Mumbaiyaa

Sometimes, food gets repetitive.  Yah it is definitely #firstworldproblems and given the economic climate at the moment, the fact I get to eat delicious food is a blessing in itself.  So take what I'm saying in context.  I'm always looking for interesting eats and when I try another new Indian restaurant, the food can be absolutely wonderful, but it can be the same-o same-o.  However, when we checked out Mumbaiyaa out on Hastings in Burnaby, there were signs that it would be different.  First of all, it is vegetarian and primarily a chaat house.  Second, they are located in Burnaby!  In my hood!  So I was pretty excited for my visit.

Looking over the menu, the predominant items were the Indian Pav (butter rolls).  The Butter Vada Pav featured spicy and soft potato that was battered and fried until golden brown.  I found the layers of texture appealing with pillowy soft buns with a crispy potato patty in between with delicate potato inside.  Then you had the intoxicating flavours of garlic and then green chutney.  This was so flavourful and aromatic that you didn't notice there was no meat!

Now that was good, but the real star was the Cheese Burst Vada Pav.  This was essentially a butter vada pav with the addition of a cheesy filling in between the layers of spicy garlic potato within the crispy batter.  The same delicious green chutney was there as well.  As much as this was almost the same as the butter vada pav, this was more robust with the ooey gooey cheese and also it somewhat cooled the spice to a degree.  I could eat a tonne of these!

Looking very similar to the butter vada pav, the Thecha Vada Pav was different for one particular detail - lots of green chilies and cilantro.  This made the whole thing very green and remarkably unique in flavour.  Much more spice and also very green-tasting with the cilantro and also the green chutney.  For me, it was still all about the cheese vada pav for me as it was more subtle.

Beyond the cheese vada pav, our next favourite item was the Ulta Vada Pav.  This was huge bun was stuffed full of spicy potato masala and then coated with besan batter.  This was deep-fried until golden brown and crispy.  Oh this was absolutely delicious and had the same qualities of the previous vada pavs, but with the crunch on the outside and all of the soft textures on the inside.  This was plenty spicy as well.

Other than vada pavs, we had both the Pani Puri and Sev Puri.  With the former, the hollow crispy shells were filled with tender potatoes, a pomegranate seed and some spicy tangy water and sweet chutney.  A nice crispy one-biter that packed a lot of flavour.  As for the latter, we found a crispy puri topped with potatoes, onions, tomatoes and chutneys with thin gram flour noodles on top.  Also a one-biter, but maybe with a spoon or fork.  Flavours were a bit more complex here due to the sharp onion and fresh tomatoes.  More crispiness with this one.

Moving onto something a bit different, but featuring a side of fluffy baked kulcha, the Chhole Kulcha featured a chick pea curry that had a surprising meatiness and depth.  Slightly sweet and almost smoky with spiciness that continued to elevate and really hits at the end.  For me, the super soft kulcha was the best part as it was light as a cloud and soaked up the delicious and spicy curry like it was supposed to.

Featuring 3 soft buttered pav, the Pav Bhaji was another delicious curry that was the beneficiary of really soft bread. The cooked-down vegetables were spicy and slightly sweet with plenty of umaminess.  The curry was smooth and and impactful.  It could've been fine with naan or even rice, but the addictively soft buns complimented the curry much like the chhole kulcha.  Eating the buns by themselves would've been awesome, but pair it with a tasty curry, well that makes it more awesome!

Our one rice dish was the Tawa Pulao with basmati, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, peas, pav bhaji masala and coriander leaves.  This was a fully-loaded rice that was rather saucy.  Lots of flavour from the sweet onions and bell peppers.  There was spice to this and also plenty of impact from the coriander.   Since the rice was already cooked, the texture was a bit softer.

As for the sweets, we had an Oreo Milkshake during the meal and Falooda for dessert (Rabdi & Rose).  The milkshake was creamy and smooth being a drinkable viscosity.  It was sweet, but not overwhelmingly so.  As for the falooda, they were sweet, yet balanced.  Lots of bouncy vermicelli hidden within the milky concoction with ice cream on top.  At the end of our meal, I was really glad that we made it out to Mumbaiyaa.  Nice to try some new things and also some familiar ones.  What a nice addition to the neighbourhood as we do not have anything like it nearby.  The stuff is so tasty and fulfilling, you won't miss the meat!

