Day 65 – A Day To Remember
Five days in Toronto ON, Canada, one Curry opperchancity, it had to be got right. On Tuesday, a chance meeting with the neighbour of our hosts, Joe and Helen, in Toronto, came up with Karahi Point. Karahi Point is a chain with ten outlets in the greater Toronto area. Chains raise the issue of where the base Curry is actually cooked? To maintain consistency, it’s difficult to believe they cook from scratch at each location. This question would not be answered today, however, Curryspondent Bill had pointed out that Brampton to the north-west of Toronto, has the largest Punjabi Population outside of India. Ten outlets would not be sustainable without authentic fayre, surely?
Karahi Point Oakville (2501 Hampshire Gate Unit 8A, Oakville, ON L6H 6C8 Canada) was the chosen venue. Oakville is situated to the west of Toronto, we would pass through on the return from the main event of the day. Grand Canyon last week, today, Marg and Hector visited a well known waterfall on the US-Canada border.
We arrived at 17.40, Karahi Point Oakville is located in a suburban retail park, there’s another Curry House – two doors down. We were the first diners of the evening. A young waitress led us to the booth seating to the left. The next two sets of diners were sat immediately beside us. Less walking for the staff, or is it better to create a – community? Meanwhile to the right, the vast, empty seating area had portal-like decorations which may, or may not have, been inspired by a certain Star Trek episode written by Harlan Ellison – The City on the Edge of Forever. After today’s visit to Niagara Falls, this felt apposite.

There was the choice of viewing the menu by QR Code, or seeing the physical entity. The Hector favoured photography over screenshots. The availability of a – full portion – of Lamb Karahi (CAD57.99) had caught Hector’s eye long before arriving in Toronto. Karahi Point was always going to be choice #1, it was a matter of which one was accessible.
Knowing Marg would share, the Karahi Gosht, served on-the-bone was the pull factor. Joe was on board with sharing this also, this meant an Interesting Vegetable could be ordered also – Mix Vegetable (CAD12.99). This could have markedly improved the previous two Curry experiences. A Butter Naan (CAD2.99) and a Roti (CAD2.99) should be enough Bread. $2.99 for a Roti, are we in Aberdoom?
Helen, Helen knows what she likes. Curry is not on this list, nor is anything remotely connected with Spice, and that includes Pepper. Getting Helen into a Curry House was already an achievement. The possibility of a Kebap at least got Helen in the door, but one without Spice. The photo on the bottom right of – New Additions – showed a Chicken Kebap which may have suited a Caspar Milquetoast. Despite the ladies discussing this option, Tikka on Rice (CAD17.69) became Helen’s selection. Tikka, Chicken marinated in Chilli Pepper.
Chicken Tikka tell me what’s wrong…
Helen was happy to nibble on Bread. Three drinks were ordered to complement the jugs of not so chilled water: CAD2.49 for a cola, CAD3.99 each for two small bottles of Sparkling Water. OK, the Perrier was imported, perhaps we should have asked for Club Soda and drank Canada dry.
There’s more. Jillian, resident daughter, had asked for Butter Chicken (CAD15.99) to be brought back. This required a Rice (CAD6.99) accompaniment.
The waitress brought her pad and noted the Order. For once, the Hector remembered to enquire as to how the Bread would be served. Contrary to the House norm, she would ask for the Bread to be served – whole. Sorted.




We were advised that a twenty five minute wait could be expected. In most places serving Karahi Gosht, forty minutes, plus, is the norm. It all depends on at what stage the prepared Lamb has reached. Twenty five is way better than – five.
Do the words – Desi – or – Apna – style mean anything to you?
Apparently not. The limitations of being served by youngsters.
Lightly Spiced Onion plus a Raita with the mushy Capsicum-based Sauce on the corner were brought.


Helen liked the Raita, this gave Hector the opperchancity to once more relate how Capsicum should never be anywhere near a Curry. The Curry-Heute Campaign is relentless.
A chap wheeled a trolley to our table. Helen’s Tikka on Rice, a massive portion of Basmati, and Butter Chicken. Not the best of starts. Our waitress was on hand to confirm that the Curry was – to go. It’s a while since Hector sent a Curry back, the last one was a Chicken also.
Rather than wait, Helen was encourage to get stuck in.
Tikka on Rice

A Yoghurt Sauce smothered a massive plate of Salad on top of Chicken Tikka which in turn was on a bed of Basmati. Potentially, there was a a lot of eating here, but sadly, not for Helen. One taste of the Tikka and this was set aside.
As someone who does not like Curry, this has solidified my dislike of Curry.
QED.


