London, Southall – Prince of Wales Pub

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Chew Steel and I planned to try Indian food our entire trip, having heard it was excellent in England. However, we ended up skipping Haveli in Newcastle due to the long Uber ride and passing over Mowgli in Liverpool, despite my guide Paul’s strong recommendation. So, on our last night in London, I finally made it happen. Let’s listen to “Alright” by Supergrass for this post.

We arrived at our airport hotel late afternoon, and I found an article listing the best Indian food in London’s Southall community. Cross-checking with Google reviews, I narrowed it down to my top three. Once in Southall, I used Google Maps to find the closest spots on my list and spotted the Prince of Wales, a Punjabi pub located about a ten-minute walk away in a residential area.

The interior was cozy, almost like a vintage pub. The old-fashioned lamps emitted a yellow glow, and the scattered TV screens and games offered entertainment all around. The well-used tables and seats were filled with a mix of older and younger patrons, mostly Caucasian men and women. A few Indian guests sat with authority around the room, drinking beer and quietly observing the crowd.

We sat next to a father giving work and life advice to his daughter, and his wife quickly spotted us and asked us if this was our first time at the Prince of Wales. When we responded yes, she told us to get the chicken tikka masala, while her husband recommended one of the grills, their specialty. They both warned us: ask for less spice unless you know you can handle it. We ended up with the chicken grill (£18), chicken tikka masala with less spice (£14), two pints of Peroni beer (£7), and naan (£2).

The food took a while, but it was worth the wait. The grilled chicken platter arrived with a side of sizzle, filling the air with sharp crackles and hisses as white steam rose upward. I sat, inhaling the fragrance of spices and smoke.

I gave most of the tikka to Chew Steel, as it was more his style. The lean meat had the texture of chicken breast, caramelized slightly on the outside. The wings were more to my liking, extra chubby with crispy skin. I would alternate between dunking my wings in the side of herby, cilantro-heavy sauce and a brown sauce that was sweet and thick.

My favourite, however, was the chicken kebab, made of ground meat. The texture was soft and springy, and I enjoyed the delicate charred flavour. Chew Steel mentioned it was nice to have chicken prepared in three ways: boneless, bone-in, and ground.

This chicken tikka masala had bold, robust notes, with no sweetness or creaminess to soften the edges. The smoky depth of the grilled chicken stood out, layered with the tangy notes of tomato, ginger, and spices. I appreciated the bluntness of the flavours, as it reminded me of homemade food.

The naan was flat and dry, more like a flatbread than the soft, airy naan I get back in Calgary. However, it obviously wasn’t all bad, as I still gobbled it up.

Our final dinner of the trip was a success, a great find on my part, made possible with a bit of financial aid from Chew Steel. Hitting the Sauce gives Prince of Wales Pub two phat thumbs up.

Indian

Calcutta Cricket – Best Indian in Calgary

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On Friday, I wanted to blow off some steam. I suggested to Chew Steel that we check out the Sound Room, my new favourite hangout. For this post, let’s listen to “Iron Man” by El Michels Affair.

I adore the Sound Room. The hard-iced tea, the retro basement vibes, and the music just hit right. I even like the crowd. It’s filled with people in our age demographic, not too old or too young, comfortably in the middle. But were we in the mean or mode? The room is too dimly lit for me to figure it out.

After a drink, Chew Steel and I decided to get a bite to eat. We conveniently strode up the stairs to the restaurant above Sound Bar, Calcutta Cricket. We sat at the bar as the entire restaurant was booked solid.

I almost skipped ordering an alcoholic drink since I didn’t see anything I recognized. Chew Steel encouraged me to order a glass of wine. Our server recommended Cork Twisted, stating the blend of pinot noir, riesling, and Gewurztraminer ($14, 5 oz) brought everything to the table. What a smooth talker. After that description, I ordered a glass. I thoroughly enjoyed the wine. It took me back to a drink we had as kids, Rubina, but this much better.

Chew Steel ordered a Tandoori-Spiced Chicken Kati Roll ($9). I enjoy the kati rolls, but Chew Steel is absolutely hooked on these little pockets of tandoori goodness. He gets one each time we visit. The sauce is sweet, followed by a kick of heat. I also like the raw, crunchy onions and nicely spiced chicken, all enveloped in ultra-flaky bread.

We tried the Murgh Makhani ($21) for the first time, Calcutta’s take on the original 1950s butter chicken masala recipe from Moti Mahal in Delhi. I would order this again. I loved how the sauce was complex and refined, not the one-note, sweet, bland butter chicken versions you get elsewhere.

We ordered the Malai Chicken ($27) again. I love the char flavour and the silky, soft meat. It tastes so good that I don’t think it needs the addition of the white cashew cream sauce. Chew Steel and I agreed this is our favourite dish at Calcutta.

