Until the opening of Pure Saiva, that is!
Owner Venod Deviram, who has been in the F&B industry since his late teens, started the South Indian vegetarian restaurant shortly after he became a vegetarian himself and realised that there was a lack of choices when it came to affordable vegetarian cuisine.
“I wanted a place to call my own and create a suitable platform for my diet,” Venod, 34, told FMT Lifestyle.
He knew that Malaysians could be fussy about food and that it was therefore in his interest to serve dishes that would be both healthy and tasty.
He said his research was arduous and included considerations of pricing, location and the theme and aesthetics of the place. The nine-month process culminated in Pure Saiva’s opening in June 2020, in the midst of the pandemic.
“Everyone said I was crazy, but I had no choice because everything was already set in motion,” he said. “But my past experience with failed businesses provided me with clarity and faith that this is going to work out. I’m glad I persevered.”
Putting the restaurant together was a team effort, but Venod said his mother was a most valuable player.
“She’s from a rubber estate family and was poor back then. She had to cook every day for the family. All that practice made her a pretty good cook.”
Thanks to her guidance, the dishes at the restaurant exude a homey vibe, making you feel like you’re eating a warm home cooked meal.
With that said, do give the restaurant’s signature lunch set menu a try. It incorporates three veggie dishes, gravy, rice, payasam (kheer pudding), rasam (soup), thovayil (leaf chutney), mooru milagai (crisp chilli) and pappadam.
The dish options change daily, depending on the fresh ingredients available.
On the day FMT Lifestyle visited, there was stir-fried okra, sambal tofu, spicy potato, mango chutney, pumpkin masala and more.
This reporter’s recommendation? The savoury and not-too-oily fried cauliflower.
To enhance the overall flavour of the meal, choose from three different gravies – veggie curry, spicy curry or dhal – to go with your rice.
It’s worth noting that none of the dishes are too spicy. That should be good news to those who are averse to burning their tongues or tummies.
If you’re just looking for a quick bite, though, there’s also vadai, roti canai, thosai and more on the menu.
Venod says he takes note of all constructive criticism online and is constantly trying to improve.
“Food is a very subjective matter,” he said. “What one person likes might taste awful to another, but we try our best to cater to everyone.”
He announced that Pure Saiva would open a Bangsar branch “very soon”.
“I’m also excited to share that we just opened a new vegetarian-and-vegan Mediterranean place called Nondua Café right upstairs, which serves a variety of coffees, cakes, pasta and more. It’ll be a nice place to chill and relax.”
Venod also said he was trying his best to make his restaurant a zero-waste eatery, which means leftovers are given to the PJ City Council’s recycling unit.
“It’s one of the three pillars of our place, serving environment-friendly cuisine that’s also sustainable, other than practising a compassionate eating lifestyle and maintaining a healthy diet.”
Follow Pure Saiva on Facebook and Instagram or head to its website.
Pure Saiva
No 34, Jalan Yong Shook Lin
Bandar Baru Petaling Jaya
46050 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Opening hours: 7am to 10pm daily
Contact: 012-2018231