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Out of India — Page 2
Northern Foundations
Raga
This West Side institution, which opened in 1981, serves
food fit for the legendary Mughal emperors. Raga’s
charcoal-fired tandoor produces luxuriously tender meat.
Chicken is unbelievably juicy; prawns are plump and
tender. Light curries allow the spices to sing—this
is why you fell for Indian food in the first place.
Many vegetarian options are available. 1177 W. Broadway,
604-733-1127
Ashiana Tandoori
Writing in this magazine in the early 1990s, James Barber
called Ashiana’s “undoubtedly the best Indian
food in the city.” And its northern-style classics
still earn gushing reviews. The menu and the prices
haven’t changed since 1992, but chef/owner Rick
Takhar keeps re-inventing his food; his newest creations
are found on the takeout menu. Try “Chef Rick
specialties” like jaan-e-man—potatoes, jackfruit,
cauliflower, and spinach cooked in peanut sauce—and
tofu corn methi malai. The sauce for his ginger-and-garlic-infused
chicken dilpasand is sublime; ask for the takeout menu
even if you dine in.1440 Kingsway, 604-874-5060
Southern Wave
Nooru Mahal
Nooru Mahal was a Punjabi restaurant until Sri Lankan
native Raj Aiyathurai took control six years ago, giving
Vancouverites a taste of the subcontinent’s southern
flavours. Sri Lankan–style kingfish curry is light
and brothy compared to the gravy-like stews of the north.
It’s a sharp, one-two bite of tangy tamarind and
hot chilies. Sop it up with flaky southern-style paratha
bread. Nooru Mahal’s idlis—fluffy, sourdough-like
steamed rice and lentil cakes—are perfect models.
Nooru Mahal also offers its own take on fusion, found
in southern dosas filled with northern stuffings like
vindaloo. Singaporean staff have also lent their touch
to the menu: Sri Lankan sting hoppers—patties
of fine rice noodles—get a Singaporean treatment
with coconut and palm sugar to make puttu mayam. “Only
in Canada,” says Aiyathurai of his creation. 4354
Fraser St., 604-873-9263
Saravanaa Bhavan
With 41 restaurants around the world including places
like Delhi, Dubai, Oman, London, New York, and Toronto,
Saravanaa Bhavan is the surest sign the world is catching
on to southern Indian cuisine. The Vancouver branch
of the chain opened in January to lineups out the door
for vegetarian food that is light, fresh, and full of
spice. Northern-style dishes are kept on a separate
menu to keep diners focused on the South. Stick to the
dosas, utthappams, adais, and other southern treats.
A bonus: the prices are unbelievably low.955 W. Broadway,
604-732-7700
Chutney Villa
Chutney Villa’s southern-style curries earn the
spotlight, bursting with permutations of coconut, curry
leaves, and hot chilies. But take note of the namesake
chutneys; the not-so-“authentic” pear and
banana chutney is outstanding. 147 E. Broadway, 604-872-2228
Global Excursions
Samosa Garden
Samosa Garden has plenty of Punjabi standards on the
menu, and its tandoor-baked naan is perhaps the best
in town. But the real lure is to sample foods from East
Africa’s Indian community. Samosa Garden’s
highlights include masala tilapia, the love child born
of Indian spices and African fish. Kuku paka, from the
Swahili words for “chicken” and “rub,”
is a delicious curry of grilled chicken marinated in
coconut milk. 3502 Kingsway, 604-437-3502
Green Lettuce
This is Chinese food the way Indian people eat it. On
weekend nights, Indo-Canadian families line up and squeeze
into Green Lettuce for a taste of home. Just as Chinese
immigrants to Canada tailored local ingredients to suit
their palates (and created uniquely Chinese-Canadian
cuisine), India’s Chinese immigrants infused their
recipes with Indian spices and heat. The result is dishes
like gobi Manchurian, crispy battered cauliflower with
a sauce of chilies, onions, and cumin. 1948 Kingsway,
604-876-9883
Indian 2.0
Vij’s
Vij’s reigns as one of the world’s most
celebrated Indian restaurants. Its still-revolutionary
blend of contemporary cooking and Indian flavours helped
spawn a modern-Indian movement from London to New York
to Toronto. But while others seek to elevate Indian
cuisine with ostentation—witness London’s
Rasoi and its tandoori chicken wrapped in 24-karat gold
foil—Vij’s transforms quality local ingredients
to make food that’s unexpected, dynamic, and always
appetizing. Try the beef short ribs, served in a cinnamon
and red wine curry with warm greens. 1480 W. 11th Ave.,
604-736-6664
Rangoli
The pulled pork with sour cream chutney is like a sloppy
Indian pulled pork burrito, a ménage à
trois of Indian, Mexican, and American Southwest. The
fresh mint and mango chutney breathes new life into
the classic Punjabi snack of samosas with channa masala.
Playful and relaxed, Vij’s all-day younger sibling
hits all the right notes for lunch or a casual dinner.
1488 West 11th Ave., 604-736-5711
Mysala Indian Bistro
Vancouver’s Indian restaurants are usually mom-and-pop
shops; Mysala is what happens when the kids grow up
and open their own joint. This 60-seat lounge, in the
heart of the Granville bar zone, mashes urban cool with
Indian flair: deep booths, flickering candlelight, groovy
electro-Indian beats. The menu is streamlined to fewer
than a dozen mains. AAA rib-eye steak, free-range chicken,
and grilled wild salmon with cilantro mint sauce are
all cooked on a state-of-the-art grill (although there
are tandoor items on the menu). Partners Paul Thind
and Davy Sangara hope to develop the concept into a
casual fine-dining chain, an Indian version of Earls
or Cactus Club. 980 Granville St., 604-688-2969
Sweets and Snacks
All India Sweets and Restaurant
Situated in Main Street’s Punjabi Market, All
India features tables overflowing with neon Indian sweets
up front and buffet steam tables at the back. Try the
hyper-sweet gulab jamun, pastry balls made of powdered
milk, then deep-fried and dipped in honey syrup. Skip
the buffet and order savoury items à la carte.
Indo-Canadian families take a break from browsing the
nearby sari shops to load up on snacks of samosas with
chutney and chickpea curry, or meats cooked in the tandoor.
6507 Main St., 604-327-0891
Groceries
Punjab Food Centre
These grocery stores in the Punjabi Market offer all
manner of spices, vegetables, and Indian cooking tools,
like non-stick griddles to cook chapattis or pappadums.
Here you’ll find all the necessary ingredients
to make curries, dosas, and idlis from scratch, or take
a chance on powdered mixes (though they won’t
produce the same results). Simplest of all are pappadums—toss
them in your toaster oven for a quick and tasty snack.
6635 Main St., 604-322-5502
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