For Peranakan style dining, the Straits Food Company commands a loyal following and a strong lunch crowd, proof there is a demand for good but fairly-priced Nyonya food.
I recommend the pai tee (RM5.50) and the popiah (RM4.50) as appetisers while the nasi lemak (RM6.50) and Nyonya laksa (RM7.00) make for satisfying mains.
Another popular eatery on this stretch is Fierce Curry House.
Proudly a homegrown
restaurant with the heart and soul of India, Fierce has since evolved from its early days of serving merely biryani to an outlet that offers tandoori lamb burgers, naan breads, North
Indian food as well as its latest hybrid of banana leaf rice and biryani.
One of its signature dishes is the Hyderabad dhum biryani, arguably the best biryani in town.
The common varieties are the chicken and mutton biryani while Friday specials include fish and vegetarian biryani. The dishes that still get people talking long after they were introduced are the luxury sets of lobster biryani, cod biryani and king prawn biryani. I was told the lobster biryani is the one that is the most sought-after, despite its hefty price of RM200 per set!
I opted for the more modest fare ― mutton biryani (RM19) ― which was served in a pot sealed with flour. Taste-wise, it was
decent. The few chunks of mutton I found were tender and there was enough rice to fill me up.
Along the same road a small café beckons with its cosy interior.
Dr.Inc (pronounced “drink”) is unorthodox and is as unique as its name.
Accessible within 200m from the Bank Rakyat-Bangsar LRT station, Dr.Inc is a café-cum-retail outlet stocking unique stationery, jewellery and hand-crafted souvenirs by local designers.
At its front is a little pebbled garden where guests can enjoy the outdoors with their choice of caffeine.
Inside is a cosy space that can sit about 30 customers comfortably at any one time. It’s charmingly decorated with the unique artwork and handicraft by local brand Nala Designs, whose creator is one of Dr.Inc’s co-founders.
Recommended drinks are Che Guevara (espresso over ice served with a slice of lemon and brown sugar) and Fat Americano (espresso with Coke) as well as the Presso Bomb (a shot of espresso in Malacca-sourced local ice cream soda).