Vij's

06/30/07

superb indian cuisine

by sidandsophia

let's face it, after having vij's, i'm afraid to go to another indian food resto for fear of being severely disappointed. between the chai and poppadoms as we waited and the shittake mushroom appie, we were almost satiated to the hilt! the chai really started the meal off perfectly and the popps were like little golden pancakes. the mushrooms were as good as steak and we wanted to drink the sauce they were in, haha. as for mains, we ordered the tilapia and the lamb popsicles in i-forget-what-kind-exactly curry but both were heavenly. HEAVENLY. best meal we had in vancouver. i think i could die happy right now if i never had indian food again! the service was also topnotch - we chatted with who we think was the owner and every waitress stopped by to check on us, unobtrusively of course. the decor was fabulous - elephant and star shaped shadows dancing all over the walls and ceilings, apparently custom made for the resto. my mouth is watering now just thinking about it... would gladly go through customs again to have vij's!

• Pros: EVERYTHING. the attention to detail in the food prep and presentation as well as service
• Cons: n/a

08/09/06

An international crowd flocks to this soothing South Granville restaurant for creatively different Indian fare.

by Anna Roth

The Scene
Smiling, gregarious proprietor Vikram Vij works the floor every night, calling regulars by name and frequently checking in with every table to ensure a perfect evening. Service is impeccable, from the complimentary pakoras and chai to the detailed explanation of any unfamiliar ingredients. The room is elegantly underdone, with walls that look alternately green and tan, hanging multicolored lanterns and a reoccurring elephant motif.

The Food
The seasonally changing menu includes dishes from across India. All lack the heaviness of most Wsternized Indian fare; even the cream curries are delightfully light. Expect appetizers such as braised wild boar in coriander curry or eggplant and navy beans with tamarind masala. A perennial main course is Vij's famous "lamb popsicles," meltingly tender lamb chops sitting in a pool of savory fenugreek cream curry. The traditional desserts change daily and usually include favorites such as rice pudding and mango ice cream.