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Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

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Old Jun 1st 2015, 2:35 am
  #16  
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by dbd33
In Toronto there are still a few along Gerrard, in the Indian Bazaar, though the fabulous BBQ Hut is now, sort of, closed. We go to the Coriander Kitchen in Orangeville which is very good indeed.
Yeah there are a few. The difference in Canada (and the US too IMO) seems to be that you need to go hunting for the good ones. In the UK, the good ones far outnumber the bad.
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 2:37 am
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by plasticcanuck
Why don't you ask people of Indian heritage why there are no Indian restaurants in Toronto that meet your quality requirements. If anyone's to blame it's them, not Canada or Canadian/Provincial Governments.
Could it be that Canadians just don't like Indian cuisine that much.
Originally Posted by Jones89
Where did I blame the government, you gotta work on your reading comprehension.
+1. The man's a moron.
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 4:22 am
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
+1. The man's a moron.
It's that nail on the head succinctness that makes you the God you are!
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 11:58 am
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
That's understandable. India is <shock> a big place spanning a huge range of climates and therefore of cuisines.

Where are your Indian colleagues from exactly?
Cruikshank, who's from Kerela, liked the Madras Durbur (name approximate) on the south of Gerrard in the bazaar. She said the food there was just what she was given as a child to eat "on long train journeys". I've no doubt they serve authentic food. Alas, what children eat on trains in Kerala, is a paste of cold rice in yoghurt. Authentic, but horrible.
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 12:18 pm
  #20  
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Moncton has 2....yes 2!!! Indian restaurants!!! Probably my single biggest issue with Moncton is the lack of competition for world cuisine. It has however improved over the 5 years that I have been here and hopefully will continue to do so.

One of the Indians is by far the worst Indian food I have ever seen. (see my nickname....I have seen a few )

The other is an average 6 out of 10. In this part of Canada the chain is king.

Even the Chinese places here proudly advertise Chinese and Canadian food on the signs.....

When I was long haul and in Toronto every week I would go to Tandoori Flame in Brampton. This was recommended to me by an Indian bloke who was one of my regular deliveries. He would go there from Oakville.

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Old Jun 1st 2015, 12:37 pm
  #21  
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by MarylandNed
I also find this baffling. I spent 7 years being spoiled on great Indian food along 'The Curry Mile' in Rusholme, Manchester - seriously, I haven't had better Indian food anywhere. Then I moved to Toronto and the Indian food was so bad that I stopped eating it. I found much better Greek and Mexican restaurants instead. I moved back to the UK (London) for a couple of years. The very first Indian restaurant I tried was one near Canons Park tube station and the food was fantastic. Now I'm in the US and have the same problem of finding good Indian food. I've now found one Indian restaurant that is decent enough but still not of the same quality as those in the UK. Baffled as to why the Indian food I have experienced in North America is so hit and (mostly) miss. A bad Indian restaurant would simply not survive in the UK.
You have to remember that British curry is just that- a variety of cuisines mashed together and perfected due to enormous public demand. The classic menus- jalfrezi has peppers, dhansaks have friend onions etc etc, are all inventions of the anglo-indian chefs which have become pretty well harmonised over the years.

Canada ain't like that. Having said that Bombay Bhel in Markham is very good and Lahore (which is obviously not indian) on Gerrard East is great but you have to learn a completely new menu.

I haven't tried Brampton but again genuine indian style cooking can be a challenge for the british palate.
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 2:02 pm
  #22  
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by Pizzawheel
You have to remember that British curry is just that- a variety of cuisines mashed together and perfected due to enormous public demand. The classic menus- jalfrezi has peppers, dhansaks have friend onions etc etc, are all inventions of the anglo-indian chefs which have become pretty well harmonised over the years.

Canada ain't like that. Having said that Bombay Bhel in Markham is very good and Lahore (which is obviously not indian) on Gerrard East is great but you have to learn a completely new menu.

I haven't tried Brampton but again genuine indian style cooking can be a challenge for the british palate.
Lahore Kabob has good food but it's not licensed. We used to pick up food from there and eat it in the Yard.
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 2:26 pm
  #23  
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by Pizzawheel
You have to remember that British curry is just that- a variety of cuisines mashed together and perfected due to enormous public demand. The classic menus- jalfrezi has peppers, dhansaks have friend onions etc etc, are all inventions of the anglo-indian chefs which have become pretty well harmonised over the years.

Canada ain't like that. Having said that Bombay Bhel in Markham is very good and Lahore (which is obviously not indian) on Gerrard East is great but you have to learn a completely new menu.

I haven't tried Brampton but again genuine indian style cooking can be a challenge for the british palate.
That's not strictly true. I've worked and lived in areas with high populations of people from India and am used to quality authentic food. I found it once here but then the place changed hands and became the usual sloppy gravied Canadian style stuff.
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 2:55 pm
  #24  
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by dbd33
Cruikshank, who's from Kerela, liked the Madras Durbur (name approximate) on the south of Gerrard in the bazaar. She said the food there was just what she was given as a child to eat "on long train journeys". I've no doubt they serve authentic food. Alas, what children eat on trains in Kerala, is a paste of cold rice in yoghurt. Authentic, but horrible.
When you see her next mention The Host in Markham. Authentic, but delicious.
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 4:21 pm
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by Pizzawheel
.

I haven't tried Brampton but again genuine indian style cooking can be a challenge for the british palate.
Ahhh... but that what makes it work in Brampton, for many Indians (t)here its a second destination

This is where a conversation with a local can end up on the finer points of shopping in Tesco's along with who's who in Cricket today, where local Indian shops also have baked beans on the shelf
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 4:36 pm
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
When you see her next mention The Host in Markham. Authentic, but delicious.
OK, next time I'm in Amsterdam(!)
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 5:08 pm
  #27  
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by dbd33
OK, next time I'm in Amsterdam(!)
Ah yes, I think you mentioned once that she and the Swede had buggered off to Europe.

Must be out of their minds.
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 5:18 pm
  #28  
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by plasticcanuck
Could it be that Canadians just don't like Indian cuisine that much.
Tim Horton's is enough to fill the taste buds of an unsophisticated Canadian. Probably best to leave them out of it.
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 5:29 pm
  #29  
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

The place I order takeaway from in Vancouver is not bad now that I have set some parameters and expectations about how I like the food prepared, the only problem is that most dishes have gone up by about $4.00 per dish over 3 year period. But as people have observed, mostly the Indian food here is rubbish but like most things in Canada, the demand for quality is not there, so why would they bother?
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Old Jun 1st 2015, 6:35 pm
  #30  
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Default Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
When you see her next mention The Host in Markham. Authentic, but delicious.
I've never tried the host- probably just because I found the Bombay Bhel first (same area).
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