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Indian

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Modern Indian Comfort Food definitely exists in Vancouver and Saucin Staples does it so damn well. They put a lot of love into the menu by crafting up the perfect items that pair with their signature sauces.

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The menu is customizable in 3 easy steps:

  • Staple (Tacos, Samosa, Biryani rice, mac and cheese, sandwich, and tuscan salad)
  • Protein (Chicken, Pork, Beef, Boiled Eggs, Paneer, Mixed Veggies, and Chickpeas)
  • Sauce (Butter masala, Madras Coconut, Cilantro Cream, and Korma)

Upon looking at the menu, I didn’t have a good sense of what to expect, but when I took the first bite, I was in love.

They are now open for dine-in, delivery and take out.

Interior

There are a few tables inside for you to dine-in, but mostly people are doing take out and delivery as it’s so nice outside.

Menu

Mac n Cheese with Chicken and Butter Masala

So cheesy and the chicken and butter masala paired so well to make it a butter chicken mac n cheese. Highly recommended. This is definitely one of the most popular items on the menu and it hits the spot.

Biryani Rice with Beef Korma

This hit the spot and Korma is actually one of my favourite sauces of the 4. This dish was so flavourful that I can’t imagine it with any other combination. Highly recommended.

Samosa with Butter paneer and cilantro cream

It comes with 3 pieces per order and its a good item to share with a few people. The cilantro cream was really good too.

Gulab Jamun Creme Brulee

Incorporating the Gulab Jamun into a creme brulee was nice, but it felt like it didn’t set well and was a bit soupy after I cracked the top.

Mango Lassi

Mango lassi is a classic and a good way to cool down after the meal.

Final Thoughts

Definitely give them a try because it’s insanely good. We highly recommend it. Perfect food to even pair it with a beer.

Address:
1073 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC 

Website:
http://saucinstaples.ca/

Mumbai Local is been a local favourite on Davie Street for their fun and authentic Mumbai street food. The spices and flavour combinations of their dishes are very addictive and will be leaving you wanting more. Executive Chef Shreyash Kulkarni wanted to keep their dishes as authentic as possible, thus why the menu has a lot of traditional Indian names. You won’t find the usual butter chicken on the menu! A lot of dishes on the menu have a rich history from the British colonization of India.

With the Covid-19 pandemic, they have made sure to keep safety a top priority while keeping their customers fed. Their patio is open and you can enjoy your meal there. Their indoor dining is still open as well.

You can also call them directly for takeout and delivery. They are listed on UberEats and DoorDash.

Patio

The newly built patio is on David Street and it was interesting to sit right in the middle of the street. It wasn’t weird or too loud at all. On a nice hot sunny day, the patio is perfect with bites and a drink.

Interior

I love the main wall of the restaurant as it shows imagery of Mumbai. The dining area is open and everyone is spaces a table apart.

Menu

Chaat Sampler

This dish is really fun and a great way to try out different items. You get 2 pieces of each chaat (Shev Puri, Pani Puri, Dahi Puri) and a bowl of Bhel Puri.

  • Pani Puri
    Hollow crackers served with lightly spiced chickpeas, spicy mint and chilli water, sweet tamarind and dates water. You fill the hollow crackers with the different items.
  • Shev Puri
    Flat cracker loaded with potato, tamarind chutney, garlic chutney, shev, onion and cilantro. We enjoyed the potatoes and sweetness of the tamarind chutney.
  • Dahi Puri
    Hollow crackers filled with spiced yogurt, potato, red spicy chutney, tamarind chutney, shev, onion and cilantro
  • Bhel Puri
    A savoury mixture of puffed rice, fried dal, crackers, onion, sweet tamarind – date chutney, spicy chilli chutney and cilantro. It is spicier compared to the other ones.

It’s really good and a one bite dish. Absolutely love the flavours and texture. A great item to share among 2 people.

Mumbai Special Chilli Cheese Toast

This is a butter toasted sandwich stuffed with spiced potato, mixed peppers, green chillies, cheese, served with a side of mint chutney, ketchup and cheese. The bread is nicely grilled and reminds us of a samosa. We were surprised sandwiches with cheese is such a popular street food in India.

Masala Pav

The masala pav has butter pav tossed with onions and butter masala bhaji , garnished with cilantro. This was addictive. The bun is very soft and covered in all that delectable sauce. We could keep on eating this over and over again.

Chicken Malai Kebab

The chicken malai kebab has is made with tender boneless chicken cooked with cream, cheese, ghee and green chillies. This dish was stellar. The chicken is very tender as its cooked in a special Japanese grill and then finished off on a char grill. Really good flavours.

Kombadi Vade

This dish has chicken leg cooked with caramelized onion, fresh grated coconut and coastal spice. It is served with a side of steamed rice and vade.

The chicken leg was very tender and we were very impressed with how they cook their meats. The curry is very flavourful with a hint of spice.

Railway Mutton Curry

This is a newer item on the menu with goat meat cooked in house made meat spice blend, yogurt and coconut milk. It is served with side of chapati and rice. It has a kick of spice and the goat was nice and tender.

Falooda

It is made with rose milk, vermicelli, chia seeds, pistachio, almonds, and vanilla ice cream. It’s a really delicious treat with a good amount of texture and and fragance.

Final Thoughts

Mumbai Local is an awesome place to hang out with friends over some tasty dishes. We loved the dishes and would definitely be back again. Highly recommended.

