Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
#46
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Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Posts: 228
Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
Agree, Indian culinary fare is generally 'duller' in Canada compared to the UK. Hardly anyone here has heard of terms like 'jalfrezi' or 'vindaloo', and I have to find cans/bottles of Patak's sauces if I want to recreate anything approaching the UK high street taste.
That said, I'm wondering if the nostalgia is somewhat misplaced considering the UK experience was typically getting smashed at the local corner pub (non-existent here), stumbling/walking across (you have to drive here) to the local Star of India (here they shut at 10pm) and ordering the hottest item to impress your chums....
That said, I'm wondering if the nostalgia is somewhat misplaced considering the UK experience was typically getting smashed at the local corner pub (non-existent here), stumbling/walking across (you have to drive here) to the local Star of India (here they shut at 10pm) and ordering the hottest item to impress your chums....
#47
Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
Agree, Indian culinary fare is generally 'duller' in Canada compared to the UK. Hardly anyone here has heard of terms like 'jalfrezi' or 'vindaloo', and I have to find cans/bottles of Patak's sauces if I want to recreate anything approaching the UK high street taste.
That said, I'm wondering if the nostalgia is somewhat misplaced considering the UK experience was typically getting smashed at the local corner pub (non-existent here), stumbling/walking across (you have to drive here) to the local Star of India (here they shut at 10pm) and ordering the hottest item to impress your chums....
That said, I'm wondering if the nostalgia is somewhat misplaced considering the UK experience was typically getting smashed at the local corner pub (non-existent here), stumbling/walking across (you have to drive here) to the local Star of India (here they shut at 10pm) and ordering the hottest item to impress your chums....
#48
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 20,777
Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
Agree, Indian culinary fare is generally 'duller' in Canada compared to the UK. Hardly anyone here has heard of terms like 'jalfrezi' or 'vindaloo', and I have to find cans/bottles of Patak's sauces if I want to recreate anything approaching the UK high street taste.
That said, I'm wondering if the nostalgia is somewhat misplaced considering the UK experience was typically getting smashed at the local corner pub (non-existent here), stumbling/walking across (you have to drive here) to the local Star of India (here they shut at 10pm) and ordering the hottest item to impress your chums....
That said, I'm wondering if the nostalgia is somewhat misplaced considering the UK experience was typically getting smashed at the local corner pub (non-existent here), stumbling/walking across (you have to drive here) to the local Star of India (here they shut at 10pm) and ordering the hottest item to impress your chums....
I have put this hilarious link on twice before on other parts of the Forum, but nobody seems to appreciate it, perhaps you will??? Ordering the "blandest item".
#49
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Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
The Indian (Anglo-Indian ?) restaurant in Britain is a recent phenomenon. Unheard of in my parent's time !
#50
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Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
...I'm wondering if the nostalgia is somewhat misplaced considering the UK experience was typically getting smashed at the local corner pub (non-existent here), stumbling/walking across (you have to drive here) to the local Star of India (here they shut at 10pm) and ordering the hottest item to impress your chums....
#51
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#52
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Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
Now there are restaurants covering Indian cuisine of most of its areas/states. However in number, most restaurants in UK are Bangladeshi run.
Chutney Mary (v. expensive) in London, I think had some Anglo-Indian dishes, I went there once years ago, but found it pretentious.
#53
Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
Apparently there were Muslim restaurants more than a hundred or more years ago, but the generally accepted earliest in UK was Veeraswamy's in London 1926.
Now there are restaurants covering Indian cuisine of most of its areas/states. However in number, most restaurants in UK are Bangladeshi run.
Chutney Mary (v. expensive) in London, I think had some Anglo-Indian dishes, I went there once years ago, but found it pretentious.
Now there are restaurants covering Indian cuisine of most of its areas/states. However in number, most restaurants in UK are Bangladeshi run.
Chutney Mary (v. expensive) in London, I think had some Anglo-Indian dishes, I went there once years ago, but found it pretentious.
The Bombay Club Restaurant
#54
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Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
When I'm in DC this is the place we usually go. Very posh nosh for an Indian.
The Bombay Club Restaurant
The Bombay Club Restaurant
#55
Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
This has not been my experience, I usually order a vindaloo and, a fortnight ago, wished I'd gone for something milder after the lamb vindaloo at the Coridander Kitchen about set me alight. Numerous nans, Kingfishers and buckets of raita were needed.
#56
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Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
When I'm in DC this is the place we usually go. Very posh nosh for an Indian.
The Bombay Club Restaurant
The Bombay Club Restaurant
If in UK/London and eating out usually go for South Indian food. Woodlands vegetarian (Marylebone) is good, even if a little overpriced.
#57
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Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
Plenty of online recipes!!
I have put this hilarious link on twice before on other parts of the Forum, but nobody seems to appreciate it, perhaps you will??? Ordering the "blandest item".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix9OP1i9UN8
I have put this hilarious link on twice before on other parts of the Forum, but nobody seems to appreciate it, perhaps you will??? Ordering the "blandest item".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix9OP1i9UN8
#58
Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
It hasn't been mine either. My local place does all the favourites, vindaloo, jalfrazie, dhansak, rogan josh etc and you can order it from mild to extra hot. Just don't challenge the chef to "make as hot as he likes." It doesn't end well.
#60
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 26,724
Re: Why is Indian food so bad in Toronto?
In tbe SW and S wales we are seeing a trend towards what I can best describe as Nouvelle Indian, fortunately without the pretence that went with that fad years ago.
Much of it is based more on S Indian cuisine than the chicken tika variety.
More expensive with some of the dishes not really suitable for sharing..
Our local favourite is the Mint and Mustard group.
Even in our little part of Portugal where we have a holiday ome we can get excellent Indian food.
The restaurant in question is very popular with Canadian snowbirds who flock to the Algarve in winter.