Santhiya's

We visited Santhiya’s South Indian and Malaysian Dine-In and Takeaways (1270 Dominion Rd, Mt Roskill, 09-6202986) as part of the Makan Blog Squad to try their Malaysian dishes, but there was also a wide selection of curries (vegetarian, goat, lamb, seafood and chicken), and other ethnic Indian dishes.

On Saturdays, Santhiya’s serves a nasi biryani Set ($16). This consists of basmati rice cooked with spices and chicken, served with lamb curry, egg sambar (sambar is a dish of lentils cooked with potatoes, tomatoes, carrot, eggplant and spices) and achar (pickled vegetables). It also comes with a small teh tarik (‘pulled tea’). The rice was fragrant and delicately spiced, and the lamb curry was delicious.

The teh tarik ($3.50) was among the best we have tasted, just the right ratio of tea to milk, and right level of sweetness.

Masala thosai, $8.50 (pronounced ‘dosa’) is a rice crepe rolled with potatoes and served with sambar and coconut chutney. I really liked this; the crispy crepe balanced the spiced potatoes and the condiments. We also tried a Roti ($2.50 individually, or $6 served with dhal or curry).

The gado gado ($11.50), is a salad of deep fried tofu, cucumber, bean sprout and boiled egg served with a peanut sauce. Santhiya’s peanut sauce lacked the ‘kick’, needing more spice and heat.

Santhiya’s dishes would be considered bland for a Malaysian palate, but would suit the average Kiwi’s tastes. Plus, one advantage is that most children would find the food manageable. On Sundays, Santhiya’s serves a Banana Leaf all-you-can-eat special for $16 for lunch, or $19 for dinner.