The naan ($4) overflows the metal bowl like a billowing piece of fabric. We alternate between the buttery naan and plain white basmati ($3) to sop up the sauces. The most important thing for me in an Indian restaurant is the naan, which can make or break a meal. Calcutta’s version is excellent: hot, crispy, and airy.

It’s a beautiful restaurant, and what stood out to me was how all the staff genuinely seemed happy to be there. In the background, you can see the chefs calmly cooking at their stations, adding to the peaceful atmosphere. I don’t know why I’m so fixated. Maybe I’m watching too much Severance. In any case, if you love Indian food, you have to give Calcutta a try.

Curry · Indian

Saffron Street

June 19, 2023June 20, 2023 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Olympian and I have been DM’ing each other since COVID. She found my blog on Pure Vietnamese, and ever since, we have traded tips on our favourite restaurants, Foreign Concept and Pure Vietnamese. When we discovered that Foreign Concept was closing and the owner, Duncan Ly, was opening Bar Chouette, we decided to meet. For this post, let’s listen to “Hey Baby” by Bruce Channel.

We met at First Street Market. We typically eat at Pure Vietnamese but agreed to check out a new venue if Chef Lam were away from his food stall. Olympian didn’t spot him, so we checked out Saffron Street.

She ordered the Butter Chicken Thali ($18) based on the chef’s recommendation. Despite the chef’s advice that I should also get the butter chicken, I resisted and ordered what I wanted, Chloe Batture ($15) and two Dahi Puri ($2). Olympian ate first, as my dish took longer to prepare. She offered to let me sample her food, but I thought it was too soon.

Olympian confided she’s been ordering from Inspired Go, a salad delivery service. As a result, her stomach’s been shrinking, and she couldn’t finish her lunch. I perked up at this revelation and promptly ordered a week’s supply. She was worried that she hyped up Inspired Go and hoped I would like it. I told her not to worry. I wasn’t expecting a miracle from a 500-calorie salad.

My food was ready in about five minutes, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait. My order contained two massive, puffed bread balls. I marvelled at the crisp, bubbly exterior and ecstatically tore a crackling piece off, releasing the hot air. I scooped up the chickpea curry with the paper-like tissue. Each bite was delicate and delicious, spicy and filling. I would get this again.

Halfway through my meal, I discovered some spicy, tart vegetables tucked away in the corner of the tray. I wasn’t sure how to eat it, so I mixed it up in the rest of the chickpea curry.

I mistakenly ate the dahi puri in two bites, and the wet filling spilled down on my hand. I found the ingredients sweet and tangy. I tasted mostly the tamarind, yogurt and the fruity pop from the pomegranate seeds. I gave a dahi puri to the Olympian to try and advised her to eat the whole thing in one bite to avoid my messy mistake. She enjoyed it even more than the butter chicken.

On our way out, we saw Chef Lam. I didn’t want to go up and say hello without buying anything, so I slunk away, happily stuffed but longing for some of the best Vietnamese food in town. I’ll have to bring L to First Street Market for our next date night so that I can get my Vietnamese fix.

Cheap Eats · Indian

Nooren Samosas

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

I’m obsessed with Nooren Samosas, and I’ve been ordering more often since I learned they deliver city-wide for only ten bucks. If the Calgary Eyeopener ever does another article on Quest for the best: These are the top samosas in Calgary, I hope the critics hit up Nooren Samosas. For this post, let’s listen to “My Name” by Adam Townsend.

I usually buy a dozen ($18) of the chicken, beef and vegetarian samosas and request extra packets of mint chutney. I always buy extra samosas and then do a drop-off for my friends because something this delicious deserves to be shared with kindred spirits.

What sets Nooren Samosa apart from its competitors is the pastry shell, the tastiness of the filling, and the mint chutney. I love taking that first bite into the brittle, crunchy exterior, so thick and decadent it tastes similar to a thin pie crust.

I also like how each type of samosa tastes distinctly different. The beef samosa is a flavour bomb of soft, marinated onions and fragrantly spiced ground meat. The vegetarian version is more toothsome, with wholesome chunks of potatoes, peas, and sweet corn. The chicken is also a winner. The meat is shredded and fluffy, so it soaks up all the flavour of the chutney in each bite.

The green chutney is so damn good, Nooren Samosas should sell bottles of it. The mint is lively and tangy, refreshing and cooling against the spices. I heard from a friend that the owner adds cilantro in the sauce, but I couldn’t detect it.

Pro-tip, if you are ordering for a party, get it delivered right before your guests arrive. Nooren cooks each order straight before it is delivered, which ensures the samosa arrives crunchy and toasty warm. Also, make sure to tip the driver, as he’s making the trip all the way from Erin Woods.