango Lassi. Lovely and smooth with a tinge of sourness from the yoghurt. 

We then move onto the Masala Dhosai. It has been a while since I had Southern Indian food. So I was a pretty happy puppy when the gang wanted this.

Look at the varieties of curries we had decided on. Butter chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, Beef Vindaloo and and Konkan Curry Prawn. All lovely and pretty mild even if they claim it is 'medium'.

Let's have a closer look at the curries enjoyed.

Beef Vindaloo

My favourite, the Konkan Curry Prawn. I like the rich coconut milk base.

I think was the Chicken Tikka Masala. Both curries were red and I can't really tell anymore.

All these paired with steamed basmati rice and soft delicious garlic naan.

Malabar Indian Restaurant

334 Pacific Highway

Crows Nest

NSW 2065 

T: (02) 9906 7343

    (02) 9438 4207 (Take away only)

F: (02) 9332 3745

Opening hours

Lunch: Sunday - Friday 12.00 - 14.30

Dinner: Monday - Sunday 17.30 until late

Betel Leaf Indian Restaurant @ Lebuh Ampang

Lunch is usually a casual affair on a weekday. However, a bunch of us wanted to try something different. Indian Fine Dining is that something different we decided to try.

Betel Leaf is a restaurant above Nalli's, a shop that sells sarees. It's dimly lit, giving off a sense of warm comfort. There are a host of stainless steel and copper wares for sale as well as a wooden swing. It's actually a perfect place to entertain for lunch.

And it's a halal outlet.

Not exactly papadam, but it's crunchy and free flow.

Mutton Beryani served in a stainless steel pot. All the yummy goodness is beneath the rice.

Bits of mutton and whole egg lay hidden under the fragrant rice.

The Vege Lunch set. This comes with rice and according to my colleague, everything single little dish is a winner. It's not wonder because we see platters on platters of these being served on tables.

My favourite dish here, Butter Chicken Marsala. It's the right combination of slightly sweet and spicy chicken in a thick creamy marsala gravy.

Another favourite of Gobi Manchurian. Basically battered cauliflower fried and cooked in sauce. Despite it being a vegetable, it tastes like chicken. However, today they were a little off form and the taste was definitely lacking.

All eaten with a crispy naan, bread cooked in a clay over.

And to help with digestion after such a sinfully heavy meal, rasam. It's basically soup cooked with spices. This is thicker than what I've tasted in other Indian restaurants but I had a problem with it being not sour enough.

Madras Coffee. Hot milk flavoured with coffee. Delicious and thick.

Betel Leaf

Lebuh Ampang.