The rest of us sampled the Chicken Tikka. This was well Seasoned Chicken with a decent – kick. Not bad at all if you like that sort of thing, Helen didn’t.
After a few more minutes, the chap wheeled his trolley back once more. He might have been a bit more engaging. What was he doing that the girls couldn’t?


The two Breads were served whole as asked. It was difficult to tell them apart. Assuming the thicker one was the Naan, where was the Butter? No sign of it. This Bread proved to be light and fluffy, but Sweet. Both Breads were round, well-fired with burnt blisters. All would dismiss the Roti as the lesser of the two, the Hector asks – in what way was this a Roti?
Lamb Karahi
Topped with Ginger Strips and a threat of Fresh Coriander, no sliced Bullet Chilies, this was not the largest of – full – portions encountered. Served in a traditional karahi, the Meat, on-the-bone, protruded from the not too excessive Masala. The Masala was in the correct ratio to the solids. Thick, and somewhat fibrous looking, Meat pulp was visible here. This was already proving to be the most authentic Karahi served to Hector since Day 20 at Des Traditions (Auckland, New Zealand). There were no Whole Spices visible in the Masala.
Hector led the way, a modest portion to start. There would be enough for three, two could easily have managed this volume also.
There was also another Curry to consider.
Mix Vegetable
Topped with some Coriander, this was exactly as hoped for, perhaps with an imbalance of Carrots. Potato, Sweetcorn, Peas and Green Beans were also in there. The Masala was a bit on the runny side, and may have been the source of much of the Oil which gathered on the dinner plate. Time to eat.

On dipping Bread into some of the Masala left in the karahi, the sweetness of the Naan drowned the Flavours of the Curry. The lack of Seasoning in the Masala then became evident. Addressing what was on the dinner plate, the fibrous Masala was not giving anything like the depth of Flavour hoped for. The Peshawari Karahi had made it clear that Tomatoes would feature, here it was more difficult to identify a Tomato-based Masala. With – Charsi – mentioned elsewhere on the menu, the Hector was not taking the risk of being served a thin Tomato Shorva.
The Spice Level was definitely pitched at – medium. No challenge here, nor should there be, this Curry should all be about Flavour. Where was it?
The Lamb was Tender, mostly, one or two chewy pieces. No ribs and no Sucky Bones, so not leg of Lamb either. I’ve had better Lamb in terms of quality of cut. The bone count proved to be well within acceptable parameters. Crucially, the Lamb was not giving Flavour back other than its own meatiness. Was twenty five minutes enough to create a Karahi Gosht?
I had already been made aware that the Spice level in the Mix Vegetable was appreciably above the Karahi, it was. The Carrots were approaching mushy, off-putting to my fellow diners. These were giving off their natural sweetness which is paramount to creating the sought after distinctive overall Flavour that a Vegetable Curry can achieve.
The Potatoes, I wish there had been more, exemplified the limits of the Meat. The Potato had totally absorbed the Flavours of the Masala, excellent.
Round 2
The Masala was decidedly different towards the base of the karahi. Unconsciously, the Hector had stirred in the Oil which had separated, creating a much more familiar Texture, there was way less meat pulp here. Now we had Flavour. The true Taste of Punjab had been released. This Masala was now tickety-boo.
With the Interesting Vegetables, a much more flavoursome Masala, and the remaining scraps of Bread, there was definitely an upbeat conclusion to this meal.
Marg:
Very tender lamb, and unusually for me, it was on-the-bone. The flavours were subdued until I ventured to the bottom of the karahi. The Vegetable Curry wasn’t my favourite, but I enjoyed the fluffy Naan, the Roti, not so much.


Joe:
Not being a Curry aficionado, I really enjoyed the fluffiness of the Naan, but found the Roti on the dry side. The Karahi, I found the lamb was tender and not so over-powering where you could not taste the flavour of the dish. I found it very tasty. The Vegetable dish, a complement to the Lamb, a bit mushy.