Address:
1148 Davie St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.mumbailocal.ca/

With dining rooms closed for social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s a great chance to explore some neighbourhood eateries. I live in Burnaby and there’s still lots of family run businesses I haven’t visited yet. Agra Tandoori Restaurant has been on my list, but haven’t been able to make a visit.

They are currently open for take out a delivery via Skip the Dishes. We loved the personalized note on our delivery.

$10 Lunch Specials

On Skip the Dishes, they have $10 lunch specials, so I decided to check them out. It is available Monday to Friday from 11am until 3pm. These are personal sized lunch plates, so it’s hard to share.

Butter Chicken and Rice Lunch Combo

This has boneless chicken nuggets marinated in their special sauce and cooked in garlic, ginger, cream, and tomato sauce. A classic choice.

Paneer Makhni and Rice Lunch Combo

This one has tender pieces of paneer simmered in butter with their tomato sauce then finished with cream. Can’t go wrong with paneer.

Vegetable Pakora

These are deep-fried mixed vegetable fritters. It comes with chutney on the side to dip them into. There is a good amount per order and it is crisp on the exterior and packed with veggies. It’s one of my favourite things to order in an Indian restaurant.

Aloo Paratha

This is unleavened bread fried on a griddle stuffed with potato mixture. It’s made fresh and it’s something I haven’t had before. It’s good but it is a tad spicy.

Garlic Naan

This is garlic leavened bread and it’s a bit different than what I’ve seen at other restaurants as this is incorporated into the bread itself. It’s definitely easier to eat with and nothing sticks to your hands.

Butter Naan

This is their regular butter naan. Simple and classic item to pair with curry.

Bhindi Bhaji

This dish is a vegetarian dish and it’s made with okra, onions, tomatoes, and a blend of spices. It was a nice dish and it’s not too often we have okra. The okra didn’t feel as fresh as I could have been. Usually fresh okra has a slimey and meaty texture to it, but this didn’t. It seemed more dry.

Papadum

Papadum is my guilty pleasure and I absolutely love it. It’s a thin crisp cracker with cumin seeds. I love cumin seeds. You can eat it with other items in the meal, but I just eat it as is.

Final Thoughts

The food was decent for take out and so hard to say what the experience would be like if we dined in. Once the pandemic dies down and dining rooms open again, I’ll definitely be giving it another try.

Address:
3790 Canada Way, Burnaby, BC

Website:
https://agratandoori.co/

Located on Central Lonsdale in North Vancouver, Indian Fusion Restaurant is serving up classic Indian dishes with a modern twist in a relaxed setting. I have to admit, I have walked passed this place many times and never thought about dining here and I can’t believe I’ve been so blind. I’m glad they reached out for us to come make a visit.

Interior

The interior has a lot of seats for smaller groups, but if you’re lucky, you can get a bigger table if you arrive early.

Menu

Chai Tea

We started off the meal with a hot chai tea. I’ve learned to really enjoy Chai over the years. The spices of cardamom is quite nice. It’s not for everyone but I think it pairs well with Indian food.

Veggie Pakora

The veggie pakora are chickpea battered fritters and a good portion comes on a tray. It is crisp on the outside and served with 2 sauces – tamarind and mint chutney. Both great sauces.

Kachumber Salad 

This salad has diced onions, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce and cilantro tossed in black salt vinaigrette. A nice light salad to balance the meal. It’s simple and nothing fancy.

Butter Chicken 

This is a classic item that most people associate with Indian cuisine. There is boneless chicken breast mixed with a butter sauce cooked in ginger, garlic, fenugreek and cream. It was rich, creamy and hit the spot. The chicken pieces inside was meaty too.

Lamb Korma 

The lamb korma has boneless pieces of lamb cooked in a cream, cashew and cardamon. Very fragrant, full of spices, and also very delicious. The korma dishes are popular here.

Fish Masala

When asked what are some good items on the menu, they suggested the fish masala. This has Alaskan cod, cooked onions, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes, tossed in fresh cilantro, and finished with coconut milk. The coconut milk doesn’t stand out as much, but the cod is really good. I usually don’t order seafood items at an Indian restaurant, but this was great.

Palak Paneer 

Palak paneer is my go to item at any Indian restaurant since thats what I usually order. It is a vegetarian dish and it is made with creamy spinach cooked with their home made cheese and lightly spiced. When it arrived, it was different and not so green compared to other ones around town. It was good! The spices are just well blended together.

Mixed Grill 

This dish has a bit of everything for those who are indecisive. There is tandoori chicken, chicken tikka, tandoori prawns, tandoori fish and lamb tikka. The mix grill is served on a melody of onions and peppers.

I was impressed with the different chicken and fish.

Pulao Rice 

This is made with basmati rice cooked with green peas, cumin and spices. Great eaten on its own or with the curries.

Papadum

These are crispy chips made with lentil flour. I love it!! My daughter loves it and she’s only 9 months old. You can eat it on its own or have it with the curries. It’s so crispy and music to my ears.

Garlic and Basil Naan

This is traditional indian flatbread with garlic and basil cooked in a tandoori oven. Very flavourful!

Onion Kulcha

This is stuffed with diced onion, cumin, spices and fresh cilantro. Another great option to go with curry.

