SNAP Newmarket    OCTOBER 2006

A TASTE OF OUR TOWN

By Kate Foster

This month: India Gate Exclusive Indian Cuisine

New restaurants have been popping up all over town lately, making our job to pick one to review for the month quite an easy one.  Luckily, the India Gate Exclusive Indian Cuisine gave us the full experience.

Having only tried Indian food once or twice before and not being too familiar with their food or culture, my colleague and I weren’t sure what we were in for. Fortunately, this wasn’t a problem for long, as the cover of the menu featured a synopsis of Indian culture, geography, food service and preparation. It turns out hospitality and good service are of the utmost importance in India, which is a trait India Gate clearly shows.  Guests are treated with respect and their every need is met to ensure no one leaves unsatisfied or unhappy (or with an empty belly!). I was surprised to find they offer 100 items on the menu; lucky for me, over 50 of these items are vegetarian-friendly but many of their dishes feature chicken as well as lamb, and a variety of seafood. Staying true to the style of cuisine in India, no beef or port is included in any of their dishes.  The also have a separate lunch menu of specials that change on a daily basis, and offer take out at a 10% discount.  The décor of India Gate is classy and inviting; with mostly neutral colours and a few paintings done by one of the staff members.  The kitchen has an open concept with a large glass window allowing guests to watch one of the chefs prepare the food, in a Tandoor which is an Indian clay oven, which can get up to 500 degrees.  The Tandoor is used to prepare meats as well as naan, a type of bread often served with meals.

To try as much as possible off the menu India Gate has to offer and chefs prepared smaller portions of as many dishes as they could, somewhat like a sampler plate.  Beginning with appetizers, a number of things were provided of all different flavours, shapes and sizes.  Loads of appetizers, available from vendors all over the streets of India, and can be served hot or cold, anytime of day from Samosas to Vegetable Pakora.  Spicy spinach and potato patties with a taste of spinach and a slight spicy kick that was very well accompanied by a mint sauce to cool it off.  The Vegetable Pakora was a fairly sweet tasting battered vegetable (quite similar to Tempura for any fans of Japanese food) with a sprinkling of spices on top.  Murg Chaat was a great, spicier dish, the chicken cooked in spices with tomato and onion that had a great kick and unique flavour.  Last but not least the Dahi Vada was served, lentil dumplings in a yogurt with sweet, sour and spicy sauces mixed in.

The Shorba served, a traditional soup, was a very light broth with a smooth and subdued taste, but with a little more fire in the aftertaste.

The quality of the food had all been phenomenal and it went no where but up when the main dishes came.  Two sizzling platters were served with vegetables and a variety of meats, all prepared in different styles with many spices used to give everything its own very unique flavour.  The platters provided a plethora of things to try.  There was a complex mixture of spices that created a very flavourful and delicious meal without being too overbearing.  Homemade cottage cheese was also mixed in that had similar flavour but was very complimentary to the vegetables as it had a thicker texture and its flavour was a little less on the hot side, making it work very well together.

The meaty side of the story is a successful one as well.  Lamb prepared in Tandoori spices and yogurt made for a phenomenally tender dish, something completely worth trying again as well as carom flavour prawns with ginger, lemon and chili, simply delicious.

And just when the belt buckles were starting to burst, another round of mouth-watering food was served.  Once trying a bit of all these fantastic flavours, we had to call it quits.  The meal was finished off with Kulfi, a mango flavoured or almond style milk ice-cream.  It had a much harder texture than what we are used to, but was a tasty way to finish the meal.

Overall, nothing but good thoughts were running through our heads after this fantastic meal.  The service, atmosphere and quality of the food were all top notch, and the fact they offer take out made us take home a couple extra menus for around the office and ourselves!  We were informed the chefs use nothing but fresh ingredients, with no preservatives or unnatural flavours or colouring.  If you are looking for a healthy and refreshing night out to get away from the norm, be sure to check out India Gate, you will be glad you did!

India Gate Exclusive Indian Cuisine is located at 130 Davis Drive, Unit 10, in the Old Newmarket Plaza, and their phone number is 905-954-0289.  Their hours are as follows:  Monday from 5pm-ppm, Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday from 11:30am-10pm, Friday and Saturday from 11:30am-11pm.  A special thank you to the owners, the very hospitable and kind Dhiman family.