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Lots of flavour and spiciness

- Reasonable pricing

- Super nice owner

The Bad:

- I mean, if you want meat, but for me I didn't miss it

- A little carb heavy, but it is vegetarian though

Clove - The Art of Dining

If you haven't already noticed, Indian cuisine (particularly Punjabi) is fast becoming more refined and served in fancier digs. Much like the humble Cantonese restaurants of the 70 and 80's, we now find higher end establishments littering the dining landscape.  Of course prices go up with the territory, but we are finding superior service, modern spaces and elevated food.  One of the newer high-end Indian restaurants to hit the scene is Clove - The Art of Dining.  Jacqueline and I were invited to sample some of their wares.

There was a set menu for us that started with the Scallop & Shrimp with cauliflower alleppey, raw mango, sago crisps and curry leaf dust.  As you can see, this was nicely plated with bold colours. It ate quite well too with buttery and nicely seared scallops.  The puréed cauliflower was smooth and creamy with aromatics.  We loved the sago crisps as they were crunchy and light.  They were great to pick up the remaining alleppey.

Next we had the Goan Salmon Fish Cakes coated with rava with pickled mooli and mango sriracha sauce.  Although looking rather pale on the outside, the fish cakes were crispy and not greasy.  Inside, the salmon was moist with some drier parts.  I thought that the sweetness of the salmon came through, but it did really need the sauce to add the necessary kick as well as moisture.

Onto the mains, we had the classic New Delhi Butter Chicken.  Since this was mainly comprised of roasted tomatoes, the tanginess was more muted while the creaminess was quite apparent.  The use of tandoori chicken thighs meant the meat was more tender and moist as well as exhibiting umaminess due to the fat content.  I thought this was a well-balanced butter chicken where the spices came through with a bit of heat.

 

We were presented with something I've had recently was the Bombay-Style Parsi Lamb Kheema.  I personally think these are the tastiest "sloppy Joe's" around.  The lamb kheema was tender, moist and full-flavoured with a touch of spice.  Loved the sunny side egg on top as it added another layer of silkiness.  Those buns were toasted just right to be soft the inside and firm on the outside.

So Jacqueline isn't much into lamb (hey, but I am!), so they supplied an alternate dish in the Kadhai Paneer.  This consisted of bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, roasted kadhai masala and fenugreek.  This was a savoury and spiced concoction that helped flavour the squishy paneer.  Lots of robust spiciness from the masala that helped make this a good compliment to the rice and naan.

About that Garlic Naan, it was good.  I found the pillowy soft texture was complimented by equal parts of elasticity.  On the outside, there was leoparding providing nuttiness and some crispiness.  It was brushed with ghee and littered with garlicky goodness.  We also got the Assorted Papad with 3 chutneys including chatpatta hummus, smoked tomato garlic, and mango chili.  These chutneys really complimented the crispy papadams.  I especially enjoyed the smoked tomato garlic as it was layered with flavours and aromatics.

Onto dessert, we had the Gulab Jamun Cheesecake.  Yes, you read it right, the really sweet doughball soaked in rose water has been combined with a cheesecake.  The result was a more balanced dessert with the sweetness from the gulab jamun making up for the mild-tasting cream cheese.  I really enjoyed the bite of cheesecake and a touch of the gulab jamun.  I found the crust to be nicely firm as well.  Overall, the food at Clove was good and plated nicely.  The dining space is gorgeous and fitting of a fine dining establishement.  This is another great addition to the higher-end Indian within the Surrey restaurant scene.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:

- Gorgeous dining space

- Solid eats

- Elevated experience

The Bad:

- Parking lot can get rather busy at times

Desi Turka

Most people would say that the best Indian food can be found in Surrey, in particular, along the Scott Road corridor.  I generally agree with this sentiment because I've had my fair share of solid Indian food on Scott Road.  It also helps that I work nearby and everyone keeps giving me suggestions as to their favourite restaurant.  However, if you look hard enough, there are equally good Indian spots littered all over the Lower Mainland.  It isn't much different than the proliferation of great Chinese restaurants.  One place I visited recently was with Jacqueline in Desi Turka in New West.