Final Thoughts

I was pleasantly surprised with Indian Fusion Restaurant. The staff were nice, it’s kid friendly and the food is delicious. I did prefer the dishes with chicken and fish more than the lamb. The lamb was a bit chewy for me, but nonetheless, the curries are very good. We even had a lot of leftovers so we brought it home and the rest of the family was very very impressed by the quality of the curries.

Address:
2045 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.indianfusiononline.com/

Showshaa is a Tap room which serves up modern Indian fusion cuisine. They are located in South Surrey, so it is quite a drive depending on where you live. My friend’s friend told us about this place and when I saw a picture I knew I had to go check it out for lunch. On the weekday, it was pretty quiet but on the weekends, I am sure it picks up during lunch as more people are off work.

Either way, we were excited to devour their modern Indian cuisine that is actually modern for once.

Interior

There are large windows surrounding the restaurant, but the focal point is really the bar and the TV screens. There are some high top seating, bar seating, booths, and standard seating.

If you have a big group especially in the evening, its best to make reservations.

Menu

Gol Gappa Shots

These come with 6 pieces per order on the cutest little cart. It’s a popular Indian street food with crispy shells stuffed with potato and other ingredients. It sits on top of a mixture of tamarind and mint water. You can pour the shot into the crispy shells or take it as a shot. Either way works.

The tamarind and mint mixture has an interesting taste. You get the pungency of the spices but it isn’t hot spicy.

Alternatively, you can pay a bit more to spike your Gol Gappa with vodka.

Sesame Paneer Fingers

Another signature dish at Showshaa and it has marinated paneer coasted with sesame and then fried. It is served in a glass with a sweet chili sauce.

This dish has a hint of spice and it’s delicious. There are 6 pieces to an order.

Cocktail Samosas

Another appetizer that comes on a cute cart too. There are small cute bite-sized vegetarian samosas that are crispy and stuffed with assorted fillings. It is served with 2 different types of sauces.

Spiced Mumbai Shrimp 

Mumbai Spiced Prawns is marinated in kashmiri red chili powder, lemon juice, and roasted cumin. Then it is deep-fried to a crispy perfection. Another signature dish and it was really good too. A good hint of spices, crisp exterior and very plump prawns.

Tikka Salad

Since we had so many appetizers for lunch, we needed to balance out the meal with some vegetables, so we ordered the Tikka Salad.

You have your choice of chicken or paneer tikka. We went with chicken. It also comes with boiled egg, greens, walnuts, crasins, feta cheese, and a tangy mango dressing. A pretty solid salad if you’re looking for something a bit healthier on the menu. The chicken tikka was seasoned well, but was a tad on the dry side.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we were really impressed by the items on their small bites menu. Very modern and innovative for a tap room serving up Indian fusion cuisine. The flavours were definitely there with a good amount of heat. None of the dishes disappointed and we’ll definitely be back in the future. Their lunch specials looked really good too like thier unlimited Royal Lunch Thali for $15.

Address:
3020 152 St #101, Surrey, BC

Website:
http://showshaa.ca

Bombay Kitchen + Bar is located on Commercial Drive near Parker Street and they serve up a modern twist to traditional Indian dishes like tandoori, curries, naan, roti, etc. They also do delivery and pick up, so it’s convenient if you want Indian cuisine.

We were invited to try a few of their popular items.

Interior

The interior is nice and modern. They have large tables for bigger groups. They also take reservations so that’s great to secure your spot for a party.

Menu

Cocktails

They have a varieties of cocktails on the menu that are alcoholic or non-alcoholic. You can have it more sweet and fruity or more bold and strong.

They also do have the usual Mango Lassi, and Masala Chai Tea drinks. It’s good to have options so you can have it with your meal.

Papadum with Mint Chutney

Papadum is a crisp lentil cracker and it’s paired with their mint chutney. I love papadums as it’s like a large chip but made with lentils. The crunch is music to my ears.

Sweet Chili Gobi

This dish has fried cauliflower fritters in a sweet and sour sauce. The sauce had a good balance between the sweetness and spice, definitely good and tasty. We did notice that the longer you leave the dish, the more soggy it gets.

Veggie Pakora

A classic item to get at any Indian restaurant. It has mixed vegetables battered and deep-fried. It is crisp and paired with a chutney dip. A good texture too.

Tandoori Goat Chops

One of our favourite dishes of the night and it’s also one of their house specialties. It has tender goat chops with crisps. Highly recommended.

Curries

They have a few different curries on the menu and it is best with basmati rice so you can scoop a little curry and some rice to enjoy.

Lamb Kalya is a boneless lamb braised in an aromatic curry. Very tender and full of flavour.

Malai Kofta has mixed vegetables and paneer dumplings in a light tomato and cream sauce. The dumplings had a texture like a potato ball, which adds texture to the curry.

Butter Naan

Buttered Naan is classic to dip into curry. It comes out nice and hot, plus it has a good chew. It’s always good to have both naan and rice to go with curry.

Final Thoughts

The restaurant is nice, has friendly staff, and the food was pretty good. The prices are fair and there are a lot of varieties of dishes on the menu to check out.

Address:
1018 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://bombaykitchenandbar.ca

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Tasty Indian Bistro has opened up their second location in Yaletown and I’ve been so excited since they announced it because their Surrey location is great, but the drive was a little long.

I came here after work with M and BusanGirl to try a few of their classic menu items. Imagine them as a higher end Indian restaurant.

