But linger a little longer and it becomes clear that people return for more than just the delicious food. Here, customers often wander over with smiles, greeting the man behind the griddle like an old friend.
“This place was started by my late grandmother, late aunt and mother back in 1985,” third-generation owner Vijendran Nair told FMT Lifestyle.
Better known as Vijay, he shared that the stall did not even have a name back then.
“Chanai & Chaya” only came about sometime in the mid-1990s, inspired by the roti canai his grandmother used to make, although the stall no longer serves it today. “Chaya”, meanwhile, means tea in Hindi – a nod to the drinks they serve.
Vijay spent much of his childhood helping at the stall before heading off to play football or badminton. But he was not immediately allowed to cook or handle cash.
“I started off with washing plates and glasses. My late grandmother never allowed me to come in front. She said, ‘You want to know what the business is about – you start from the back’,” said Vijay, 42.
Still, he began understanding how the business worked by observing his grandmother, Devayani Govindan Nair; his aunt, Banumathi Raman Kutty and his mother, Pathmavadi Raman Kutty.
Even so, Vijay never imagined himself taking over the stall. He worked in advertising before leaving in 2017.
Then, his mother approached him about taking over.
By then, customers had already begun asking who would continue the business. His grandmother had retired and his aunt had passed away, leaving his mother to manage the stall with several workers.
“After talking to my mother, I decided I didn’t want to just let it go.”
Today, Vijay runs the business with his wife, Sabina Anak Muni, using family recipes that customers have loved for decades.
The menu features different types of appam and thosai, alongside fried mee, meehoon, idli and vadai. Chicken curry is served on Saturdays and mutton curry on Sundays.
The egg and banana appam arrives fluffy and lightly crisp around the edges, while the sardine thosai is homey and delicious.
After marrying Sabina, who is Sarawakian, the couple introduced Sarawak laksa to the menu. Served with prawns and chicken, the noodles come in a rich, flavourful broth. It is best enjoyed with a cup of masala tea.
Perhaps what makes Chanai & Chaya especially charming is the way customers are treated. Orders are taken alongside customers’ names and once the food is ready, their names are called out.
Condiments are laid out for everyone to help themselves and together, these little gestures make the stall feel like a neighbourhood gathering spot.
That sense of closeness became especially meaningful during the pandemic. To keep the business afloat, Vijay sold his cars, watches, and even worked as a delivery rider.
Yet, through it all, customers, friends and even his former boss, Daniel Fernandez, encouraged him not to give up.
Today, Chanai & Chaya continues to welcome generations of families. “When I took over, we still had customers from 1985 who stayed with us through the years. They loved the food so much that they started bringing their children, grandchildren and now even great-grandchildren,” Vijay said.
“My wife and I will run it for as long as we can. I hope it continues for another 20 or 30 years. I have no intention of getting into any other business. I’m happy here and I feel at home.
“My customers have turned into uncles, aunties, brothers and sisters. I just want to keep this going for as long as I can,” he concluded.
Chanai & Chaya
TD-061 and 062,
Pasar Besar Taman Tun Dr Ismail,
Jalan Wan Kadir, TTDI
60000 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 7am-1pm (closed on Mondays)
Contact: 010-969 1797
Learn more about Chanai & Chaya on Facebook and Instagram.
For location, click here. Prefer not to drive? The Taman Tun Dr Ismail MRT station is only about a nine-minute walk away!