Masala Dosa from La Tastebuds

This is a doozy of a dosa. Filled with potatoes, and served with two chutneys and a vegetable soup. #yeg #yegfood #yegfoodie #yegeats

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Aug 25, 2018 at 12:31pm PDT

Palak Paneer Wrap at Nosh

Trying out Nosh for the first time and really enjoying the palak paneer wrap! #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #nosh #124street

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on May 1, 2018 at 11:35am PDT

Paneer Tikka and Chicken Biryani at Y Not Indian

Paneer tikka and saffron rice. #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn #yeg

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Apr 5, 2018 at 12:35pm PDT

Y Not Indian is the restaurant that has replaced my dearly departed Naanolicious. The restaurant interior looks very much the same, and the menu has a few familiar items like stuffed naan break and wraps. Staff and service are very friendly, and prices are reasonable. I tried the paneer tikka the first time, and found the cheese moist and full of flavour - paneer can often be dense and dry, but that was not the case here. Paired with saffron rice, it was a very satisfying dish.

Chicken biryani #yeg #yegfood #foodporn #yegeats #biryani #whyteave

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Apr 21, 2018 at 6:16pm PDT

I had the bone-in chicken biryani the next time. The chicken was tender and delicious and the rice which enveloped it had a symphony of flavours. It was a bit spicy for my taste and the chicken was completely buried within the rice making it a little difficult to eat in terms of avoiding bones. I would probably go for the chicken tikka or tandoori chicken instead.

Two Paneer Curries from Namaste India

Tried Namaste India yesterday, via @skipthedishes! #yeg #yegfood #yegeats #foodporn

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Nov 16, 2017 at 4:56pm PST

My brother and I ordered from Namaste India through Skip the Dishes last week. We each ordered a paneer curry. I had the palak paneer, which is my favourite. It was very creamy, with a smoky taste I really enjoyed. He had the butter paneer - chunks of the pressed cheese in butter sauce like what is used for butter chicken. It was quite rich and tangy. On the side was saffron rice. We ordered two servings, but one would have been more than enough. We also shared a plain naan and veggie samosas. The samosas came cold - I am not sure if this is how they are served in the restaurant, but it did not hurt the flavour at all. Overall the food was very fresh and satisfying.

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.

Butter Paneer Poutine at Naanolicious

Butter paneer poutine #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Apr 5, 2016 at 12:01pm PDT

One of the favourite menu items at Naanolicious is the selection of poutines. You can get fries with butter or curry sauce, or you can add meat or paneer. I added paneer to my butter sauce, and the result was a rich, decadent treat. The fries carried the sauce quite well, and were literally soaked in buttery goodness. I could only finish about half because it was so rich. Fortunately, Naanolicious has take-out containers!

Paneer with Lababdar Sauce at Naanolicious

Paneer with lababdar sauce @naanolicious #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Feb 13, 2016 at 5:13pm PST

One of the things I really love about the new menu at Naanolicious is a section where you can pick your protein and your sauce and create your own curry. I absolutely love how the paneer is done - often perfectly grilled on the outside and soft on the inside - so I had that with the lababdar sauce. This was a creamy, tomato-based sauce with onions, not as rich as a butter sauce with slightly more kick. The delicate flavour of the paneer worked well with the spice of the sauce, much of which was mixed with the side of saffron rice.

Beef Wrap at Naanolicious

I tried one of the wraps on the new Naanolicious menu for supper tonight - the beef one, to be precise. The beef curry was wrapped with some of Naanolcious' signature cabbage salad in a plain naan, cut into two easy-to-hold pieces, each wrapped in foil. The wrap was well-filled, and came with a side of masala fries. This is a perfect portion for lunch or a small supper, and at $13.95, is one of the most economical choices on the menu.

Thali Box at Naanolicious

The new Thali Box lunch at Naanolicious could be Whyte Avenue's best-kept dining secret. Served only until 2 p.m., this is like the East Indian version of a Bento Box, and features rice, naan bread, a chicken dish, a vegetarian dish, and salad. The specific dishes are the chef's choosing, so you're getting both a surprise and something like a buffet - but brought directly to your table, and always fresh. My Thali Box had rich butter chicken, a lentil dish which was superb, saffron rice, a cucumber-yogurt salad, a shredded cabbage salad, and garlic naan. At only $16.95 the price point is excellent for the amount of food you're getting. It's not on the menu - you have to ask for it, and you'll be glad you did.

Beef Short Ribs at Naanolicious

My favourite East Indian restaurant, Naanolicious, has a new menu which is much simpler and streamlined from the previous one. Fortunately, most of my favourites made the cut, but there are a few new things for me to try. One of them is the beef short ribs. Three Korean ribs (or, Miami ribs, as these were known in my household) are cut into small pieces with the bone in the middle, and grilled with Naanolicious's signature spices. The result is a crunchy, dry rib that makes an excellent appetizer, or meal if combined with some naan or rice. Naanolicious is a Halal restaurant, so while pork dry ribs are not an option, this is a great choice and a welcome menu addition.

Vegging Out: Vegan Chicken Chana Wrap at Remedy

Tonight my father was introduced to the casual hipster vibe that is the 124th Street location of Remedy. I tried the vegan chicken chana wrap. Shredded veggie chicken was mixed with chana masala inside of the crispy, pressed pita shell. I am not sure if the batch I had was just slightly overcooked, but a number of the chickpeas were very dried out. Still, this is a great choice for vegans as it is both substantial and flavourful.

Rada Paneer at Guru

I had supper this week with my brother and father at Guru. I went for the Rada Paneer, large chunks of homemade cheese in a curry sauce built up with chopped vegetables. It was spicy but not hot, and tasted much different than other vegetarian East Indian sauces I have experienced. Unique, with flavour. It went well with the saffron rice and naan we shared.

Beef Vindaloo at Guru

I had a business lunch at Guru last week and had the Beef Vindaloo lunch combo. I have not had a vindaloo in ages and I was very impressed with the huge, tender chunks of beef with potatoes in a rich brown sauce. It was just spicy enough and very filling. The rice, naan, and fruit salad complemented the seasonings of the vindaloo perfectly.

Palak Paneer Wrap at Remedy

A beautiful Victoria Day Monday - and hunger - inspired me to ride my bike to the new 124 Street location of Remedy. I had one of my favourite menu items that I have not had in years: the palak paneer wrap. While I could have done with more paneer, the wrap was stuffed with filling and the crunchy pita wrap made for texture heaven. It was not too spicy and went well with an iced chai.