Vij's Restaurant

This was by far the highlight of the trip to Vancouver. I've been wanting to eat here for a very long time; after really only having indian buffet options in Edmonton I was beyond excited to try a new spin on indian cuisine that wasn't bogged down with cream or cluttered with knick-knacks.

It's definitely a new take on indian fare - even in the decor. Unlike the regular restaurants that are heavily ornate and cluttered, you walk through a glass door into a small foyer that has a traditional ornate wooden door and into a very modern dining room. The walls were a bare grey with simple lanterns above the tables, with simple dark wood tables and chairs. You walk to the back to put your name on the waiting list, where there is a tiled bar, and a small casual seating area. Despite the lack of decorations the room had a great warm ambiance to it.

Though we went on a wedensday night, there was a hour long wait time to get a table. It went by quickly though - with being offered drinks as soon as we put our names down for a table and the numerous delicious finger foods that the wait staff were bringing around, you never felt ignored or neglected. While we waited I tried their Indian mojito, which was a traditional mojito, but with lichee. It was great - light and refreshing and not overly alcoholic, so it was great to drink start to finish.

Once we were seated the wait staff were quick to look after us and take our order. The wait staff were also unusual compared to the traditional indian buffet, in the fact that none of them were east indian, but rather young "hipster looking" women, who took your order on an iphone! We decided to start off with the Jackfruit, in a black cardamom and cumin curry. Jackfruit is very interesting, with a very meaty texture to it. The curry was spicy and rich and got into all the crevices. Needless to say, it went quickly.

Next we decided to share 3 mains: the sag and paneer with lentil curry and chipati; beef shortribs in a yogurt, fenugreek, and cumin curry, and a chicken curry with roasted red peppers. These were all served with rice and naan pieces. IT. WAS. AMAZING! The sag was incredibly fluffly, as if it were whipped, with the paneer tasting really fresh and perfectly fried. Both the beef shortribs and the chicken were incredibly tender (probably some of the most tender meat I've had). All the curries were incredibly flavourful, but surprisingly light feeling. The naan was crispy and chewy - perfect! Certainly these recipes are grounded in the traditional route of indian cooking, but have a new twist in terms of texture and body.

We all ended the meal off with their mango pistachio ice cream and some chai. The chai was nice and spicy, without being either to bitter or sweet, and the ice cream was great. Not overly creamy or too sweet as well, with the hint of mango flavour complemented well by the bold nutty flavour of the pistachios.

Overall it's probably one of the best meals I've had this year and when we left I was already wanting to go back for more. I would highly recommend this place - and if you don't want to wait an hour or more for a table, or pay the fine dining prices, I would suggest checking out the adjacent restaurant Rangoli (same owner and chef, just a more casual experience) as I am sure it's equally as good!