Three out of four happy diners. The Takeaway had already been brought to the table, the surplus Raita and Chicken Tikka had to be packed. Here, one fills one’s own containers.
The Bill
CAD 145.09 which became CAD166.85 (£96.02) Canada has adopted the same expectation of tipping system as operated across the border.
The Aftermath
The waitress confirmed we had enjoyed our meal and asked if we could place positive comments on certain social media.
I’ll do one better.
The Calling Card was presented and Curry-Heute outlined.
I chose to come here, and this will be the only Canadian Curry House ever to appear in Curry-Heute.
This impressed, but I had to enquire if there was anyone else I could speak to.
The Boss has gone.
So it goes. There’s more.
Back in Etobicoke, Jillian had been waiting patiently for her dinner.


I had already seen the Butter Chicken as served in the restaurant, the spiral of Cream had long gone. I cannot say this looked particularly appetising, but those who like Chicken Curry no doubt like this sort of thing. The quantity of Rice was a la Continental Europe, way too much for one person. Jillian:
I enjoyed, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed. It was spicier than other Butter Chicken I have had. It was flavourful. The rice complemented well.
What does Curryspondent Bill have to tell us about New England?
2024 Menu






The fourth day in Chicago, another opperchancity to add to the worldwide coverage of
Karahi Corner Restaurant & Catering House (2658 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL, 60659 United States of America) was intended to be the locus of
On Friday, it would have been Mutton Karahi – Bone ($28.99) which the Hector would have ordered. Not being a Friday it was a good day to have Fish – Fish Karahi ($15.99). Where in Europe is a Fish Curry this much cheaper than Mutton? Fish Curry (£16.99) was in the – Curry – section of the menu. I should have asked the difference, again, when is Karahi cheaper than – Curry?



Without a proper service counter, the business end of the room appeared a bit ad hoc. I saw a flask – $2 Tea. Marg enquired and soon had a polystyrene cup of Chai, followed quickly by another. This confirms Marg’s enjoyment. Milky Tea in a polystyrene cup is not how the Hector drinks his Earl Grey.
These could well be the most massive pieces of Pakora served to Marg, though
Accompanied by a Tamarind and a Mint Dip, Marg tore in. Ketchup? Untouched. It was clear that the Pakora had been freshly made, no double frying here. Potato was noticeably missing, these were made from Onion and what Marg took to be slivers of 

The Buttered Naan was round and served in quarters. Why does Hector not insist on whole Bread? Risen, puffy and with burnt blisters, this was a decent Naan.
If this was Karahi, then I have to further speculate as to what the – Curry – would have looked like. This was as – Soupy – a Karahi as I have encountered though the Masala was far from Shorva. I am having to think hard as to why this actually was – Karahi. The abundant Masala did appear to be Tomato-based. The quantity of White Fish certainly impressed, and given the price demands comparison with a UK Fish Curry portion. The
The first dipping of the Naan was invigorating. There was a Fishy Flavour, not to be taken for granted, the Spice would build, there was something – tangy – in there. The food was hot, even hotter than 

The Bill


Day #59 finds Marg and Hector in Chicago, Illinois. As if there was another Chicago of note. The Windy City – a fine place therefore to indulge in the consuming of Hector’s favourite cuisine. Research showed a cluster of Curry Houses to the north of the city along Devon Avenue. As the bus took us along this axis from Loyola – Red Line – station, even the Hector was unprepared for what is in effect – Chicago’s Curry Mile. Two venues had been picked out, both Pakistani, the first was closed as we alighted from Bus 155 at 13.00. Friday prayers, the Hector wasn’t thinking. 
In the spirit of 

Nearly three weeks in the
As fellow diners departed, so I was able to capture the extensive layout of Sabri Nihari. This is some place, reminiscent of 