Interior

In the evening, the interior is very dark but the aesthetic is nice as usual. For a Friday evening, it was pretty packed with people even eating outside on the heated patio.

Menu

Sparkling Water

I wish I could have a drink but being pregnant means no more alcoholic drinks for me until next year.

Veggie Pakora

We started with veggie pakora, which are assorted vegetables fritters that are deep fried. It comes with 2 types of chutney for a dipping. Each piece was very crisp and delicious. The chutney helps accentuate the flavours too.

Tandoori Chicken

The tandoori chicken is another popular dish, It has chicken marinated with traditional spices and cooked in their tandoor oven. It is served with lime and an avocado-like mint sauce. It was really tender and it comes on a super hot skillet.

Lamb Vindaloo

This curry has lamb with a curry made of roasted cinnamon, mustard seed, cloves and other spices. It was good with chunk of lamb. The lamb was tender and the curry sauce was tasty too.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is made with spinach and Indian cheese cooked in spices. This is always my personal favourite dish. I like ordering a meatless item to compliment the other curries.

Butter Chicken

This is a classic item to get as it has boneless tandoori chicken cooked in a rich tomato cream gravy. Highly recommended.

Rice

Rice is a good item to go with the curries as it can soak up all the delicious sauces.

Tandoori Roti

This is leavened wheat bread baked in a tandoor oven. It tasted pretty plain when eaten on its own.

Garlic Naan

This was delicious! It is garnished naan with garlic and herbs. Good eaten on its own or with curries. We much preferred this.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the dinner was good and is a great addition to Yaletown. There are lots of options on the menu and extensive drinks menu too. With the addition of this location, you don’t have to travel to Surrey for Tasty Indian Bistro anymore.

Since they don’t take reservations on busy nights, you’ll want to come early to avoid waits.

Address:
1261 Hamilton St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://tastybistro.com/

New India Buffet is located in Vancouver and they have a large buffet with over 70 items and it’s all you can eat. They aren’t the largest Indian Buffet in the Lower Mainland, but they have a good variety of curries. They even have vegetarian and vegan dishes, which is great to suit those with different dietary needs. The prices are fair with dinner prices around $20.

If you don’t want to dine in, they have take out options too for pick up and delivery. There are some free parking spots for the restaurant but there are still ample 2 hour free parking on side streets.

Interior

The interior can seat up to 200 people and has tables for small to large groups. This used to be an Earls, so their interior is nice. They even have a really large bar if you want to watch the game or have a drink.

Drinks

Starting the night off with mango lassi is a great start. It is a traditional Indian yogurt drink and its a way to cool yourself down from any spicy curries. It isn’t included in the buffet as its an extra $4.95.

The Buffet

They definitely don’t boast as much variety as Flaming Tandoori in Delta- Surrey but they have a good range of curries that are really the star of the show.

There is an area for salads to get you started before diving into the richer items on the menu.

Crispy veggie pakoras is a classic item on the menu that you must grab a piece of. They also have french fries, samosa, and spring rolls if you want something else thats deep-fried.

Curries go great with naan or rice. Both great options.

Don’t forget the dessert like the Gulab Jamun, which are milk balls dipped in honey syrup.

What’s on the plate?

A proper buffet requires many trips back to the buffet line to try new things and each time, you discover something new.

Our favourite items of the evening was the naan, butter chicken, lamb curry, fish curry, egg curry, mutter paneer, chicken Manchurian and tandoori chicken. Also, don’t forget to get come Papadom, which are these thin, crisp, disc-shaped crackers. Crazy addictive.

As it’s a buffet, there is endless amounts that you can try. The only thing that may hold you back is your stomach space. hahaha.

Tandoori chicken

There is another menu where you can order specialty items like the Tandoori Chicken served on a sizzling plate. The chicken is marinated in yogurt and spices, then cooked in a hot clay oven.

Final Thoughts

There are some good options if you want a buffet or not. Prices are fair and it’s good they can seat up to 200 people for any occasion.

Address:
901 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://newindiabuffet.com/

Tandoori Flame recently opened up in the Delta-Surrey area as North America’s largest authentic Indian Buffet. Since they have opened, there has been much buzz about this place and line ups everyday that seem to be never ending.

With their 450+ seating capacity with a multi-room layout, they are really drawing a crowd every day and night.

It is a unique dining experience with interactive food stations – 12 food stations and 150 food items. Thats a lot of items to choose from.

Prices

Dining Area

The space is nice and there are tons of tables for small to large groups. They take reservations if you have 40 people in a party or more.

It’s pretty hard to believe they can fit 450 people in this space.

The Buffet Area

The buffet can be very crowded at peak dinner time from 6pm till 8pm with waits of about 30 minutes. The buffet is nice and there are wood and copper panels and pots to give it a nice look.

There is an area for snacks and appetizers like Pani Puri, which you can fill with yogurt, tamarind, and other sauces or ingredients.

The most exciting section is at the back of the restaurant with all the curries and rice. So many varieties that it’s hard to choose what you want to add to your plate. Good thing it’s a buffet so you can grab a bit of everything.

My favourites are the daal tarka, palak paneer and butter chicken.

Fresh Dosa is made on their grill and its so fun to watch. They don’t do this all the time, but if you can catch them in action, its interesting to see how its made.

The make it seem so easy and its stuffed with a potato mixture.

