Thanks to volunteers, diners can pay as they wish at this vegetarian restaurant in KL
KUALA LUMPUR: Over xxx years ago, a Hindu religious instructor had a vision of a world without hunger. He then started a vegetarian restaurant, which allowed patrons to "eat as they wish and pay as they feel".
The idea introduced by the Swami Shantanand Saraswathi in 1985 found traction immediately and many began to dine at Annalakshmi Vegetarian Eating place, then a apprehensive shop lot in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
The restaurant, which served both southern and northern Indian vegetarian delicacies was fully run by volunteers, all of whom were a part of a prayer group led past Swami Shantanand who had come to Malaysia from Rishikesh in India in 1970s.
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Senior restaurant director Mohan Narayanan told CNA that in the early days, the cooking was all done by "aunties and grandmothers who had a flair for cooking".
"There were no professionals, no chefs and no recipe books. What sets united states apart from all the other vegetarian restaurants out there, is the love we put into making the food," he said beaming with pride.
The Swami's teachings are yet followed closely by the volunteers. Mr Mohan said the driving force backside the eating place was really elements of spirituality.
Photos of Swami Shantanand, who passed away in 2005, can be seen hanging in the restaurant, adorned with garlands.
"Athithi Dhevo Bhava, which means guests are gods. That is the teachings of our Guruji and we have always strived to go along upwards with his teachings," said the restaurant operations managing director Soma Chandran.
These days, the Annalakshmi Riverside Eating house is located in Brickfields. It nonetheless serves up homemade style Indian food for which customers are free to pay any amount they similar.
However, there are challenges in this operating model. Despite their efforts to serve the customs, volunteers said in that location take been instances of customers abusing the organisation.
FROM RETIREES TO PROFESSIONALS, VOLUNTEERS KEEP THINGS RUNNING
Diners at Annalakshmi Riverside become an al-fresco experience while overlooking the Klang River which runs through the city.
After helping themselves to the cafe, diners walk to the stop of the line to laissez passer their desired amount of money to the volunteers who man the cash drove.
Though the dejeuner items were limited to Indian cuisine, tea time snacks comprised local delicacies such equally back-scratch puffs, spring rolls and Kuih Ketayap (crepe with sweetness coconut filling).
The eating house serves quite a few Sri Lankan dishes. A volunteer explained that this was because the pioneers who cooked for the Annalakshmi kitchen were generally of Sri Lankan descent.
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Mr Soma explained that the riverside restaurant has three staff members on the forepart of the house. They are assisted past volunteers who come in on stock-still days of the week.
"Our volunteers are made up of professionals such as doctors, lawyers and engineers as well equally many retirees, so they endeavour to volunteer whenever they are free," he said.
Corruption AND WASTAGE
The absence of a price tag, however, has made it difficult for customers to appreciate the value of the food.
A volunteer who helps at the restaurant over the weekends, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said many customers take too much food and end up wasting about of it.
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"Considering the nutrient we serve is buffet manner, many people come and pile up their plates. We take told them over and over again that they could always come dorsum for seconds, but most of them adopt not to do that.
"Then at the terminate of the day, a large part of what went on their plates, goes into the dustbin. For u.s.a., that is heartbreaking, considering that food is hard work and it could accept satiated someone else'south hunger," she said.
People have also abused the privilege of being allowed to pay what they wished.
"Just terminal weekend, an entire family walked in, had a full meal and paid only RM5 (S$1.lx). We are not beingness calculative, but that is an example of how the arrangement can be abused by people," said the volunteer.
Notwithstanding, Mr Soma said in that location were also instances of diners stepping forward to compensate the restaurant when they saw others abusing the payment system.
"We are grateful to all our customers, regardless of how much they give," he added.
THE FINE DINING Feel
For those seeking a more upmarket experience, there is also a fine dining fly on the bounds.
Not to be confused with the Annalakshmi Riverside, the Annalakshmi restaurant is located merely above the onetime. Set in a classy interior, which has the capacity to hold over 200 customers, the restaurant is tastefully busy in antique Indian furniture.
Soft classical music adds to the ambience as does the warm lights. The house staff here practice not wear uniforms or hats, merely are instead dressed in traditional Indian wear.
The nutrient for both establishments are prepared in the aforementioned kitchen.
Mr Mohan shared that the Annalakshmi eating place also practiced the "pay equally you experience concept" until 2013, when diners requested for stock-still prices.
"We began noticing that many of our regular customers stopped coming and when nosotros spoke to them, they shared that it became difficult for them to entertain in our eating house as it was crowded and noisy," he recounted.
"So later on a year-long give-and-take with the unabridged prayer group that runs the organisation, nosotros decided that nosotros volition accept fixed toll for the restaurant and maintain 'pay equally you experience' for the Riverside."
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The food served hither is largely like to what is offered at the Riverside restaurant just more elaborate. It also serves a variety of Indian drinks such equally lassi (yogurt drink) and filter java.
The cost for the buffet is fixed at RM25 while the ala-carte meals range anything between RM10 and RM25.
The Annalakshmi Eating place has branches in Singapore, Chennai, Penang, Johor Bahru and Perth.
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/asia/pay-as-you-wish-vegetarian-restaurant-kuala-lumpur-malaysia-231146
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