Marg had envisaged a Starter-sized portion, this took her aback. Four large pieces of white Fish were smothered in Spiced Onion, then there was the three rings of green. The latter were taken to be
The Naan was served whole, almost. The score across the centre had not not quite halved it. An elongated teardrop, this was the sought after Tandoori Naan. Risen, particularly on one side, the big burnt blisters confirmed the efficacy.
The weight of Curry was not declared. This looked, and felt to be way more than the half kilo. There was easily enough for two here, and Marg was not going to be helping out.
The first dip of Naan into the Masala revealed the big Punjabi Flavours, this was wonderful. The depth of Flavour here impressed, the Seasoning was perfection. As the Spice slowly built on the palate so the complexity of this Karahi revealed itself. There was a lot going on here. The taste of home with a Peppery edge, glorious.
At the halfway point it was time to take stock. No way was I going to finish this, taking the remainder home was not an option. Marg thought we could give the leftovers to someone needy, but there are far fewer people on the streets of Chicago compared to Seattle and 





























Tap water was dispensed midway down the room on the right. We were told we had to take – Table 2, on the far wall. Why this was crucial was as yet unknown. 



The Dosa had been cut into slices, the presentation was not actually bad. A Sambar, Chilli Sauce and a Raita were included. As with her last Dosa at
The interior of the Dosa was a suitably thick and dry Curry. Today, just Mince, no Aloo had sneaked in. There was a lot of eating here, decent value.
A fairly dry, tasty mince, but no big flavour. 
The Naan was served in bits. I didn’t ask for it otherwise. Thin, a bit peely-wally despite some semblance of burnt spots, hardly risen. OK, nothing special. 


The Masala was a rich red colour, too red for Tomatoes alone. With no sign of seeds, from where was the –
On arranging the Meat over the Rice I had counted to double figures, again no issue with quantity v cost here. All the Goat cuts were on-the-bone, large pieces, Sucky Bones too. As is the norm, I am still learning here, sinew remained, par for the course with Goat.
As is the ritual when having Bread and Rice, I had retained some Masala in the serving bowl for dipping. Not a pleasure today. Out of nowhere came a blast of another Flavour – Coriander! I never saw it but it was an oasis in this Nevada Desert Curry. 

I fetched more water, it was warm. Really, it’s 35

Four nights in
After Wednesday’s outstanding 





Being Marg’s first visit to
We were here – to dine – and so the food Order was relayed. Chettinadu Lamb ($20.99) for Hector, and Lamb Dosa ($17.99) for Marg. The iced water provided would suffice, and as I explained to Anila, this would be left mostly untouched until after my Curry. It’s madness drinking water with Spicy food, or anything else for that matter. Children resort to milk.
At 


What evoked the sight of a red shark fin protruding above the rim of the karahi, was actually a dried, red, smoked Chilli. This is always Hector’s marker, a decent Chettinad must surely follow. Unearthing a further two whole Chillies, wonderful. Of course, only a fool would eat them. These impart Flavour, and Flavour is what Curry is all about, not causing discomfort. Anila had remarked at the point of ordering – You like your food spicy.
The Masala was approaching a Shorva, a distinctly different style of cooking to the Punjabi Karahi which prevails in
With pleasure coming from all directions, the receptors were in overdrive, One simply does not wish a meal like this to end, especially when one knows that a lottery win aside, the chances of a return to 

Marg’s Curry preference is always a single Chapatti to accompany. By ordering a Dosa she had deliberately omitted the Rice and the mass of Bread. Here was a paper-thin Rice-based Bread containing both Lamb and Potato, or Aloo Gosht!

A large, crisp, rice-bread encased my Lamb Curry. An ideal meal with plenty tender meat and potato. In terms of flavour it was a great Curry. I didn’t add the sauces, I felt I didn’t need to, it was moist enough.
Anila has been approached to appear on TV shows. I mentioned what happened to our own humble British lady of Indo-Pak origin who entered a televised baking competition, and is now a major celebrity. Nadia – Anila is well aware of this lady’s fame and fortune, and prefers not to go down that route. Family is all.
Despite our protests, there was an inevitable conclusion to our meal.
The Deli, we were taken a few metres up the street to Chili’s Deli & Mart. On the right hand side at the entrance lies an array of kettles, Takeaway is on offer. Along the left wall was every Spice in the book. I noticed the boxes of mixed Spice and expressed my belief that too many Euro-Curry Houses simply chuck in a box and get away with it. Adjacent to these were the Whole Spices and Herbs.