There are big tandoori ovens making naan and chicken tandoori. If you ask them, they can make garlic naan.

At the centre of the buffet are fruits and veggies. All the healthy fresh items in the centre.

Another item made in front of you is the Chana bhatura, which is fried bread. To go with it, is the pindi chana which is like a chickepea stew.

Let’s Eat

Drinks like these do cost extra. We got the blueberry lassi and peachy iced tea. There are alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink options.

We started with some appetizers like samosas, chana bhatura, pindi chana, papadums, pan puri and some sauces.

Next round, I got some rice, palak paneer, naan, daal, butter chicken, and goat biryani.

I got some dosa, chicken tandoori, papadums and palak paneer.

There were tons of dessert options but I went with Mango Custard, Mango firni and petha. I was so stuffed that I wish I could of had more dessert.

Final Thoughts

The Indian buffet is something different for the Lower Mainland. It’s large and there are so many choices. I have been to a few other all you can eat Indian Buffets in town and this is large. It’s not as large as the all you can eat buffets in casinos, but for just Indian food, it’s impressive.

I never knew there were so many varieties of appetizers, curries, rice, and desserts. They do offer vegetarian and Halal options in the buffet.

The items in the buffet do vary, so some options may shift if you come here another time. They have a take out area as well if you love the food but don’t want to wait. Of course the take out isn’t all you can eat, but they will have a few favourite items to get to go – whether it be a meal for yourself and family.

Address:
11970 88 Ave, Delta, BC

Website:
http://tandooriflame.com/

Have you ever seen silk on the ceiling or chandeliers of Egyptian gemstones? Just one block east of Gastown on Powell is a new escape into an opulent lounge of Indian and French cuisine with an unexpected healthy twist. It has taken 5 years for the owner, Gary Sidhu, to bring his vision to life. Much of that effort went into building relationships with organic and local, when possible, suppliers and the gathering of extravagant décor items.

From the outside, the giant Buddha head and bright turquoise, traditional Rajasthani door may throw you off guard on this block that isn’t particularly known for anything. The hand painted elephants of this 135 year old door are guarding a treasure trove. Step beyond the doors and you’re immediately transported into a tranquil sitting area washed in pastel blue with subtle hints at what’s to come with the subtle gold foil details, silk ceiling and a beautiful floral mural.

Peel back the curtains into the main dining area and it’s another world again. Another giant Buddha head hovers behind the bar and candles dot the tables, shelves and corners. Silk covers the walks, leather covers the seats in the lounge area and everything else is in gold foil or gemstones. The more you look the more there is to see.

With the extravagant show that the décor puts on, it was unexpected that the owner was this modestly dressed, soft spoken but all smiles man. We chatted in the bright waiting area about growing up in India, organic farming, nutrition and how he hasn’t caught a cold in 7 years due to healthy eating.

Gary grew up working on his father’s organic farm in India with his siblings when they were children.  He absorbed all of the techniques that his father taught him but it wasn’t until he came to Canada that he realized how important it is to grow organically. One of his first jobs in Canada was working at a non-organic greenhouse tomato farm. He described to me his shock when he learned all the practices. His sentiment could be felt in way he said this single sentence: “nothing came from the soil.” Taking what he learned from his father and wanting to make something good for the world, so comes Silk Lounge with its organic ingredients and whole eating philosophy.

“The main thing I want is to stop unhealthy foods like processed foods.”

Gary described to me the loss of nutrients and other benefits that come from natural foods as they become more processed. Which means a high involvement in sourcing and preparing ingredients in their kitchen. They grind their own spices from seeds. They avoid using white flour and opt for other grains such as barley or millet which is more nutritious.  Most impressively they make their own cheese in-house with milk from  local and organic Avalon Dairy.

I am convinced that organic food is more healthy but sometimes I wonder just how much of a difference does it make in the taste department. I got my answer when their paneer cheese blew me away. I’ve never really liked paneer. I’ve always found the texture strange and dry and the taste pretty bland on its own. Silk Lounge’s paneer is on another level and was my favorite dish of the night. I’m convinced this is how paneer should be and everything I’ve had before were imitations. You should know it’s not the blinding of healthy food talks. I ate the food before I chatted with Gary and evaluated the taste prior without knowing the story.

At the table we filled our bellies with appetizers and cocktails. Mushrooms with a gingery kick and steak bites with very fragrant peppercorn.

If a hot chili kick is more your game, the shrimp is dressed to spicy perfection.

If you don’t like spice then there is the basil chicken. Locally raised and free-range.

For dessert we wrapped up with a completely house-made cheesecake with mango and caramel sauce.

There is a certain joy in this restaurant amidst the shimmering decor. Their floor manager in training Baz, pictured in the candid above, lights up when you ask him about his favorites. The owner fights through language barriers to share his passion for whole and organic foods. They shared a moment when Baz was telling me about how much work has been put into the ingredient sourcing and Gary gave Baz appreciation for his dedication  to the front of house.

I’m definitely going to visit this hidden gem again. In all dimensions from food to service to atmosphere, there’s something special going on here.

Address:
132 Powell St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.silk-lounge.ca/

Saffron Indian Cuisine is a popular restaurant for their lunch buffet as it is a very affordable price. My family was in town, so we called ahead for reservations to ensure all 9 of us would be seated for lunch promptly. I’ve heard lots about this place but I haven’t been here yet.

