Chutney Chase

Chutney Mary may sound like a drag queen's name but in actual fact it’s the name of an Indian restaurant on Telawi in Bangsar. It’s a funny little place because the décor resembles a trendy night spot but the service is unmistakably curry house. No fluorescent lighting or stray flies here so put it down on your list as possible date destination. The menu is predominantly Indian with some odd crowd pleasers thrown in. Fish and chips? Surely it’d be the last thing you expect to order in an Indian restaurant.

There is an array of cheap, quickie lunch sets on offer. I ordered the briyani rice set with chicken tikka. While we waited for our food, we snacked on hot black pepper wafers. I love these but I hate how it sticks to your teeth. The briyani was very fragrant and tasty on its own but even better when drizzled with thick smokey tikka masala sauce. The chicken masala, all two pieces of it, was creamy, smokey and spicy. I finished all my yogurt to put out the fire in my mouth. The set also came with a single gulab jamun for dessert. I’m usually not keen because they are more often than not tooth-achingly sweet. I was surprised to find that the syrup was quite diluted so the sweetness was just perfect for me. Finally, for the first time I was able to taste the dumpling itself! I hope this place stays open for a long time to come. Its rare to find good food in Bangsar.