Here we are at Sula to try out their Dine Out Vancouver 2025 menu. I've always said that not all DOV menus are created equal as some restaurants tend to make up stuff that generally has nothing to do with their regular menu and/or serves things that are just not very good. They do understand that the whole point is to hopefully capture some repeat customers right??? Well I'm glad to report that Sula has got the memo and their menu is not only appealing at first glance, it is affordable at $39.00 whereas many places are much more than that (however, some are worth it, just depends on the menu!).
For the DOV menu, there are 3 choices for appetizers including the Palak & Kale Chaat. I've had this dish several times before and I have to say that this version was one of the crunchiest. This painstakingly labour-intensive dish requires battering and frying each piece of spinach and kale individually. The result here was universally crispy pieces doused in tangy, sweet and bright chutneys. There was some sweet yogurt to cool thing soft while some firmly crunchy sev added even more texture.
The one meat option for the appetizers was the Achari Chicken Tikka. These were marinated in pickle spice which gave them a slight earthiness while helping them stay moist and tender. There was a nice char from the tandoor which afforded nuttiness and smokiness. The pieces of chicken themselves were rather mild, but with the help of 2 chutneys on the side, they came to life. I much preferred dipping them into the tamarind with its sweet tanginess, but I'm sure the traditionalists would use the bright and slightly spicy mint chutney instead.
The vegan option in the appetizer section was the Sweet Cauliflower Chili Bites. These were lightly battered and served crispy. Even after the toss of sweet and spicy chili sauce, most parts were not softened. The cauliflower florets were fully-cooked but did not become overly soft. There was still a bite. As you can see, this was a rather large portion for one person, as with the other appie options. This was probably strategic as the main courses were modest in size.
About those mains, we tried the first of 4 choices in the Mughlai Chicken. Now, let me say this - sure the curries themselves were modest in size, but it also came with choice of rice and choice of naan. So including the appetizer, you won't go hungry. Back to the chicken, it was bathed in a nutty and creamy curry. It had definitely some earthiness to go with a slight gingery aftertaste. This was mild and went well with the coconut rice. There was some scrambled egg to be found in it in lieu of hard-boiled eggs. As for the chicken, the pieces were large and completely tender.
Onto a vegetarian offering, we found the Spinach and Cheese Kofta sitting in a creamy cheese and nut sauce. The kofta were quite good with a firm density that changed as we broke them apart. Loosening them with a spoon and soaking into the sauce, the combination of paneer and spinach became almost fluffy. It took on the slight saltiness of the cheese as well as the nuttiness from the cashews. It was also buttery and creamy that offered up richness to go with either the rice or naan.
For a $3.00 supplemental charge, you could opt for the Bhuna Lamb which was meaty, yet still fork tender. Since the cut was lean meat, the lamb gaminess was minimal. This didn't sit in a sauce per se because the cooking process sees spices fried up and then other ingredients are allowed to evaporate. This dish is somewhat like a Malaysian Rendang with just enough earthy and spicy sauce. I enjoyed this with the coconut rice.
The last main dish option was also my favourite and it was *gasp* vegan! It was the Portobello Mushroom Curry cooked in a coconut curry. Due to the use of coconut milk/cream, this curry was still rich and full-of-depth. The sweetness and slight spice came through as well as the usual fall flavours. I found that the portobello mushroom juices melded with the curry and gave it plenty of umaminess and body. Super delicious and I soaked this up with the garlic naan.
So about the Naan, we had 3 choices including Garlic Naan, Onion & Cilantro Naan and the classic Naan. As you can see, these were huge and in addition to the choice of Basmati Rice or Coconut Rice, you certainly would be hard-pressed to finish it all considering the large appetizers. These were cooked up in the tandoor and sported nice charring on the bottom. They had appealing elasticity and some fluffiness after the initial chew.
Onto dessert, there were 2 choices including the Mango Coconut Cake and the Rose Milk Cake with Cardamom Saffron Rabdi. My pick of the 2 has to go with the former as it was light and creamy with mousse-like layers of sweet and tropical mango and coconut. As for the latter, it was not as sweet as it appeared or sounded. The cake was supremely moist and definitely floral. Lots of aromatics here. In the background, you will notice 2 featured drinks in the Masala Mango Maragrita and the Bangalore Bloom. Both of these drinks were dangerous because they went down rather easy. The fruitiness of the margarita made it light and refreshing while the bloom had elements of chai with fruit juices. Overall, the DOV menu at Sula Commercial is a good value. For $39.00, you will be full due to the large appies and the inclusion of both rice and a huge piece of naan. Flavours and spices are definitely there, although I would recommend getting something more than mild. We did that given differing tolerances, but that severely impacts the overall taste of the curry.
*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*
The Good:- Appealing price point
- You get enough food
- It tastes good
The Bad:
- You get enough food, but it is a bit carb heavy