Interior

For weekday lunch, this place was packed. A few walk-ins and a few reservations. There was a good flow of people until around 1:45pm.

The interior isn’t that impressive, but it does the trick. The lunch buffet area is on the right side with all the dishes all lines up.

Naan

Naan bread is delivered to the table and you can ask staff anytime to refill your basket.

Round 1

I went with salad, veggie pakora and tandoori chicken for round #1. The tandoori chicken could have used more depth of flavour and spice. You can tell the spice level is toned down.

Round 2

This round, I got more curry to eat with the naan bread and a few more pieces of veggie pakora. All goof flavours but I wished there were more options in the buffets with spicier dishes.

Dessert

Kheer is a rice pudding, which I really enjoyed. It sweet but not overly sweet. The other items was like a mango yogurt with grapes. I personally didn’t like it.

Final Thoughts

The buffet lunch is a great deal but as it’s made in large batches, it caters to their general customer. If you love extra heat in your curry, you might want to order from the regular menu. I would have preferred playing a similar price for one really good dish at medium heat. Thats just my personal preference. If you like your dishes mild and have more variety, the lunch buffet is for you.

We Rate Saffron Indian Cuisine

Address:
4300 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC

Website:
http://www.saffroncuisine.ca/

Saffron Indian Cuisine Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Masaladobo is a Indian Mexican Cantina in Downtown Vancouver. This fusion cuisine is almost entirely gluten and dairy free, which is great for those with dietary restrictions. They now bringing healthy and delicious food to those who need a quick bite in the area.

The skytrain is just located a few steps away, which is very convenient for those taking the Canada Line.

Interior

The interior is fun, casual and full of colour. During peak hours, you order at the counter, but for other times, they can serve you at your table instead of going up.

There are lots of tables inside, so there shouldn’t be a problem finding a table.

Tacones

Tacos rolled up into a cone shape for easy eating. It has roti-taco-handroll hybrid red shred, masaladobo (spicy sweet indo salsa), raita verde, in a plancha tortilla, which is all gluten-free on corn tostada.

There are many kinds you can order but we tried the ginger duck kebabs and it has a very unique taste, which blends Indian and Mexican flavours together. The OceanWise options are great too with wild salmon pekora or the seared albacore & shrimp kebab.

Blackened tuna tikka taki

Masaladobo bowl

Masaladobo bowl with added ginger duck kebabs also has golden basmati and sofrito-coconut gravy with fresh greens , pickles and masaladobo.

Margaritas on Tap

They have margaritas on tap. It’s not a party without margaritas. A great item to have after work or sometime closer to the Summer during the hot months.

Indian Cola

A unique non-alcoholic beverage with all the syrups made in-house. It’s very different that your average soda.

If you want something stronger, they definitely have that too. Try a shot of tequila and a fresh-pressed juice chaser.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a unique concept mixing Indian and Mexican flavours. You won’t find a lot of red meat on the menu besides duck, but if you have dietary restrictions, they cater well to those people that are dairy-free or gluten-free, and vegetarians.

We Rate Masaladobo

Address:
433 Granville Street, Vancouver

Website: 
http://www.masaladobo.com/

Masaladobo Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

India Bistro is located on Davie Street and they have an all you can eat lunch buffet. I actually came here with a friend for dinner to try out a few different items from their menu. I love Indian food, but I don’t eat it as often as I do.

There is lots of paid parking outside on the street.

Interior

The restaurant has lots of tables and if you don’t have a reservation, you’ll be ok. It’s always best to have reservations just in case they get super busy. The interior has dark and has dim lighting.

The menu is pretty large and has a good amount of items on the menu. It’s easy to identify any vegetarian or gluten-free options here.

Mango Lassi

A classic drink made of yogurt and mangoes. They make it all fresh here and was delicious. Pairs well with the food here.

Fish Tikka

Fish Tikka was one of my favourite items of the meal. It has fish marinated in fresh ginger, garlic, Indian spices & char-broiled to perfection. It is also served with other veggies too.

The spices were aromatic and the inside of the fish was very moist. I would definitely order this again.

Indian Salad

This salad wasn’t what I expected. It has sliced onion, tomato, cucumber, lemon and green chilli. It was a bunch of chopped vegetables and I think I should of gotten the cucumber salad or buddha salad as it’s more of a traditional salad.

Papdi Chaat

It has thin crisp papdi topped with potatoes, yogurt, sweet and sour tamarind with mint chutney. This is a dish served cold, which was interesting and unique.  When the papdi arrived at the table, it was n’t as crisp anymore due to the sauces.

Palak Paneer Naan

Instead of the usual naan, I wanted to try something a bit different. It has white leavened bread stuffed with spinach and cottage cheese. Delicious and it goes well on its own or dunked in curry.

Raita

It has homemade yogurt with cucumber, carrots and seasonings. It was delicious and paired really well with the naan.

Butter Chicken

A classic dish and it has pieces of boneless chicken breast. You can have different levels of spice in this and we got it medium. It had a nice kick and we could have definitely gotten it hot, but then again, I love my food really spicy.

Lamb Rogan Josh

This has lamb cooked with onions, garlic, ginger and traditional Indian herbs & spices. We got this at medium spice as well. Really good lamb dish and I enjoyed it.

Rice Pulao

To go with the curry, we had to order this. It has basmati rice cooked with cumin, onions & aromatic spices.

