Tag Archives: curry

Totally biased product review by me — Mistaan Sweets

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Mistaan Sweets

Chicken Karahi bought from Mistaan Sweets. They also sell the spicy Tamarind Date sauce so we used that on some roast potatoes.

There’s a great little no-frills curry place up by Finch and the 404 called Mistaan Sweets but you wouldn’t notice it if you drove by as it’s tucked away in an industrial area, hence this review. You’re welcome.

As the name implies their specialty is sweet goods and they sell a ton of those, but the curries are just as good and very authentic. There’s not much seating space but we suspect most customers just grab a takeaway for the office lunch. It is open seven days a week which is a bonus too.

They also sell a nice range of Indian sauces and pickles at very reasonable prices.

Our go-to dish there is the Chicken Karahi and it’s a decent-sized portion at a nice price of $6.99 which is not bad at all. Just ask the server for extra spice and it will suit most tastes. Nice large chunks of chicken and keep an eye out for the green chilli they throw in for fun. That has bite! We still need to try more dishes, including the Vindaloo.

This is a great little place if you’re in the hood and we give it a Brits in Toronto 4/5 stars.

Update February 27, 2020
We have raised the rating to a Brits in Toronto 5/5 stars! Just had the Chicken Vindaloo and, OMG bruv, kidding you not, the flavour is on point. Be warned though = ultra hot spice level. We’re talking a 5-tissue blow your nose level. Love this place.

Totally biased product review by me — North Of Bombay

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North Of Bombay

Loads of luvly sauce, guv, just perfect

Took one for the team last week and went for yet another curry, just so I could review the place. You’re welcome.

Steps away from Curry Twist in The Junction, my place of choice was North Of Bombay.

Having checked the menu online beforehand, I was very excited to see a rare sighting of Bombay Aloo, one of my favourite Indian food dishes. Not being a rice fan, I usually substitute it for that.

I complemented that with the Chicken Karahi (listed as Karai Chicken on the menu). Note that it’s not included on the menu in the restaurant but they will cook it on request.

I asked for medium spice levels but the server mentioned better to go up a notch to medium-hot, so I did. It was definitely a good recommendation and I soon had my hanky out to blow my nose. Wasn’t ultra-hot but just getting up there. Perfect level.

I liked these two dishes a great deal because, as you can see in the photo, there was lots of sauce which I love. Threw in a few poppadoms, a side of the spicy mixed pickles and I was sorted.

The portions are very big and mine could have easily fed two people, but I had the leftovers the next night = just as good.

North Of Bombay gets a Brits in Toronto 4/5 stars. It’s currently now my local curry house of choice.

Totally biased product review by me — Curry Twist

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Curry Twist

If you like your curry delivered in a little bucket, then you’re in luck!

I really, REALLY wanted to like Curry Twist.

The website looks appealing … the reviews are glowing … even bloody Susur Lee has eaten there it seems! And it’s a rare totally biased product review by me where I’ve gone, not liked it — and gone back to give it a second chance.

That second chance was last night. And, to be finally honest with myself, I just don’t like it. That happens sometimes.

I went for the Lamb Twist Masala = “Tender, boneless spring lamb rubbed with garlic and spices before being simmered in a spicy tomato-based sauce seasoned with fresh herbs.” How can that not be delish?

It came in a little bucket that — first world problem — made it hard to pour on the peas pilau rice. The curry itself wasn’t spicy enough and, to be fair, I did ask for “medium spice” so that was probably my fault. I’d recommend going hotter or vindaloo level.

The lamb was a little chewy for me. I tend to eat most meat medium rare though so, again, not my preference. (You can tell I’m trying to give Curry Twist the benefit of the doubt here.)

I also ordered a spicy mixed pickle as a side but the pot was really small compared to other curry houses I’ve been to. Bit disappointing.

So, all in all, I’m giving Curry Twist a Brits in Toronto 2/5 stars.

Addition: Probably not their fault and I am in the minority according to other reviews. I think the problem is that I REALLY miss the bright red neon-glow British curries back home. The ones here are probably more authentic and properly made … but they’re not to my liking as much as the Brit ones. That’s why this slot is always called totally biased product review by me — because it’s only my opinion.

So, my search for a “real” British curry soldiers on.

And, no word of a lie, after living in Toronto since 2000 I’ve NEVER been to try the curries in Little India. I intend to remedy that in 2018, so if you have any favourite places to recommend for a British-style curry, post them below or send a tweet. Cheers.

Totally biased product review by me — Taste Of India Vindaloo Sauce

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Taste Of India Vindaloo Sauce

The price is comparable at $7.00 which is quite good actually as that’s a saving of $2.01 which helps a little bit if you have a fiscal imperative to save the spondoolies

Where do you go when you need a beautiful table ornament made out of gold paint-sprayed pine cones, holly and twigs? A fetching turquoise blue glass jar? A plaid cushion that you’re proud to show guests?

You got it — HomeSense!

Where do you go when you need a vindaloo sauce?

You got it — er, HomeSense?

Yes, trust us. We were surprised too when we stumbled across this product when browsing for home furnishings. At only $4.99 for a large packet, we had to give it a go.

It’s a sauce inside, but be careful not to get it on you as it’s pretty oily. Maybe it was Ghee, a staple of British-style curries back home.

But what set this product apart was the little extra bags of spices that came with it. A bit like those crisps that came with a little blue salt bag back in the day, the diner of this product can choose their spice level. It’s not just culinary democracy — it makes the whole prep time a fun experience too.

