Kavitha Banana Leaf, PJ Old Town
Kavitha Banana Leaf in PJ Old Town, Petaling Jaya, is a family-run banana leaf rice stall in the Taman Selera food court off Jalan Othman, serving South Indian food from 8am to dinner, and it has been cooking since 1974.
It began that year as a roadside stall selling breakfast, such as putu mayam, appam and idli, and moved to full banana leaf meals in the 1980s. Jeyacanth Govindraj, the founder's son, runs it now. The spices are ground in-house and the kitchen starts around 4am, cooking for the family's three outlets in PJ. The lunch crowd builds from noon, and the popular dishes can be gone by the end of lunch, so come early. On Sundays it closes at 8pm.
What to Order at Kavitha Banana Leaf
Get the banana leaf meal: rice with four vegetable dishes, sides and curries, with free top-ups of rice and curry. A basic meal was RM7 in January 2024. Add a meat or fish dish from the counter:
- Chicken varuval - the best-seller
- Mutton masala
- Fish cutlets
- Goat stomach curry
- Quail egg sambal
- Fried chicken or fish, by the piece, marinated in spices
On the Kavitha menu, more than 80 South Indian dishes are cooked fresh each day, more than 30 of them vegetarian, with tapioca, pumpkin, long beans, ladies' fingers and bean curd among them, and any dish can come with plain rice instead of as a banana leaf meal. Mornings start with breakfast staples such as thosai and roti canai.
For banana leaf rice in PJ, chicken varuval in PJ Old Town or a South Indian breakfast near Jalan Othman, Kavitha's stall in the Taman Selera food court has been at it for more than fifty years.
Kavitha Banana Leaf Location
Address:
No 19, Medan Selera, PJS 4
46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening Hours
Monday to Saturday: 8am - 9.30pm
Sunday: 8am - 8pm
Kavitha Banana Leaf FAQ
What is Kavitha Banana Leaf famous for?
Kavitha Banana Leaf is famous for its banana leaf rice and chicken varuval, cooked by the same family since 1974 in PJ Old Town.
What's on the Kavitha Banana Leaf menu?
The Kavitha menu centres on banana leaf meals, rice with four vegetables, sides and curries, with more than 80 South Indian dishes to add, from chicken varuval and mutton masala to fish cutlets and quail egg sambal.
How much is banana leaf rice at Kavitha?
A basic banana leaf meal at Kavitha was RM7 in January 2024, with free top-ups of rice and curry. Meat and fish dishes cost extra.
What time does Kavitha Banana Leaf open?
Kavitha Banana Leaf opens at 8am every day, and closes at 9.30pm, or at 8pm on Sundays.
Is Kavitha Banana Leaf good for vegetarians?
Yes, Kavitha has more than 30 vegetarian dishes, including tapioca, pumpkin, long beans, ladies' fingers and bean curd.
When is Kavitha Banana Leaf busiest?
Kavitha is busiest from around noon, and popular dishes can sell out by the end of lunch.
Where is Kavitha Banana Leaf?
Kavitha Banana Leaf is at No 19, Medan Selera, PJS 4, in PJ Old Town, in the Taman Selera food court off Jalan Othman, Petaling Jaya.
Where do I park for Kavitha Banana Leaf?
Parking for Kavitha Banana Leaf is in a paid car park nearby.