The movement control orders began to “eat” into the business, forcing owner Gurdip Kaur to relocate from a shop on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur to the food court in Kompleks Pertama in April.
“We had to move from our last premises as we couldn’t cope with the rent that came up to RM8,000 a month,” Gurdip, 53, tells FMT.
“In addition, electricity and utility costs came up to RM3,000 a month,” says Gurdip, who took over the business after her husband died in 2009.
“When we moved to the new premises, it was helpful as rental is lower here. But many of our previous customers had trouble locating us at our new venue.”
She says she has since installed large green banners around the vicinity to guide customers.
According to Gurdip, most of her long-time customers are retirees who are not comfortable paying for delivery charges despite the restaurant being available on popular apps.
“Another problem we face now is the seating capacity. In our previous shop, we could easily fit about 50 people. But in this food court, we have to share the tables with the other stalls.
“Furthermore, some of our workers had to go back to India during the pandemic. Now I also have the challenge of getting new workers from India,” Gurdip says, adding that the business has five workers at present, compared with 10 previously.
She hopes the relevant authorities can help through rental grants and by supplying more foreign workers to the food industry.
Nevertheless, Gurdip is determined to persevere, more so at the urging of some of her regular customers. “Many of them have been enjoying our chapati for a long time,” she says.
The FMT team had the opportunity to taste some of Restaurant Santa’s signature dishes. The chapati, served fresh from the skillet, is soft and goes perfectly with the thick dhal curry.
Gurdip says she doesn’t scrimp when buying ingredients for the curries. The chapati is made with good-quality “atta”, or whole wheat, flour and ghee.
The mutton kheema, a popular dish in North India, is rich in flavour and made with tender minced meat. For those who prefer chicken, Restaurant Santa serves chicken curry and masala, both of which are not too spicy and are cooked to perfection.
Vegetarians will certainly enjoy the delicious chickpea dish made with black and white chickpeas, vegetables and fragrant spices – the perfect complement to the hot chapati.
The pakora is another favourite among customers. Crispy and yet not too oily, the deep-fried fritters are served with a rich chutney made with mint, garlic, onion, and ginger.
To complete the meal, the “teh tarik special” is not too sweet, and is the perfect blend of tea and fresh cow’s milk.
For coffee lovers, the “Bru Coffee special” is made of a generous serving of cow’s milk and fragrant Bru Coffee.
“We get our supply of fresh cow’s milk from Kajang and Kundang,” Gurdip reveals, adding that they can also prepare the beverages with regular milk upon request.
Other items on the menu include sardines, roti canai, fried rice, and noodles.
One of her customers, Khairi Amnan, says he has been enjoying Restaurant Santa’s food for over 30 years.
“After I suffered a heart attack, I started eating more healthily and chapatis are great for me. I come over to Restaurant Santa every day for lunch, and yet I am not bored with eating chapati every day,” he says.
“Once a week, I treat myself to mutton. The mutton served here does not have too much fat and I love it soft,” adds the 61-year-old, who works in the vicinity.
Of her customers, Gurdip says, “I have known many of them for so many years and have a special relationship with them. They keep me going.
“I hope they will come back to support me at the new location. Apart from my customers, I don’t want to give up on my business because of my late husband. After all, this is his legacy and, someday, I hope to pass it down to my son.”
Restaurant Santa (Chapati House)
Lot 21 & 22
Pertama Food Terrace, Kompleks Pertama
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
50100 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours
7am-5pm: Mondays to Fridays
7am-3.30pm: Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays
Visit Restaurant Santa’s website and Facebook profile, or contact them at 012-2055037.