We started off with the Chicken Momos with mint and tamarind chutneys on the side.  These Indo-Tibetan dumplings were quite good and compared well to the ones I had at Katmandu Restaurant on Scott Road.  The dumpling wrapper was medium-thick with a nice delicate chew to them.  Inside, the chicken was moist and tender while nicely spiced.  I like dipping them into the tamarind chutney since I love sweet tanginess.

Arriving on a sizzling cast iron plate with an intoxicating aroma, the Tandoori Chicken was on point.  As you can see, there was plenty of exterior charring, which meant there was a smokiness to the dish.  The chicken itself was quite moist inside and the marinade did penetrate the meat.  The final touch was a light drizzle of butter sauce that added some added layer of flavour and texture to the already flavourful chicken.

Now we couldn't just have Tandoori Chicken with butter sauce without having the actual Butter Chicken itself right?  The Butter Chicken featured big chunks of breast meat, which were tender and moist.  In actuality, the chicken in butter chicken is tandoori chicken, so this dish and the previous are directly related.  I really enjoyed the butter sauce here as it was rich and creamy with just enough tomato tanginess.  We could definitely taste the spices.

Of course to go with the butter chicken, we had to get some carbs in the form of Pulao Rice, Garlic Naan and Butter Roti.  Rice was nicely prepared where it was nutty and chewy.  We loved the naan as it was blistered and crispy in parts while stiff soft and chewy in others.  Good amount of butter and garlic brushed on top.  As for the roti, it was crispy and nutty with even leoparding.  It was glistening with butter, just how we like it!

Going for a different protein, we decided to try the Bombay Fish Curry.  It was loaded with flaky and soft pieces of fish.  As for the curry, it was thick with a good amount of spice and spices.  We asked for hot and it did have a lingering heat even well after we finished eating it.  Could definitely taste the ginger and the sweetness of the onions.  Naturally, there was also the classic Indian flavours of cumin, coriander and cloves.

Lastly, we had to get a vegetarian dish into the meal and we did just that with the Palak Paneer.  The creamy spinach gravy was earthy from the cumin and cardamom while nutty and slightly sweet.  There was a plethora of squishy and delicate paneer nestled within.  Overall, we quite enjoyed our meal at Desi Turka and I would definitely say that it gives the Indian restaurants along Scott Road a run for their money.  Good option in New West.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Reasonably-priced
- Good spice level (we requested hot and it was indeed that)
- On point proteins

The Bad:
- Place is a bit small, so would fill up quickly

Vij's

This revisit to Vij's has been a long time coming.  Every year, I keep making plans to go and for some reason or another, it never materializes.  This has been further exacerbated by the fact Viv has never been there.  Yes, as unbelievable as it sounds, she has never eaten at Vij's.  So when Costanza and Elaine asked where she wanted to go for her birthday dinner, it was pretty much the perfect time to go.  Of course we arrived before opening to stand in the iconic lineup to snag a table.  Even though it was in the dead of Winter (not too cold though), it spilled out onto the sidewalk.

As we were seated, the usual complimentary appies were offered including pakoras and lentil chaat.  Not to worry, we did order some smaller plates of our own to share including the fantastic Eggplant in thick yogurt curry.  What really made the dish was the fried onions on top as they not only added a crunch, the aromatics and sweetness combined with the nutty batter added layers of flavour.  The eggplant itself was tender while retaining a bite.  It was bathed in a rich curry that was tangy with a background spice.  Equally tasty was the Jackfruit in black cardamom and cumin curry.  Each nugget of jackfruit was tender and juicy.  Again, there was a balancing amount of tanginess (from the pickled ginger especially) to go with the slight spice and earthy notes from the cumin.

Another classic dish was the Garam Masala Portobello Mushrooms in porcini cream curry.  It was rich and smooth with little pops of lentils and rice.  Naturally, it was woodsy and aromatic while deceptively spicy.  Being creamy, the spice didn't hit until midway through each bite which helped create waves of flavour.  This would be repeated again and again as all the dishes were both subtle and impactful at the same time.  Our last small dish was the Rabbit with onion-jalapeno-ginger sauteed in raw sugar.  Naturally lean, the rabbit was still tender and moist.  Again, there was enough tanginess to offset the sweetness and spice.  Loved the sharp, almost "sundried tomato-like" onion jalapeno ginger which created pops of sweet tanginess.

