This banana leaf is straight from coconut land

Sick of wannabe rasams and sweet coconut chutneys? Head to the The Banana Leaf, the South Indian restaurant at Vile Parle, for some authentic fare

It's not sambhar if you use sugar and colour. It's not dosa if you use soda to make it crispy. What is served in most Mumbai restaurants is not the South Indian fare - the richly spiced, aromatic food that we're used to.
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So, it was with trepidation that we walked into this new branch of The Banana Leaf, expecting watered down rasam and sour idlis served on a namesake banana leaf. We couldn't have been more wrong.

As a member of the 'Madrasi' fraternity that has repeatedly has its taste buds assaulted by horrific impersonations of its food, we were, in one word, thrilled.



Don't be put off by the approach a wet, tarpaulin covered passageway beside a crowded shopping mall it only gets better from there.

Polite attendants led us to a table and promptly set about placing banana leaf covered plates in front of us.
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After some delight over the extensive menu, we settled on Thakkali Kottamili Rasam (Rs 90), Aam Panna (Rs 80), Coconut water (Rs 40), Idli Chilly Andhra style (Rs 120) and Mooru Curry with Appam (Rs 175).

They list it under soup, but the tomato, coriander and garlic rasam we were served was anything but that in a good way.
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Notes of tamarind swirled around in the mouth before being replaced by the flavour of authentic rasam 'pudi' the ground masala used to give the rasam its distinctive spicy taste.
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Yummy. The Aam Panna tasted as enticing as it looked not too sweet, and definitely not too thick.

Emboldened by the good start, we tackled the Idli Chilly Andhra Style with gusto. Idlis cut up and smothered in a spicy mix of red chilly paste, garlic and condiments make this a must-try dish.
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Combine it with any of the three chutneys (mint, coconut and peanut) on offer, and you won't be disappointed.
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A word of cautionauthenticity here means making the food as spicy as you would find in most South Indian kitchens, so come prepared to sip on a lot of water, or in our case, coconut water.

The Malabar Curry with Appam followed.

A coconut curry packed with vegetables and served steaming hot, it lived up to the waiter's recommendation, though we'd have liked a little more flavour apart from the overwhelming taste of coconut.
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The winner of the night, however, was the Mooru Curry with Idli.
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Soft, cut-up idlis come drenched in sour, spicy, thick buttermilk, generously enhanced with a 'tadka' of red chillies.

This one hits all the right notes, idlis mixing deliciously with the curry and chutneys on offer to create a taste as authentic as it comes.u00a0

At First floor, Vaishali Shopping Centre,
VM Road, next to Options Mall, Vile Parle (W).
Call 67423777/78/79/80
Banana Leaf didn't know we were there. THE GUIDE reviews anonymously and pays for meals.