This one had a bay leaf, some chili powder, vindaloo spice mix and that little twig thing that you forget about until you crunch it and it goes between your top back teeth and into your gums. We didn’t use that one.

Taste? Very authentic for a shop-sold product. Nicely rich and flavourful. Throw some chicken in there, onions, tomatoes, peppers and minced ginger/garlic and you have a decent curry. It also freezes well for re-heating.

All in all, very impressive … and we give it a Brits in Toronto 5/5 stars.

Totally biased product review by me — Kama

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Oranges, browns, greens ... a true curry

Oranges, browns, greens … a true British-style curry

Still one of the best Indian restaurants in Toronto is, in my totally biased product review opinion, Kama on King Street West. You may walk straight past it the first time as it’s located downstairs.

Persevere though — pretend you didn’t make a mistake, turn around nonchalantly, walk back a few paces, look down, take the five or six not-so-steep stairs and you’re there. It’s well worth the effort.

The buffets are Kama’s strength. Lunch for $13.75 and dinner for $19.75 — great value. Loads of choice too.

Tip: if you go for lunch, aim for 12:00 p.m. on the dot, or 1:00 p.m. when the office crowd are heading back. You’ll have to wait for a table in between those times. Not good if you haven’t finished your Q1 results PowerPoint presentation for the afternoon meeting with the VP.

The curry they serve here is the closest the Brits in Toronto crew have found to the ones in England. Therefore, there is a lot of orange and yellow, the best Onion Pakoras in town and the hard-to-find Bombay Potatoes.

Their Butter Chicken is very nice too, but the Vindaloo is not as spicy as a Brit Vindaloo — it’s taken down a few notches for the Canadian palate, but the flavour is excellent. They have all the hot lime pickles and other sauces in a separate salad section if you wanted to mix some in to raise the heat level.

A good selection of veggie dishes too means that everyone is covered. A very good office lunch place, and therefore we give it a Brits in Toronto 5/5 stars.

Totally biased product review by me — Walmart Butter Chicken

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Gotta say I've had "better" chicken. See what I did there?

Gotta say I’ve had “better” chicken. See what I did there?

Stuck again all day in the Brits in Toronto office cubicle. It’s such a buzzing place, full of action and ringing phones, that I didn’t get a chance to grab some lunch.

No worries — Phil from accounts had left his Walmart Butter Chicken in the office fridge, so I borrowed that instead. It wasn’t labelled or anything.

Things got off to a rocky start when I followed the on-packet instructions to “tear off corners to allow hot steam to escape.” Upon checking the microwave three minutes in, I noticed a lava flow of molten hot rice bubbling over the edge of the plastic container and making a mess.

As to the actual taste of the cuisine itself, I found the aforementioned rice to be a bit gloopy and stuck together, not fluffy at all. Bit disappointing, but rice is not my favourite part of a curry anyway … so onto the meat.

The chicken was OK — nothing special. Needed a bit more seasoning, and the spice factor was VERY LOW. I didn’t need to blow my nose once. Very tame. (But then butter chicken is a mild dish anyway, so was to be expected.)

One saving grace was that the portion size wasn’t too bad. I wasn’t stuffed or anything, but this will get me through my late afternoon conference call with the Welsh in Toronto office and to dinner.

I give it a Brits in Toronto 2/5 stars.

Totally biased product review by me — President’s Choice Blue Menu Spicy Chicken Vindaloo

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Beware! Sprig of parsley not included. Repeat, sprig of parsley NOT included

Beware! Sprig of parsley not included. Repeat, sprig of parsley NOT included

So, when you’re sitting in your grey work cubicle trying to think outside the box and haven’t really got time to head for a lunchtime Ruby Murray with the three co-workers you like and the one you don’t that hangs on, then you need options for that spicy craving.

Enter the President’s Choice Blue Menu Spicy Chicken Vindaloo. It’s available for a few bucks from Loblaws supermarket in the frozen food section.

I had one today actually, so thought I’d give it a totally biased review, seeing as it’s my opinion really.

Excitedly unwrapping the box, I was slightly disappointed to find no healthy green sprig of parsley was included as depicted on the box. On the plus side, it only takes four minutes to heat up in the microwave, then another two as you take it out whilst avoiding the scalding steam escaping from the slit, and heating it again. Let stand one minute (really drags when you’re starving) and you’re ready to dive in.

Pretty impressed! The basmati rice is fluffy and moist, not dry at all. The spice levels are adequate to make me reach for my handkerchief for a nose blow and brow mop combo, before diving back into the sauce.

One small critique is that there could be more chicken pieces. But what it does have is moist and tender, so no complaints there.

In summary, a nice lunch if you’re stuck in the office that’ll leave your mouth tingling in the following meeting with Suzy from accounts.

I give it a Brits in Toronto 4/5 stars.

New curry house opening next to St. Lawrence Market

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Brown paper and green tape teasingly unfurls to reveal zilch inside

Brown paper and green tape teasingly unfurls to reveal zilch inside

I keep my ear to the ground for new restaurant openings that may appeal to the Brit palate, and noticed that BlogTo mentioned an Indian bistro opening soon right next to St. Lawrence Market.

A quick Google search revealed a restaurant of a similar name in Denmark of all places. I perused the menu and one of my wish-list items is there: Bombay potatoes. Superb. That’s not on many curry menus that I have been to in Toronto so will look forward to giving that a try.

Sometimes though, depending on the tastes of the host country, they tweak the menu slightly so I hope that particular dish makes the cut.

It seems to be a franchise, so will keep an eye on when it opens and tweet out the date. Keen to try the food too so will post a review once done.