Lakshmi Villas is somewhat of an institution in Dandenong and has been lauded for years for its cheap and authentic South Indian cuisine. At any given time in the day, it appears that this alcove of vegetarian cuisine is bustling with people of all walks of life and the kitchen is working like a production line pushing out dish after dish.

The food here is consistent, affordable and authentic which guarantees a steady stream of patrons and the large contingent of Indian diners indicates that the food must be spot-on. (Pro-tip: If there is a large crowd of people of the same nationality as the restaurant's cuisine then the food's authenticity is likely to be fairly accurate).

We didn't have much time to dawdle so we opted for the trusted Thali Special ($10) and the Lunch/Dinner Special ($8) with steamed rice, papadum and a selection of three vegetarian curies each, while the Thali came with an additional chappathi, yoghurt and dessert.

Thali Special ($10)

Service was friendly but slightly industrial at times with a merry-ground of staff rotating around the small space. We didn't have to wait long for the food and it was a reasonable portion for the price.

Lunch/Dinner Special ($8)

The South Indian flavours were true and consistent but lacked a bit of spicy kick to lift the dishes to the next level. The curries themselves were a nice mixture of textures with the dahl, tofu and potato sure to satisfy the need for variety but again would have been memorable with a little more spice.

Despite this, Lakshmi Villas is still a sure bet for a reliable and affordable vegetarian feed in or around Dandenong.

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As we continue our way around Clayton, we venture to Taste of Taj which is located just opposite Clayton station to abet our Indian food cravings. The constants of any traditional Indian take-away joint seem readily apparent here; blaring Bollywood dance music, a small T.V. attached to side of the room, near non-existent service and glimpses of a steaming kitchen.

Having glanced at the menu and firmly decided that we were here to remain on a budget, we opted for the reasonably priced lunch special ($8.99) and thali special ($10.99). As per usual, we foolishly requested our food to be spicy which produced a wry smile on the waiter's list which alerted us to the fact that she may know more than us about exactly what 'spicy' connotes. Sure enough, as the food arrived and we took our first few bites and we were quickly left seeking water and supplementary roti to cool the fire.

The Thali Special

Nevertheless, the food was of a decent quality but nothing special. The same could be said about the accompaniments with the complementary yoghurt drink extremely watered down and the papadam emerging drenched from a bath of oil.


Is it by any means bad? No. Is it good enough to warrant a return visit with the swathe of other Indian options that dot the centre of Clayton? Certainly not for some time.

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