Onto the mains, it was a foregone conclusion that we would order the Wine-Marinated Lamb Popsicles in fenugreek cream.  This iconic dish has been copied by others but never executed like the original.  Only lightly gamy, the lamb was tender and cooked perfectly (with some pink).  Beyond the caramelization on the outside, the subtle wine notes were in the background as the cream took centre stage.  It was aromatic, sweet and lightly earthy.  As much as I sopped as much on the lamb as possible, the cream was subtle enough to let the lamb shine on its own.  Interestingly, I was rather fond of the Coconut Curried Vegetables on lentil & brown rice pilaf even though there was no meat.  I found the potatoes and cauliflower to have enough meatiness to stand up to the mild aromatic (due to the coconut) curry.

Although I really enjoyed the texture of the Duck Koftes in creamy tomato & kale curry, this was one dish that was a bit out-of-balance.  The koftes were too salty in our opinion which helped obscure the creamy tomato curry.  Fortunately, the spice level was a bit higher in this dish which meant it somewhat offset the saltiness of the duck.  Texturally, they were meaty while being tender.  Lastly, we had the Braised Shortribs in fennel & mustard seed curry which was also a well-executed dish.  The shortribs themselves were fork tender with enough fatiness so that the meat was also buttery and soft.  I found the curry rather mild with only a touch of licorice essence.  Loved the kale as it was lightly blanched where it still had a bright crunch.

A long time ago, I criticized the Naan that came with our meal was hard, thick and dense.  Well, that is clearly not the case now as it was thin, crispy in parts and soft and elastic in others.  Beautiful charring with an appealingly nuttiness.   This, along with the rice was refillable upon request.  We really didn't need to do that since we had more than enough food that was rich, full-bodied and complex.  Nice to see that Vij's still has that going for them after all these years.  The time until my next visit won't be as long...

The Good:
- Full-bodied with complex flavours
- Something a bit different than usual Indian restaurants
- On point service

The Bad:
- Can be rather heavy, order accordingly (which we didn't)
- Although there are limited reservations available now, you generally still have to lineup

Swaad/Heimat by Bauhaus & Mumbai Local

Typically, I blog about "regular" restaurant experiences I have with my family, friends and/or other foodies.  Hey, that is what I do in my "regular" life, so it translates directly onto this blog (and my IG account).  However, there are certain special events that are interesting and worth writing about (no, I'm not talking about grand openings...), rather, I'm referring to the recent collaboration dinner by Chefs Tim Schulte of Bauhaus and Tushar Tondvalkar of Mumbai Local (who incidentally have worked together in the past).

Before we got to the 6-course dinner, we were served German Bread accompanied by coconut curry butter and bacon butter.  Okay, the bread was well, bread.  However it was robust enough so we could spread the butter without it tearing apart.  The curry butter was aromatic due to the coconut and of course aromatic from the spices.  Now the bacon butter was even better being whipped, purposefully salty and rich.  Not sure why it was grey in colour though.  Alright, one more item before the actual dinner - the amuse bouche.  It consisted of Duck Liver Lego and Edible Charcoal.  Ingeniously set in a lego mold, the little "brick" was buttery, smooth and aromatic with a pronounced duck gaminess.  Beyond the crisp shell, the edible charcoal sported a spicy and ginger curry potato centre.  This was a flavour bomb for sure.

Onto the first course, we were served the Dahi Batata Puri consisting of a crispy potato shell with soft potato accented by yogurt, tamarind, date puree and mint.  This was both classic and modern at the same time.  The flavours were all there including the mint and the tanginess of the tamarind underneath the crispy potato.  The little drops of date puree were spicy as much as it was sweet.  The yogurt on the bottom of the plate added a creamy tang.  Layers of flavour and different textures were at play here.  My favourite dish of the meal was the Ochsenschwanz or oxtail ravioli served in beef consomme and with celeriac puree.  The pasta was al dente and appealingly chewy.  Inside, the oxtail was tender where the flavours popped with wine and sweetness.  Lots of meatiness and depth, but not salty.  Loved the clean taste of the broth that kept things from being heavy.

