Restoran Insaf Signature — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

This review is based on two separate visits made on 28 Sept and 12 Oct 2021. I had eaten here before years ago, and this was the older, somewhat shabbier joint compared to the spanking new branch just a few doors away on the same row. In those days, there was a rather seedy budget hotel for even more dubious use in between the two restaurants. But the city authorities in the early 2000s decided to spruce up the image of Jalan TAR and very soon this hotel was relegated to a mere footnote in the city's annals, and its space soon occupied by a rather smart textile shop. But I'm digressing, and this is a post about food and not urban gentrification. I came at about 3pm on a Tues afternoon, the first visit of 28 Sept 2021, deliberately avoiding the lunchtime crowd. So I can't comment on whether or not there was a crowd at that critical hour. They were engaging in some minor renovation work in the restaurant on that day with the result that dining space was confined to the front part of the restaurant. The seats were wide and comfortable, there was ample space but the lighting was perhaps rather too harsh and did not result in the much sought after ambience. I was in no mood for chicken that day and ordered the beef biryani, a brinjal masala-type dish that someone spoke highly of, all to be washed down by a cup of tea. I counted three tables including mine that were occupied that day, so it was anything but a full house. In the event, my brinjal dish never arrived while my teh tarik only came after I reminded the waiter, who promptly apologised and attributed the omission to the kitchen staff who had obviously forgotten my order. The biryani, to be perfectly honest, was an unmistakable letdown. The beef appeared insufficiently marinated and lacked the obvious melange of spiciness that usually accompanies meat in biryani. The rice itself tasted flat, and was not the not of the type to be consumed on its own, as are certain types of rice cooked in similar fashion. I remembered regretting momentarily that I hadn't ordered any of the chicken options, for which I would perhaps have fared better. I then called up the waiter to pack my brinjal dish, I was quite determined to taste this at any rate, upon which he was quite horrified to realise that he had forgotten part of my order. The look of utter horror on his face was priceless! Like someone who was sentenced to hang for stealing a packet of crisps. Here was an exemplary waiter devoted to his job, obliging and humble. The brinjal dish which I had at home much later, quite simply packed a punch and is one of the must-have items if u ever visit this restaurant. It goes quite well with the biryani. On my second visit exactly a fortnight later, 12 Oct 2021, I was quite determined to try the roti canai over which others had been waxing lyrical. I wasn't disappointed. The roti was perfectly layered, fluffy to just about the right degree, and was a good portion. It was more similar to the paratha that u find in Northern Indian restaurants, except that here the roti is neater, perfectly shaped and tasted better. Two pieces of this made for a perfect tea time treat. But the roti is only available at about 430pm onwards, so come prepared. This time around, I had the teh halia or ginger tea, and also the signature mango juice. Both were excellent, and the mango juice is comparable to the one you'd be served at the other rival branch a few doors away. The waiter on this occasion, quite astonishingly, remembered the omission of the brinjal dish two weeks earlier and repeated his apology, perhaps even more profusely than the first time. The restaurant on this occasion was also quiet and lacked the ubiquitous crowds at the newer Insaf. I might give their biryani another go and try the chicken option, but I doubt I would be substantially revising my comments about the biryani alone. In this regard, the newer Insaf has the upper hand as they were more competently staffed and the biryani there had managed to retain their taste...

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐈 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟎’𝐬 😍🙏🏻 Mantap, Sedap & Padu 🔥 And this is the ORIGINAL one; I’m so glad I finally tried it 🤯😱

I’ve heard so many mixed reviews about this place and I was very curious about their Biryani, hence I decided to go try it out myself 😉 I also came at the right time as they newly launched their 𝑩𝑨𝑵𝑨𝑵𝑨 𝑳𝑬𝑨𝑭 𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑨𝑳𝑰 𝑺𝑬𝑻 🍀

Here are my thoughts:

Everything is 𝓢𝓞 𝓓𝓐𝓜𝓝 𝓖𝓞𝓞𝓓 👍🏻

𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝑩𝒊𝒓𝒚𝒂𝒏𝒊 (RM18): Wahh I’ve never tasted anything this good before 😩❤️ From the juicy tender chicken masala to the flavourful Biryani rice, everything was perfection ⭐️ Prepare to be transported to a realm of exquisite tenderness as you savor each forkful of the Chicken Biryani. 🤩 The chicken, nurtured to perfection, effortlessly melts in your mouth, a testimony to the artistry that has evolved through years of refinement. 🍗 The biryani itself, a symphony of subtlety, whispers of heritage and tradition, with the absence of overpowering spices allowing the natural essence of each ingredient to shine through. Accompanied by the gentle companionship of dhal and the tangy allure of acar on the side, your taste buds embark on a journey of harmonious contrasts that dance across your palate. 🥘

