Junior Chellapa at Old Malaya, Raja Chulan: Restaurant Review

Cuisine and culture, colour and character: Junior Chellapa is more than capable of charming fans of South Indian fare. This might be a nascent name in KL’s F&B landscape, but a peek into its interior proves that its founders have created a restaurant to respect, teeming with ravishingly intricate artwork (including some of Indian village scenes witnessed by one of Junior Chellapa’s founders on a train trip), vintage photographs and thoughtfully selected ornamentation spread across two sprawling levels, proudly showcasing the Chettinad heritage within the colonial-era confines of the Old Malaya gastronomic hub.

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Soups & Curries

Head here ravenous and commence your feast with the very enjoyable crab rasam, delicately spiced, lightly tangy and peppery, brimming with beautifully balanced flavours (RM10).

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The menu moves effortlessly through the region from Madurai to Mangalore, the former represented by erra thokku, tomato-and-turmeric-rich prawns that pack a tasty punch (RM27), and the latter by chicken ghee roast, boasting juicy flesh soaked in savoury, spice-saturated gravy (RM25). Throw in an aromatically heady serving of goat rib bone curry (RM20), and you’ll have more than enough to relish with rice or bread.

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Meaty Selection

The fairly priced selection is expertly executed across the board, served by a team that works hard to please. You’ll find plenty of intriguing specialities that span both land and sea, from chunky-smooth New Zealand lamb ribs with tomato masala sauce (RM36) to a whole fresh pomfret fish prepared in banana leaf, fragrant with a creamy paste constructed of cardamom, cloves and more (RM48).

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Round out your meal with tenderly cooked eggplant masala (RM13) and boiled egg basmathi biryani (RM12), with a lovely orange lassi (RM8) and classic butter milk (RM5) to soothe the palate. Thanks to Junior Chellapa for having us here.

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Location & Details

Address: Old Malaya, 4, Lorong Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur.
Hours: Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Tel: +603-2020-1020
Find: View directory for Junior Chellapa here.