Day #50 of Marg and Hector’s – Round The World in 80 Days. Nothing in life is certain, however, Hector always knew that if a return to
It was 18.10, this sunny evening, when Marg and Hector arrived at the premises. Curryspondent Tracey had informed me that, since 2018, 

The waiter led us to table one adjacent to the Lunchtime Buffet set up. The lady bringing out the food was not the one I was introduced to on 

Main courses are served with Rice and the choice of two Paratha or Chapatti.
Quiet when we arrived, the place was rapidly filling. With the student, and lecturer population in this neighbourhood, the intelligentsia are going to quickly recognise quality Curry, decently priced. Then there’s the Buffet, I have already resolved to return Friday lunchtime. Buffet, not Hector’s norm, but it will be a new experience here, and an opperchancity for Curry-Heute to be more comprehensive.
Behold the feast!

Hector’s Chettinad yardstick – is there a whole, red, Dried Smoked Chilli?
Level 4, spot on! The Smoky Blast was just as anticipated, wonderful. Spice, Seasoning, Smokiness, classic South Indian Fayre. The appearance of the Masala took me back to the early days, for Hector this is the 1960s. A Masala can look so good, it just has to be so. Not Soupy, not Oily, but still managing to be – rich. There was a sense of Tomato in there.
The Parotta was dipped oft in the Masala, deliberately held back for this purpose. Then there was the Masala soaked Rice. This was a three ring circus, so much happening. There’s more.
Under the lights, this had the same rich – redness – as the Chettinad, misleading. This Masala had a much browner hue. Strips of onion had been cooked in, towards pulp. A bit too close to Hector’s last, and
A slight sweetness – was an early remark by Marg.

I had been watching for any sign of the Hostess from 2018. From the kitchen a familiar face appeared, briefly. Calling Card in hand, I asked the waiter if I could speak to her.



Hector’s choice for a
Five Rivers Indian Cuisine (2245 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122 United States of America) is way to the west of Downtown, so dragging Marg that far out did not immediately appear likely. Cue a conversation with an Indian chap at The Crafty Fox, and The Golden Gate Park and Botanic Gardens were added to Marg’s wanna’ go list. Five Rivers lies a couple of blocks to the south of these.
Tram N takes one to the door, prior to this there was the matter of ticking off a certain red bridge. Eventually, and certainly hungry, it was 16.30 on a Sunday afternoon, the perfect time for Curry.

A young chap appeared, menus were provided, one for Curry, the other for Mr. Singh’s Pizza. We have succumbed to Pizza twice on this trip, as yet no Burgers.
He did not appear to know what –
I may have got through.

The Naan was pathetic. Quartered, even whole it would have looked feeble. Thin, not risen, and only beginning to show the required blisters.


This was not what was hoped for. A Dry Karahi with a Thick, Minimal Masala is what the Hector was expecting, not Shorva. Then there was the Onions, lots of them, too many. A Karahi with lots of Onions, heaven forbid what they would have served if let loose on the
It’s just as well there was Rice, using the Naan to eat this alone would have made a right mess. Ten big pieces of Meat were arranged on the Basmati, a decent portion. The moment of truth.
From whose – Book of Curry – was this a Rogan Josh? There are two interpretations, the cursed modern – Creamy, or the Tomato-rich the Hector grew up with. What was this?
Plenty pieces of lamb of varying sizes. I had to cut up a few. A rich tomato-based sauce. (how did Marg come to this conclusion?)
The Bill


Shalimar Restaurant (532 Jones St, San Francisco, CA 94102 United States of America) was ignored back in 2018 in favour of
Day 46 of this trip and once again the rain has followed us, always eastwards, something to do with which way planet go. 

Marg, sporting the cardigan which subliminally is worn when going out for Curry, was having her norm: Aloo Keema ($12.95). We would share a Naan-A-Akbar ($2.00). The composer of the menu can call it – great – we shall decide. 



Served on-the-bone, as true Karahi Gosht should be, there were six massive pieces. Let’s get the only criticism out of the way – the food could, should, have been served warmer.
The first dip of Naan into the Masala revealed a – killer Flavour. The Spice was there and would build some more. Again, sensibly pitched as was the Seasoning. This Masala was the real deal.
A dry Keema, in terms of no needless Masala. Given the quality of the Karahi, it was no surprise when a genuine Aloo Keema was presented. This had one significant difference, Marg assured me there was Keema, and pieces of Chicken also. This I hadn’t noticed whilst eating, far too busy, but this may explain the lighter colour. The presence of whole Spice marks a meal, Marg pulled out a Black Cardamom. Her verdict:
The dish had very little potato but was full of mince and very small pieces of chicken. It was full of flavour and a joy to eat. It had the right tantalising blasts and was not too spicy. It was just great. 