From one dumpling to another, we were served the Duck Momos with coconut curry and burnt shallots.  Although the dumpling skin was a little thick and chewy, this was not really an issue as the sauce was fantastic.  The tender duck dumplings merely served as a vessel to sop up all of the delicious creamy aromatic curry.  Loved the spice level as it was definitely there without blowing my tongue to bits.  The charred shallot was not merely a garnish, it provided a sweet crunch.  Sporting a fish skin "chip", the Forelle or steelhead trout was served with whipped smoked potato, champagne kraut and brown butter.  At first, I thought the potato was a Hollandaise sauce, but in fact, it was just very airy and buttery smoked potato.  It was a nice "sauce" for the perfectly cooked trout which was flaky and moist.

Our last savoury item was the Entenbrust featuring seared aged duck breast, red cabbage puree, garlic panisse and charred onion with onion cream.  Despite looking rather pale, the duck skin was crispy and mostly rendered.  The aged duck was tender and deliciously gamy.  By itself, it tasted great, but with the the onion, panisse and red cabbage, there was a lot going on including aromatics, tang and sweetness.  I really enjoyed this dish.  Onto dessert, we had the Kulfi with sugar apple, white chocolate coating and pistachio.  As much as this looked really sweet, it was much milder in actuality.  The pistachio really came through while the kulfi was lightly sweet and moderately creamy.  Loved the pistachio cookie that provided a nutty crunch.  This was a nice finish to a really tasty and interesting meal.  Definitely some real skill exhibited with well-executed and attractive dishes.

*All food was complimentary*

The Good:
- Restrained creativity
- On point execution
- Flavours were impactful

The Bad:
- Although keeping dishes true to either Indian or German cuisine meant harmony, I would've liked to see some mash-ups (even if they didn't work)

Vij's Rangoli

*Restaurant is closed*

We all know about the lineup that begins to build long before 5:00 at Vij's on 11th in Vancouver.  I've been in that situation before, but in my mind, it's worth it.  For those who don't get in, its next door neighbour, Rangoli, becomes the backup plan.  Well Vij's will be in a new home on Cambie pretty soon while the space-challenged Rangoli will expand into the old space.  Since Vij's is not open for lunch, Rangoli becomes the number one option for someone to dine on Vikram Vij's food (other than his food truck and My Shanti out in Surrey).

With that in mind, Sean and I met up for a revisit lunch at Rangoli on a beautiful sunny day.  This was the perfect scenario to enjoy the tight patio seating in front.  We started things off with the Savoury Chaat with wheat crisps with potatoes, sprouts, chutney & yogurt.  We felt this was a substantial portion that ate actually quite heavy.  Despite the wet ingredients, the wheat crisps remained crunchy to the end.  On top, the chunks of potatoes were soft while still retaining some texture.  We could taste a multitude of flavours including mint, coriander and spiciness.  Next, we enjoyed the Split Pea, Lentil and Spinach Bharta with mogo fries and Bengali curry.  As much as cassava fries can be dense and fibrous, the ones here were crunchy and not overly heavy.  The combination of the purposefully spicy curry with the usual hits of cumin, turmeric and ginger was tempered by the smooth and soothing bharta.

Onto our mains, I went for the Portobello Mushroom and Red Bell Pepper Curry on paneer with beet salad & naan first.  This was an aromatic and fulfilling dish despite being vegetarian.  The meaty and tender mushrooms combined with the crumbly and light paneer which added body to the dish.  The light creaminess of the curry as well as the muted spices allowed the mushroom and peppers to stand alone.  Now onto something with meat, we had the Lamb in Coconut and Mustard Seed Curry.  This was a winner with large chunks of tender and moist lamb.  It was bathed in a curry that featured the aromatics of coconut as well as the slight pungency of the mustard seed.  This was all balanced out by the usual spices (cumin and coriander) and the creamy coconut milk.  As I've mentioned before, I don't understand the hard discs they pass off as naan here and at Vij's next door.  The naan at My Shanti is so much better.  Despite this, the food at Rangoli didn't disappoint by offering up trademark Vij's food.

The Good:
- Flavours on point as usual
- Well-prepared eats

The Bad:
- Tight seating
- Crappy naan