Gulabjamun

The dark brown round shaped cheese balls comes in a honey syrup. We got ours served warn and it was really delicious, but it is sweet because of the honey.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the food was really good here, but there were a few items I would pass up. The curries were delicious as well as the fish tikka. The location is great as it is in Downtown Vancouver. Good friendly staff and yummy food.

We Rate India Bistro:

Address:
1157 Davie Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://indiabistro.ca/

India Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

tasty-bistro-2

It was Thanksgiving and we didn’t know where to head out for lunch, but my sister suggested Tasty Indian Bistro in Delta. Everyone describes it as the Cactus Club of Indian food. The interior is very sleek, dark and has some nice decorative pieces.

tasty-bistro-1

The restaurant is quite large, so there are different dining areas. Great space for large groups.

tasty-bistro-3

Our table near the front was made of beautiful stone with nice carvings.

tasty-bistro-4

Vegetable Pakora ($9) are mixed vegetable deep-fried fritters. It is served with two types of chutney for a dipping sauce. The pakora were good, but I wish they had more of a crunch on the outside.

tasty-bistro-5

Lamb Korma has lamb pieces cooked in a mild creamy gravy and spices. It was a tad spicy but not too intense. There was a good amount of lamb.

tasty-bistro-6

Palak Paneer is made of spinach and Indian cheese cooked with spices. You can’t go wrong with this dish. It’s pretty delicious and loaded with spinach. It’s one item I order in most Indian restaurants.

tasty-bistro-7

Butter Chicken has boneless tandoori chicken cooked with rich tomato cream gravy. Always a favourite amongst the table.

tasty-bistro-8

Channa Masala has chickpeas cooked in authentic spices in true Punjabi fashion.

tasty-bistro-11

Onion Kulcha is naan bread stuffed with spiced onions and spices and baked in a tandoor. Goes so well wit the different types of curries.

tasty-bistro-12

Garlic Naan is garnished naan with garlic and herbs. Very fragrant and delicious.

tasty-bistro-10

We got a few rice dishes on the side. Good amount of food for 6 people for lunch. We found that since the curries had a lot of flavour on their own, plain rice and regular naan are good options rather than the flavoured naans. Some people do like the added taste.

tasty-bistro-14

Overall, it was a great lunch with the family over Indian food. There is plenty of free parking outside and its easy to drive to.

We Rate Tasty Indian Bistro:   35rating

Address:
8295 120 Street, Delta

Website:

http://tastybistro.com/

Tasty Indian Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

green-lettuce-inner

Green Lettuce is an amazing hole in the wall restaurant with Indian Style Chinese food. It’s busy every evening, so make sure to get a reservation or come here right at the beginning of dinner time. They also have another restaurant in Surrey.

Green lettuce brings the best flavours of Chinese and Indian cuisine and bring it together.

green-lettuce-pakora

Vegetable Pakora with Chutney Sauce ($7.24) is a must order item. They are more dense because of all the chickpea flavour but it’s so good! I couldn’t stop eating this.

green-lettuce-beef

Pili Beef ($13.95) was ordered for medium spicy and it did pack a punch of heat! The beef was tender and the sauce was great. You will want to eat this with some rice to balance out the heat.

green-lettuce-eggplant-chicken

Spicy Chili Garlic Eggplant with Shredded Chicken ($12.95) was also medium spice, but it did pack a punch too. Lot of good flavours in this dish.

green-lettuce-noodles-chicken

Manchurian style chicken chow mein ($11.95) was good as well but the noodles seemed to just have been plopped on the side.

green-lettuce-prawns

Bombay Garlic Prawns ($15.95) has the deep-fried prawns smothered in the bombay garlic sauce. This is one of their popular items on the menu. It is served with fried shrimp crackers.

green-lettuce-rice

Masala Chicken Fried Rice ($9.95) was a good fried rice. Mix this with a bit of the pili beef and your taste buds will come alive.

green-lettuce-fortune-cookie

At the end of the meal, they give everyone a fortune cookie. It was fun reading the fortunes inside. We probably had the most defective fortune cookies since ours had 2 -3 fortunes each. That means its extra luck right?

None of the dishes at Green Lettuce disappointed. I loved it all! I would come back here again.

We Rate Green Lettuce

Address:
1949 Kingsway
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.greenlettucerestaurant.ca/

Click to add a blog post for Green Lettuce (Vancouver) 貴賓閣 on Zomato

 

just-eat-indian-gate

Sometimes my coworkers and I never leave the office. We eat at our desks and its a horrible habit, but the truth is, it gets busy.

Just-Eat.ca is a Vancouver food delivery service , where you can order online with their website or their mobile app. They invited me to try their service and save me a $50 voucher to use. I totally didn’t mind since I’ve used their service a bunch of times before.

I did a quick search of which restaurants would deliver during lunch time close to the office and there were a good handful of options for Downtown Vancouver. The most common places were Indian, Chinese, Sushi, Pizza, and Thai.

Once you have your order in and pay, the usual wait time is anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour. We went with Indian Gate as it was one of the few places open at 11:30am that would deliver.

