Vancouver, Canada
789 Kingsway
$$$
+1 6045597050
N/A
DeliveryTakeawayDine-in
Toilets
CoffeeSmall platesVegan options
I popped in for a quick snack after running some errands as this place had been recommended by a friend. I ordered some veggie samosa to go. They had peas and cabbage in them and they were very tasty with the coconut and tamarind chutney. I chatted to the lady at the counter about east African food and she told me she cooks the food from scratch. She gave me a donut thing and it was the most delicious fried bread with a hint of cardamom. I can't wait to go back and try some of their curries!
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One of the rare places to try a unique and rare cuisine - East African flavours influenced by Indian basics. The community is called Ismaili and they trace lineage to Aga Khan. If you have been to Jambo Grill on Kingsway/Joyce, James, Simba, or Safari Snack House in Burnaby, you'll recognize some of the dishes. Although this is the simplest and no frills compared to those. No alcohol served here and the menu is heavier on snacks. Not as extensive on the grilled meats or kebabs as the other ones either. There is a constant stream of customers walk-in and phone orders, quite popular amongst the local East African population some of whom come from as far as Abbotsford or White Rock. Both snacks and mains have a rotation menu, so you'll have to ask the server for the same. All dishes are made daily and if its sold out, then no more. Recommended to come before noon. Some of the rare dishes like khichdi kadi, karela, baingan bharta, daal rice, bhindi which are home comfort food (made in Indian homes on a daily basis). Plenty of traditional African recipes like kukupaka, mandazi, mishkaki, sambaro, and other lamb, beef, and chicken dishes also available. Desserts like gulab jamun and kulfi also served. The chai was fantastic, just like back home. Mildly flavoured with cardamom. The bateta chop was hot and filled with meat. Served with coconut, tamarind, and hot chutneys. 3-4 tables with seating for 10-12 people. Cash and cards accepted. Washrooms available but it could be good if they keep the temperature cooler, it was quite hot because of the open kitchen. Also, this is probably not going to happen as it's an old school business, but tie-in with delivery apps will make their food more accessible to people around Vancouver, simply because not everyone can come to the restaurant every time for pickup.
Everything on the menu is spectacular. I encourage you to try it all, you won't regret a single dish!!
I didn't think this place would be good, because they do catering. My goodness was I wrong. First of all, they don't re-use any food from the previous day. So all the food is fresh. When dishes run out, if they cannot make them in time, they are simply unavailable. They also seem to be so popular that they are constantly busy, especially with take-away and catering orders. They obviously have a good reputation. The indoor seating is okay, I think there were about three or four tables. The decor is simple, and it's not fancy inside, although that is my preference for restaurants. The owner (?) lady was really nice and gave us a bunch of suggestions, as regards to which foods go together, and things we should try. She also told us the story of her family, and how they came to Canada and all that. I think they were Parsis who fled from Africa after the persecutions started. It was really cool to get such personal service. The food, the food was incredible. All of the above stuff is good. But the food was amazing. I had a stew that was a little bit spicy and meaty, it had some mixed vegetables in it as well. I tried a bit of my cousin's soup, it was a coconut/meat broth, with some meat and other stuff in it, and it was even better than mine. They were both fantastic. We had many little side orders too, little cakes, and other stuff. It was all excellent. This is one of my favourite restaurants in Vancouver, I can't wait to come back and try some more!
Tried it for the first time. The smells when you walked in. Amazing. The chai the food the pickled carrots. Wow. I completely want to learn how to cook this food. I can’t wait to go back!
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