You can choose what chicken you like to go with your biryani: (Fried, Honey, Kuruma, Masala, Curry). We went with masala and I think it was the perfect match 🥹👍🏻 Felt like we hit a jackpot. The masala just wasn’t enough for me because it was that good…I ended up licking my plate clean 👅 Makan licin is the only way to eat this 🤌🏻 We also added on their honey chicken which was coated generously in sweet bright red honey which was extremely delightful 😍🍯🐝 Chicken was crispy on the outside with a firm bite. 🙌🏻 Their Chicken Biryani is a testament to the mastery of a 43-year-old recipe, a relic of taste that promises to linger in your memory and heart. ❤️

𝑩𝑨𝑵𝑨𝑵𝑨 𝑳𝑬𝑨𝑭 𝑻𝑯𝑨𝑨𝑳𝑰 𝑺𝑬𝑻 🇮🇳(RM11.50): The new addition to their menu 😍🔥 This set was packed with flavours and variety ✨ Lots of condiments were served together like tangy, spicy and flavourful curries, vegetables and papadam 🍚 It’s vegetarian but you can always add on your fav protein from their vast selection of meat choices like mutton & chicken 😋 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒐 𝑺𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 - The mangoes were so fresh, sweet and juicy 🤤🥭Few fruits sum up the good times like a perfectly ripe mango - the juice dribbling down your chin is one of summer's undeniable pleasures, and the deliciously sweet aroma is just as irresistible. 💦 Sweet & Smooth // Juicy & Refreshing 💛 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒐 𝑳𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊 🥭- Their lassi is a must try here 😍 The velvety smoothness with the essence of ripe mangoes is unlike elsewhere 🤤 A sensory escape, it captures the warmth of the sun and the bliss of summer, offering a moment of paradise in every refreshing gulp. 🌞 𝑪𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒊 - For tea enthusiasts, try this drink 🫖 It’s a very popular drink in India and it’s served in a tiny glass (1 glass isn’t enough for sure 😂). The tea was amazing and I’m sure no tea lovers can resist this ‼️

𝑶𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎:

Air Conditioned & Newly Renovated: Ambience is super cosy and relaxing, perfect for family dinners or even solo meals 🍽️ Cleanliness ✅ : Hygiene is super important for me and I was surprised by how clean this restaurant was 🤯 The shop smelt good and the floor & seats were sparkling clean. Even the toilet was so clean HAHAHA 🤭🚽 If you’ve been to this area, you will know the struggle of finding a clean toilet so this place is a gem 💎 Service: All the waiters are so helpful and polite. They are welcoming to all customers and their service is super fast &...

Just horrible experience overall. Went for Ramadhan break fast, only to be served sub-standard food quality, priced at a premium (read: RM28 for a chicken briyani with a portion sufficient for a 12 year old, at the most).

Table service was OK but what irked me the most was the management's insistence to charge the full 6 pax based on the reservation made despite only 3 of us dining in. So we essentially had to take-away 3 set of chicken briyani (at an average of RM38/pax each btw) to fulfil the reservation to avoid more fuss brought up by management - daylight robbery at its best and borderline unethical business practice.

And if that was borderline, the next review point I'm about to raise probably is just downright unethical. Upon paying for the full 6 pax (for a 3 person dine-in experience), the management did not even bother to deduct the initial deposit they collected upon confirming the reservation and billed the full order amount. Fortunately, I remembered and pointed it out, to which the cashier (who may be the owner/manager) just had an awkward smile (with a hint of eye-roll) to one of his restaurant crew and did not even bother to acknowledge or apologise for the oversight. So I'm not sure how many customers they've tried to pull this trick on but as you can imagine, the Ramadhan crowd can be pretty hectic and busy where some customers may be in a rush to pay at the check out, particularly if you're in a large group.

So for future customers, if my review is still not a deterrent for you to stay away from this over-rated restaurant (there are plenty other better briyani joints in KL btw), please make sure that they don't profit from this unscrupulous act of not off-setting the deposit and check your final bill before making your payment.

As coined by other reviewers', memang betul "insaf" and taubat takkan datang lagi...