The expected delivery time was 12:35pm, but somehow it arrived right at noon! The delivery guy was really nice and friendly too.

just-eat-indian-gate-delivered

The food arrived and it was time to dig in with my coworkers in the boardroom.

just-eat-indian-gate-office

We ordered:

  • Vegetable Pakora
  • Vegetable Samosa
  • Naan
  • Sheekh Kabob
  • Palak Paneer
  • Butter Chicken

All of this plus $6 delivery fee, tips and tax came out to be $56.70. This fed 5 of us for lunch.

just-eat-indian-gate-butter-chicken

Butter Chicken ($15) has the option of choosing the level of spiciness, so we chose medium to add a little bit of a kick into the meal. It contains boneless chicken marinated and cooked with fresh tomatoes and cream. It also comes with rice and papadum.

just-eat-indian-gate-saag

Palak Paneer ($15) is a vegetarian dish and it’s basically spinach and indian cheese. It also comes with rice and papadum.

just-eat-indian-gate-crisp

Papadum is a thin, crispy, and delicious seasoned dough. I couldn’t stop eating this for some reason. It was addictive.

just-eat-indian-gate-rice

Rice is pretty standard and has some peas. As it comes with the saucy dishes, you don’t need to order any additional rice.

just-eat-indian-gate-naan

Naan ($2) we ordered to go with the dishes. It was ok and nothing unique.

just-eat-indian-gate-kabab

Sheekh Kabob ($6.50) were ok, but we didn’t expect the dish to look like this. I imagined skewers or something.

just-eat-indian-gate-pakora

Vegetable Pakora ($5) is always my favourite. It’s pretty decent.

just-eat-indian-gate-samosa

Vegetable Samosa ($4.50) was unimpressive. Tasted ok.

just-eat-indian-gate-dishes

Overall, the food was pretty average. It was decent for a delivered lunch. Delivery was a nice option to go get Indian food while still staying in the office.

We Rate Indian Gate:

Address:
616 Robson St
Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.indiagatefood.com/

India Gate restaurant on Urbanspoon

Sweet India

Along Bukbu Beach  in Pohang, South Korea, there are tons of things to see and eat. On a Sunday, we wanted to go grab some Indian food, but Namaskar was closed, so we headed to Sweet India. They don’t serve authentic Indian food, but more of a Korean fusion.

Sweet India

The restaurant has multiple floors and we dined on the second floor.

IMG_8869 IMG_8870

When you take a look at the menu, you know they are missing a lot of staple Indian food. I was looking for paneer and pakoras, but it was nowhere to be found. If you are looking for more authentic Indian food, definitely check out Namaskar in Pohang.

Sweet India

Complimentary Picked vegetables

Sweet India

Garlic Naan (2,500 won) comes with a huge piece and it looks like its more of a garlic oil on top rather than bits of garlic. Its still good, but it is quite oily when you rip into it.

Sweet India

Original Naan (2,000 won) was large as well. I preferred this over the garlic naan.

Sweet India

Lamb Curry (12,000 won) had a few chunks of lamb and tasted alright.

Sweet-India-veg

Mixed Vegetable Curry (8,500 won) was quite good but the size of the order was small.

Sweet India

Tandoori Chicken (18,000 won) has 4 pieces of chicken legs. The chicken was dry and it wasn’t anything special.

Sweet India

Chicken Tikka (12,000 won) comes with 7 pieces and it is spicy.

Sweet India

Bacon Cream Risotto (8,500 won) was my favourite dish of the evening. It was creamy and super cheesy. Good type of comfort food.

Sweet India

Seafood Tomato Spaghetti (8,500 won) was quite mediocre and some of the seafood could have been fresher.

The food here really doesn’t compare to authentic Indian food and is very mediocre. I probably wouldn’t come here again. The service was quite poor and the waitresses were not attentive at all. People wanted to get refills of water, order or get the bill but we would have to wait a while for a waitress to appear. The servers were mostly behind the counter on their phones. Not cool at all.

We Rate Sweet India

Approximate Location:
1085-3 Duho-dong (5-16 Yongdusan-gil)
Buk-gu, Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea ‎

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.google.ca/maps?q=36.064087,129.381906&num=1&t=m&z=16 “]

Vij's Railway Express

It’s great working downtown since there is always good restaurants and food trucks around. On a nice sunny day, my coworkers and I took a little adventure to Vij’s Railway express to have a taste of their indian food on wheels. Their location is at West Georgia and Thurlow, but this location can vary.

If you’ve heard of Vij’s, they are known for their indian food.

Vij's Railway Express

Their menu always changes and they have some pretty cool items.

Vij's Railway Express

Mushroom Medley with Rice and Naan ($11.25) was a good portion for lunch. I love mushrooms, so it was a perfect dish for me. From the description,  I didn’t know it was spicy. It was a tolerable spice, but it can pack a punch if you don’t like spicy food. I loved the naan, it was nice an crisp on the outside and was amazing.

Vij's Railway Express

Punjabi Lamb Curry with rice and naan ($12.50) was ordered by my coworker. On the way back to the office, she kinda spilled some on herself, so remember when carrying the box back to the office, keep it upright. She did enjoy it.

Overall the food was good and better than most food trucks. Do note, that you probably need to pop in a few mints before getting back to the office. One of my coworkers said she smelled like garlic for 3 days.

We Rate Vij’s Railway Express

Location:

Varies but is usually at E Georgia and Thurlow. Double check on their Facebook or Twitter.

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/vijsrailway

Vij's Railway Express on Urbanspoon

[googlemap width=”620″ height=”480″ src=”https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=V6E0B6&hnear=Vancouver,+British+Columbia+V6E+0B6&t=m&z=16 “]