Ethnic cuisine at one point in time was purely associated with inexpensive, cheap and unsophisticated. Many customers are looking for more memorable experiences with elevated cuisine and equally impressive decor, cocktails and service. Of course, there are those who still want good value and there are plenty of choices for that. It is especially important since the economy is still not quite there. We've seen higher end Chinese proliferate the Vancouver restaurant scene as well as extravagant Omakase and even elevated Vietnamese. Now we are seeing more and more luxurious Indian restaurants. One of the newest is Desi Lounge in Downtown Vancouver. Jackie and I checked the place out recently.
To illustrate the elevated cuisine at Desi Lounge, the best example of this was the Udupi Burrata. Naturally, we don't see this soft fresh cheese in Indian cuisine. But the chef combined that with Indian flavours with success. The fresh burrata sat in a udupi-spiced smoked tomato puree, which was earthy, a bit spicy and full of fall-type flavours. The smokiness did come through while the tomato tang as muted. As much as garlic toast might seem like an odd accompaniment, it worked well with a contrasting crispiness while giving way to a soft airy centre.
Going with something more traditional, we had the Raj Kachori which was majestically plated. It consisted of a large crispy semolina shell stuffed full of diced potatoes, red onions, yogurt, spiced chickpeas and tamarind & mint chutneys. I've had this dish on numerous occasions and this one was definitely up there in terms of execution. Potatoes were tender while maintaining texture, onions were crunchy and bright, chickpeas were flavourful with some kick. Combined that with soothing yogurt and the tangy sweetness of the tamarind as well as the brightness and heat from the mint chutney, it was a flavour explosion in my mouth.
The Tandoori Chicken was another example of a dish that was elevated while still maintaining the integrity of the dish. On that note, the custom plates really made a difference in the presentation of the food and it shows the effort they are putting into that part of the experience. Sure, the chicken was plated nicely, but its execution was also flawless. Each piece of chicken featured beautifully-rendered skin that was crisp and exuded the flavours of the marinade including earthiness, spice, sweetness and nuttiness. The chicken itself was moist and succulent.
One of the most impressive dishes we had was the Tandoori Sockeye Salmon. Many other fine-dining spots in town may not even execute a piece of salmon better than Chef Bal. Featuring spiced and crispy skin, the salmon was beautifully prepared. It was flaky and moist throughout despite being a leaner type of salmon. The accompanying apple and pickle salad went well with the salmon with sweet crunch as well as an appetizing tanginess. The mint chutney raised the brightness level even more so while adding a creamy heat.
Moving onto the curries, they were definitely more traditional, but in terms of flavour, the Bombay Seafood Delight surprised us. In my experience with Indian seafood curries, I find that the flavour of the curry and seafood are usually mutually-exclusive. For this one, things were incorporated that the curry were it was reminiscent of a seafood chowder but with Indian spices. Definitely got the nutty earthiness as well as some spicy tanginess. The seafood was just perfect with the sweet snap of the shrimp, tender crunch from the squid, plump butteriness of the mussels and tender bounce of the scallops. Delicious!
Although Jackie isn't into lamb, I had to get my way and order the Lamb Rogan Josh. I got the dish to myself! Good thing too as it was also excellent. Each cube of lamb was tender and the gaminess was quite mild due to the lean cut of the meat. I found the spice level for the curry to be on point. It had heat, but not to the point where I could not taste the other spices. Definitely got the ginger as well as the sweetness from the cardamom as well as the fall-flavours from the cloves. There was plenty of body to this with rich spices and warmth.
Moving onto some vegetarian dishes, we had the Kolhapuri Paneer Mushroom. This was surprisingly spicy, yet that was just perfect for me! Once again, it wasn't spicy for the sake of being spicy. There was heat, but I could get the layers of spices as well. Definitely got the nuttiess and earthiness as well as the aforementioned heat. There was also background sweetness from the coconut. I thought the plating of the mushroom and the paneer on top of the curry was neat as it allowed them to have more texture. Also the dusting of spices on top concentrated the heat even more so.
I thought the Malai Kofta was one of the best curries amongst the ones we tried. It was creamy and rich with a noticeable natural sweetness. This was quite mild and we didn't find any particularly flavour to be more dominant than the other. There was apparent nuttiness though which added to the creaminess. Once again, we had some earthiness from the spices. As for the potato and cheese kofta, they were light and not overly dense. Nice soft texture while not mushy either.
Our last 2 curries consisted of the Malvani Chicken & Palak Paneer. I found the chicken to be super tender while nestled in a thick and rich curry. Definite aromatics going on with the coconut and noticeable spice too. As for the Palak Paneer, it wasn't as dark as some other versions and it was also not as heavy. The brightness of ginger really came through and although the spinach was cooked down, it still had a bit of texture. The paneer were soft and squishy, just how I like it.
Naturally, we had some Garlic Naan to go with all the curries and it was solid. The bottom was crispy and well-charred while the rest of it was soft with appealing elasticity. Nice garlic essence to go with the ghee. As much as we enjoyed the Garlic Naan, the Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Naan was outstanding. One of the best versions I've had. The outside was crispy with an aromatic nuttiness. The naan was almost flaky while the filling was delicious. I gladly ate this just by itself.
Beautifully-plated, the Malai Ghewar consisted of a crispy nest of batter that was akin to fried honeycomb. It was light and purposefully sweet. On top, we found malai, nuts and berries. This made for a refreshing dessert that was a good end to the heaviness of the curries. Overall, the food at Desi Lounge is fantastic. From the classics to the some more creative dishes, they were all prepared with care and did not lack impact. Combined with the beautiful decor and reasonable prices, Desi Lounge makes for a night out that won't break the bank.
*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*
The Good:- Delicious food with impactful, but balanced spice
- Beautiful decor
- Reasonable-pricing
The Bad:
- Parking is limited in the area