There’s a hidden gem of a restaurant tucked away in Ottawa’s west end. Tandoori Fusion at 130 Robertson Road in Bells Corners is a family-owned business which serves up authentic Indo-Pakistani food. Ottawa has its share of East Indian restaurants, some of which I am a huge fan of (see footnote below). Since each region within the Indian subcontinent has its own flavours (like North or South Indian, Gujarati or Punjabi, etc), this restaurant’s specialities make it stand out.
Recently, we tried something adventurous. Our extended family met for lunch at Tandoori Fusion in honour of my cousin’s engagement. On weekends they feature a traditional Pakistani brunch menu including: Nihari (spicy beef stew), Cholay (chickpea curry), Aloo Puri (Potato eaten with flat bread), and Halva (sweet semolina also eaten with flat bread).
Little Mister and Little Missy were in food heaven as they got messy with the aloo and halva puri. We were a little concerned about cutting into their naptimes, but there were enough distractions around to keep them interested. In addition to the buffet menu, we ordered two delicious items a la carte: Chinese-style chicken chow mein, and karahi chicken.
Chicken Chow Mein
Karahi Chicken with Fresh Coriander
I have also ordered takeout when I had to get home in a hurry with 2 cranky babies. Tuesdays used to be Hakka Chinese day which is Pakistani-inspired spicy Chinese food. Hakka Chinese is readily available in Toronto and hopefully Tandoori Fusion will bring back their Hakka theme night so I can try it one day!
The female Chef and owner of Tandoori Fusion also specializes in cakes and catering for large functions like weddings. This is how the business got it’s start. (For those of you familiar with Hintonburg’s Emerald Bakery) I think it is great to see women entrepreneurs who slowly build up their home-based businesses into a brick and mortar which is accessible for all of us to enjoy.
If You Go:
The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner every day of the week except for Mondays when it is closed. Please note the restaurant does not serve alcohol.
Spice alert! The meat dishes tend to be spicy, so if this is your first visit, stick to the butter chicken or yoghurt-based dishes like the kari or kadhi (yoghurt curry with dumplings). Always add yoghurt, naan (Indian bread) or salad to your plate as a side to help you diffuse the spices if it gets to be too much. These suggestions work for any restaurant serving up spicy Indian food.
Note: Other Indian restaurants in Ottawa which I like are: East India Company, Haveli’s, Little India Cafe, Pearl of India, Ceylonta and Aahar. So many choices for a culinary journey around the different regions of India!
What is your favourite ethnic restaurant?
Photo credits: Tandoori Fusion Website (logo), Intiaz Rahim (menu items)