Rahul V S.
Yelp
I often take a walk on bloor street and as someone who loves South Indian food( I use to have it almost everyday during my time in India) , this place immediately caught my eye.
Inside, it is quite neat and looks more like a family run business. You can buy a lot of south Indian delicacies like Dosa, Medu Vada, Idly and even Samosas. They also have a thali which other reviewers have said is quite decent.
As someone who has been disappointed by lot of South Indian restaurants in Toronto, I entered with an open mind but not high hopes . They have some nice discount like 10 items for $8.50 plus taxes and we immediately took our picks and ordered 2 of each i.e Samosa, Potato Vada, Dal Vada, Medu Vada, Spinach roll.
The kind lady behind the counter gave us some extra chutney to go with out items.
At home, i immediately opened the brown bag, served everything on a plate, and began to try each item one by one.
And here is my verdict
Samosa: Ignore. Very simple, low on spices. If you are a samosa lover like me, you won't like it.
Dal Vada or Masala Vadai: Decent. However doesn't go too well with chutney. We wish we had some sambhar.
Methu vadai: Decent, has the authentic taste. Again, will pair well with sambhar than just Chutney.
Potato Vada( Pakora) : Okaish. I can see someone people liking it, I did not.
Spinach Roll: Good. The best of the lot. Good filling and has nice flavors.
Chutney: Lacked any real flavour. What we got wasn't south Indian green chutney at all - which is made of coconut, mustard, dal, curry leaves etc. This one was upsetting.
To foodies:
The place is a hit or a miss. Lacked authenticity in flavors. Some items are good, some are not. I felt the food is made to suit a palate that prefers less spices and has never tried real South Indian food. I didn't try the dosa or thali, so cannot comment much. I hope it is good. However, I was quite disappointed by the food.
To Owner and Management: South Indian food is full of rich and deep flavors. By not being true to them, you are doing a disservice to the cuisine and yourself. As a business , I understand you have to cater to the taste of local populace, but you can do that without compromising much on authenticity and deep flavors. Be proud of your spices and push boundaries.
Will I visit again? i feel I should because it's a family business and people are hardworking. Also, everybody deserves a second chance.
Signing off,
CanIndian Foodie
...Stay Hungry