Buffet at Punjab Sweets

Buffet at Punjab Sweets #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Jun 23, 2016 at 3:34pm PDT

A meeting in Mill Woods brought me and my ride to Punjab Sweets. I was already familiar with the delicious selection of sweet treats, but had never tried the buffet. I normally don't like buffets because they are expensive, and in order to feel like I got my money's worth I overdo it and feel lousy for days afterwards. However, the buffet price was quite a bit lower than other comparable ones, and I found the food quality to be a step above at the same time. The butter chicken was made with white meat and had a unique sweetness to it. There was also a sweet rice that helped balance the spice of some of the dishes. The brown daal was divine, as was the tandoori chicken. The sweet, milky ras malai was incredible, as was the rice pudding with its hint of rose water. The price, selection, and quality was excellent and guess what? I felt fine afterwards. I cannot wait for my next visit.

Mango Butter Chicken at Naanolicious

It's Saturday evening. You guessed it - I went to Naanolicious for supper. Believe it or not, there are still a few menu items I have not yet tried. The mango butter chicken dinner is one of them. A generous portion of creamy, delicious butter chicken is served with basmati rice, a wedge of mango, and a shot glass with mango puree, to sweeten things up to taste. If you like butter chicken, you can't go wrong with this.

Indian Arrabiatta Pasta at Naanolicious

There is not much I haven't ordered off the menu at Naanolicious, but the Indian Arrabiatta Pasta was one of them - until this past weekend. Tri-colour fusili cooked in an Indian butter sauce, with vegetables. I added chicken for an extra $3 and basically interpreted the meal as butter chicken on pasta with vegetables. You can't really go wrong with that - the sauce worked well with the pasta, which was cooked properly, and it went well with a piece of plain naan. Plus, the portion was huge - it was served in a bowl that was practically as a big as a bucket. If you like butter chicken and want to try a different take on the dish, definitely try this.

Butter Chicken "Panaani"

Butter chicken panini sandwich #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Naanolicious is becoming one of my "go-to" food places on Whyte Avenue. I unexpectedly ended up there for lunch and had a pressed naan sandwich, whimsically called a "panaani." The combination of the crispy naan bread with rich butter chicken on the inside satisfied by cravings for both. I would have appreciated a few more of the savoury Bombay potatoes and the salad was more of a garnish. Still, I really enjoy how Naanolicious presents Indian food in unique ways.

Naanolicious Butter Chicken Fries and Naan

Butter chicken fries and naan. #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Another Saturday afternoon had me going back to Blues on Whyte to see a band. It also meant another visit to Naanolicious.

I had been wanting to try the Butter Chicken Fries ever since I first saw the item listed on the menu. I was not disappointed - huge chunks of tandoori chicken in a rich butter sauce topped a generous portion of piping hot fries. It was quite decadent and the portion size deceptively large.

I ordered a piece of plain naan for an extra $3 to absorb the rest of the butter sauce. The flat bread was freshly made and buttered, and perfectly chewy and crispy.

Of course, I had some chai to wash everything down. And again, I enjoyed the atmosphere.

Gurvinder's Butter Chicken

Gurvinder's Butter Chicken, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

On Saturday, a small group of us headed to Brewsters for post-rally food and libations.

I finally tried Gurvinder's Butter Chicken, which has been on the menu forever - long before other mainstream restaurants included a butter chicken. I recalled when a group from my former church used to go to Brewsters for lunch after services, and several of them would order it, week after week.

I was not disappointed. The flavours penetrated deep into the many pieces of chicken breast, amongst a rich, creamy sauce. The basmati rice was perfectly cooked, and while not authentic, the garlic naan was perfect for scooping up those last drops of sauce.

This dish went well with my blueberry beer and I would definitely order it again..