In the spirit of why does a birthday have to last one day only, another Curry felt justified. There was a Curry House minutes from our hotel in Ala Moana, a lunchtime visit was agreed upon. Somewhat peculiarly, Bombay Palace Restaurant (1778 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI, 96815 United States of America) finish their two hour, midday session at 13.30.
Hector rarely eats Curry before this time, but with sleep patterns still awry, one could be squeezed in. There was a determination to visit Bombay Palace, research had narrowed down the array of Curry Houses in Honolulu to here and yesterday’s
Marg was not having Curry, House Salad ($7.95) and Chai ($5.95) would suffice. For Hector, the
It’s a while since I had to pay for Basmati, here a two Dollar charge, fair enough. Perhaps it was this that put me off ordering a Naan ($3.95), or more likely the time of day.
With full view of the otherwise empty restaurant, there was no need to move from my seat to capture the setting. The open kitchen was partially obscured, one chap appeared to be doing all.
House Salad




The Masala clearly had a good dollop of Dairy in there. Thankfully, this was not what the Hector would consider to be a Creamy Curry.
The Spice Level impressed from the start, – Hot – had been asked for, this was well judged, enough, no need to go too far. The Seasoning was within acceptable parameters, maybe more would not have suited this Masala. One Flavour was making me think Euro-Curry, then things became more complex. A few Cumin Seeds had been mixed through the Rice, I waited for these to kick in, nope, but there something going here. Earthy but aromatic – was noted next. How does all this come together?
So, a slightly more Creamy Curry than I would prefer, but by just a tad. An Earthy Flavour with the likely addition of my favourite Herb, this was proving to be a worthy Curry.
The Bill



A whole week without Curry! Time to make up for it. Today is a day to celebrate, it’s Hector’s birthday. Traditionally, Marg takes Hector out for a big meal, Curry of course. Today was somewhat different. 

The early rise for the trip to Pearl Harbor, Marg’s birthday present to Hector, meant there was a siesta thereafter. It was late afternoon when we set off for Waikiki, a half hour walk from Ala Moana. We located Desi’s Indian Curry in a backstreet eatery, Kiosk 2 in the Royal Hawaiian Dining Plaza. It’s just as well this was not Marg’s birthday treat.
Hector was still taking photos of the menu and surroundings as Marg approached the window in Kiosk 2. She ordered: Butter Chicken (£18.00) (medium), the national beverage ($2.00), and Chai ($4.00). Rice is included with Mains. 
The Hector presented and added: Goa Fish Curry ($18.00) a Naan ($3.00) and another can of cola.
The Bill

The Rice was exactly the right amount. No wastage. 

At first glance, I assumed Marg’s Curry was mine. Nope, the Hector had ordered the yellow one. This was as Soupy as Curry can be, remote from the favoured Desi Karahi. The Yellow Sauce, fortunately I was saved from the curse of the Big Onions. The sense of humour was being tested. 
Tilapia, at least I knew this was a worthy Fish, and there was plenty of it. Well cooked, the integrity was maintained then easily cut with the plastic spoon. Flecks of red were strewn through the Masala, Chilli of some description. Consequently, there was a good – kick – but the Curry lacked Seasoning. There was no hiding the Coconut, but this was far from a – Sweet Korma. I was about to accept this Curry for what it was, then I realised the means for bringing out all the Flavours.
The Buttery Naan had the Seasoning, by dipping this in the Masala, there was a dramatic resonance on the pleasure sensors. A Curry of two halves, once the excess Masala had been taken care of, so there was something resembling a – Dry Fish Curry, way better. I cut the Tilapia into flaky pieces, apart from the colour, this was approaching the Fish Curry the Hector seeks. Now there was nothing not to like. A decent Fish Curry. 
Marg is the expert here, Hector abhors this creation. Orange, Soupy, this is what those who like this style of Curry enjoy. Four big pieces of
Marg’s words for the day:

We stacked the empty plates/bowls and returned them to Kiosk 2. Time for introductions. Ash received the Calling Card, hopeful

