Tried Kerala Authentic Food For the First Time In Gajaa at 8, Royal Indian Cuisine, Bangsar,

While hunting for Indian authentic food is a norm, I kind of found a gem out of my hunt. An Indian authentic place with a touch of Kerala.

As much as I am dying to visit Kerala one day, I really don't mind trying their authentic food beforehand.

Gajaa at 8 found its name from the ancient Sanskrit word “Gajaa” which translates into an elephant in English.

Gajaa at 8 offers two different ambiences all under one roof; with an indolent landscape, the majestic and opulent Gajaa at 8 restaurant looks forward to satiating the senses of the complete family in a very cosy setting.

As usual, whenever I go for a personal food review I will always bring a victim with me, Varmman. As we were starving, we ordered starter first.

My attention was all on a Chicken Pakoda which was called as The Golden Knight. As the name suggests, it did come in crispy gold and it was served in a very unique plate.

It wasn't as oily as I was afraid it will be. They used Gaaja's secret spices and it was too delicious that the entire plate was already finished before the main dish was served.

The price of The Golden Knight (Chicken Pakoda) is RM20.00.

As all of us already know, Indian food means Briyani! I ordered Kerala Chicken Briyani and Chettinad Dum Lamb Biryani for the main meal. They served the Biriyanis in a cute clay pot. It came with egg for both.

I remember the days in Indian where they don't serve egg for mutton biryani. I'm glad Gajaa 8 is a little understanding when it comes to that point.

Both the chicken and lamb Briyani meat was tender. We ate peacefully without the need to struggle to get the small piece out of a big chunk of meat. The amount of meat served was also satisfying.

The Briyani was also delicious but since we had a starter, I had to take away the Biryanis so I will have space for the dessert. Glad that they had such service as some authentic restaurant do not allow take away. It came in a big portion.

The price of Chettinad Dum Lamb Biryani is RM30.00.

The price of Kerala Chicken Briyani is RM28.00.

As I am quite a fan of curries so I ordered two types of curries. The Alleppey Kingdom and A Royal Secret.

Both curries were named the Kerala way I suspect as I had no idea on what the name means and I am AN INDIAN! I had to read the descriptions to know what each dish truly is as no picture was attached for each dish.

The Alleppey Kingdom is fish cubes simmered in a moderately spiced gravy of freshly ground coconut, ginger and raw mango infused coconut milk; a Kerala speciality.

Yes, it was spicy and I could taste the mango. I did enjoy it with my Briyani, nevertheless. It is definitely the first that I have tried. A real Kerala dish. It had burst of flavours due to the mango, unlike the usual fish curry.

The price of Alleppey Kingdom is RM30.00.

A Royal Secret is an authentic mutton curry recipe formulated by the King's mother a passed down for generations.

It was spicy as well. The mutton was really tender and it was very well cooked. I love the way they served it. In a dried coconut shell. It made the entire dining experience special as I had something unusual on my table.

The price of A Royal Secret is RM38.00.

I tried 3 of their dessert. All of it is an Indian Traditional desserts. As you would have known I really love Kulfi and yes I tried Gajaa 8's Pistachios Kulfi too and loved it. It was creamy and delicious.

The price of Pistachios Kulfi is RM12.00.

The Gulab Jamun came warm and I loved it more as I tasted the warm Gulab Jamun with the sugar water. It literally melted in my mouth.

The price of Gulab Jamun is RM10.00.

The Appam was a bomb. Unlike the usual Appam my grandma used to do, they added sugar on top of the appam. It didn't only look delicious but it added some crunchiness to the center part of the Appam.

The Appam was served with sweet coconut milk. I remember the days where I will only eat Appam if they have coconut milk served with it. Here in Gajaa 8, the Appam and the coconut milk comes in a set.

The price of Appam is RM7.00.

Personally, I find the price in Gajaa 8 to be a little pricey when I compare with the other Indian Authentic Restaurant I have been to. I wonder what's the reason behind it though.

The ambience of the place was very soothing. They had very calming music playing at the back. The wood type of interior gave the place an extra calming effect.

The customer service in Gaaja 8 is one of the best I have had. They were always around and was always attentive. They also explained me on what is their signature dish and all.