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.

The Pho Files - Chicken Soup at Good Buddy

This past Saturday, I had noodles for a cause! Prior to attending a public apology made to an Aboriginal Elder who was wrongly ousted from City Centre Mall by mall security, I had the meal he was likely having at the time of the unfortunate incident: chicken noodle soup from Good Buddy, a Vietnamese fast food outlet in the food court. I used to live on the stuff when I ate there more often. At only $5.69 it is cheap and a reasonably large portion. I would not call this pho, as the broth lacks the depth of flavour for that, but the noodles lean in the pho direction. I find them rather thin and firm in texture, making the soup easier to eat than actual pho.

The Pho Files: Pho Ga at Pho Hoa

A business lunch at the Chinatown location of Pho Hoa (9723 106 Avenue) last week satisfied my craving for pho. I ordered the chicken pho. The broth was lighter than the beef one, the chicken was plentiful, and the portion large (I ordered a large). Good value and good comfort food.

Grilled Chicken Vermicelli at Doans

I recently had supper at the south side location of Doans and ordered the grilled chicken vermicelli. The chicken tasted very grilled indeed, albeit somewhat on the preserved side - I think it was pre-marinated. It was served on top of a bed of salad and noodles. The salad was right under the meat, which is different arrangements from other vermicelli bowls, which usually as the sprouts and lettuce on the bottom. It was a light supper, slightly more expensive than a Chinatown noodle house.