Sri Ganapathi Mess

Fantastic spicy Indian food! There are so many choices and it’s all good. Located literally in a converted house, Sri Ganapathi Mess is not that easy to find since the entrance is at the back of the house and looks like somebody’s outdoor kitchen area. Seating is also at tables located in various rooms around the house, which is quite quaint. Everything is good here but one should try the crab rassam — usually rassam (which is indian spicy sour soup served in a little metal cup) is either vegetarian or has a chicken stock base, but this one is unusual and quite tasty.

The best banana leaf rice I’ve ever had, very authentic and delicious. However the ambiance isn’t relaxing and can be a little uncomfortable but the taste of this amazing food made up for it.

The food was marvelous! It was pretty crowded when I was there and the staffs was very sincere in explaning their menu.

Sri Ganapathi Mess has some of the best banana leaf in PJ, which is saying something considering PJ has some really top-​notch banana leaf restaurants. It gets really crowded on weekends, but once you get a seat, you’re in for a spicy ride. Everything here is super spicy, which could either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your threshold for spice. I personally would prefer if the curries were less hot, so that I can better taste the flavours of the meats and sides, but everyone else seems to enjoy the spice.
I like the crab rasam best here, it’s super decadent and full of sweet crab flavour. The fried stuff too are really good, all fried by a man at the outdoor fry station. You pick your meat or fish and they fry it for you on the spot. Service is a bit poor here, but it’s rare to get excellent service at a busy banana leaf place anyway.

Not generally one of my favourite places for banana leaf rice, Sri Ganapathi’s is definitely one of the cheapest I’ve been to though. Located in PJ Old Town, the restaurant is in an old bungalow and its very easy to miss. Quick tip: look out for their Sri Ganapathi van that is always parked out front (I’m starting to think they use that van as their signboard?)
The food is pretty standard, definitely try the Crab Rasem and fried squid. Be warned though the lunch crowd can be overwhelming no matter what day you come on. Lingering at your table after you eat seems to be frowned upon here as you’re expected eat and leave as soon as possible. We have actually been told we were taking too much time by a fellow customer once when our plates weren’t even empty yet.

I just came back from an overwhelmingly satisfying lunch at Ganapathi and I just can’t wait to tell you all about it. Forget Kanna or Raju, if you’re ever in this area just go straight for Ganapathi. Admittedly parking is a hassle and illegal. And located right in from of a school can cause congestion when school lets out. So be mindful of it.
As far as I can tell, one of the best things about this place is that they fry the chicken and fish on the spot, as soon as you order it. I had the ikan bulus which came is a fixed set of three. Along with my banana leaf it made for a fulfilling meal. Another thing is that the rasam served here is crab based. This is the first time I’ve had it or even heard of it. So good. You can really taste the sweetness of the crab.
From the outside this place may not look like much. You’ll even find yourself asking, «Do they sell pottery here?». But do not get distracted. Just go straight in where they have rooms which are fully air conditioned and enjoy yourself.
On a side note, they do catering as well!

Located in a housing area, you would never think of finding such good banana leaf rice in such a place. If you are looking for authenticity in your banana leaf rice, this is as good as it gets; from the food served to its surroundings. The setup of the house is in such a way that there are chairs and tables wherever possible. The food here is cheap. I went vegetarian when I was there and my food came up to 5 bucks while my friends paid about 8 with their meat. Seeing as it is located in a housing area, parking is a little tricky because a lot of the available spaces there are illegal. So, lunch hour is probably not the best time to go as it can be quite busy.

Indian cuisine is something that I enjoy eating a lot as I really love the spices. So when my colleagues mentioned about Sri Ganapathi Mess in PJ Old Town, I knew I had to make a trip there myself. It was a challenge to find the place as it’s located in housing area. The landmark would be Sekolah Kebangsaan Petaling Jaya — the eatery is exactly opposite the school. The eatery is at a corner lot, with a big green bin on the outside.
They have 2 types of rice for you to choose from — Par Boil Rice and white rice. I enjoyed the fried squid a lot — perfect thickness and wasn’t over fried. My ultimate favourite would be their Crab Rassam. I’ve had nice rassam and bad rassam, but it was my first time having crab rassam. To make this even better, the rassam was served pipping hot! They tasted so much better when it’s hot. I finished every drop of it.
It’s really advisable to go there early; regardless you are going over the weekends or weekdays. The place is always crowded and finding a parking space in a housing area would definitely be a nightmare.