Outside the (take-out) box: Mr. India Meats & Restaurant

Similar to my naïve experience with Vietnamese before Vi-La entered my life, my history with Indian food has been a mere mark above nil. With a little help, I once made several curry dishes from an Indian cookbook and—no surprise here—I didn’t do quite as excellently as I arrogantly thought I would.

Indian cuisine is a work of art – I daresay it’s almost magic. Magic in how chefs can strike such a perfect balance with such a variety of strong flavours. When I tried cooking, I had to follow the recipe with such precision out of fear. Would I add perhaps too much cumin, or perhaps not enough turmeric? The one spice that terrified me the most was the asafoetida, which came with clear instructions to keep in a sealed container in a separate cupboard lest it ruin your other spices.

Perhaps my experience with cooking is what made me even more wary to douse my senses in the masala dishes again. However, I have learned that it is important to (a) know one’s own culinary limitations and (b) to leave some dishes in the hands of those who know their way around a spice cupboard. My safety net of basil, parsley and thyme sit second to the explosion of flavour found in Indian cuisine.

Mr. India was suggested to me by a friend and, thankfully, that friend was willing to go with me and show me the ropes. The butter chicken was the crème de la crème in this little section of strip mall by Value Village and, as with most great dishes, it came in three different levels of spiciness. The mild is something most anyone can handle, the medium adds enough kick to wake you up and keep your face on full alert, and the hot, well… the hot is something I think I’ll leave to professionals. We ordered one dish to share between two people, as well as a side of rice and a side of garlic naan to soften the intensity of the chicken.

It is important to note the ambience in this restaurant – especially since they advertise “warm Indian ambience” on their menu. Upon opening the door, it seemed a little awkward since there’s a front desk and cooler for those who take-out rather than dine-in, but a step across a second threshold led to a long room with several tables on either side. The décor was nothing spectacular – unsurprising neutrals on the walls, clean tables and chairs adorned with a simple silk plant. A few pieces of art hung on the walls and a TV offered non-stop Bollywood (with subtitles to enjoy). There is no painstaking effort to dress Mr. India up—unlike the elegance of Vi-La—but it’s one of those eateries where the food and the friendly service speak louder than the décor.

The butter chicken came out first, though the sides were quick to follow. While scooping the rice onto my plate, I couldn’t help but savour the smell that rose up to greet me. Flavour-infused basmati rice, garlic, herbed naan and chicken sitting in the most delicious sauce I’ve ever tasted? Perfection. The chicken, like I said, had the kind of kick that keeps kicking, but at the same time makes you feel like your metabolism has sped up to a speed previously never attained. The naan required a second order, because it was both scrumptious on its own and necessary to calm down the spice. Needless to say, it was a little heartbreaking when I reached the end of my bowl. However, the meal was also accompanied by an order of vegetable samosas, so that full feeling came on quite quickly.

Though the samosas weren’t life-changing, the butter chicken definitely was. And for a total of less than $14 for two people to eat until they’re full, it’s definitely worth a visit to either eat-in or take-out back to campus and make all your friends green with envy.

My fear of Indian cuisine has been faced and an obsession has quickly replaced it. Next on my South Asian must-eat list? Chicken vindaloo, because I’ve always been curious and now I have a place to try it.