OH BUTTER CHICKEN.
There are some who spurn you.
Food snobs say you're common; that every Indian restaurant, shopping mall food court outlet and downtown food truck is ladling you over rice. Nutritionists and health nuts give you the cold shoulder because you're made with ghee (clarified butter) and cream.
None of that matters to me - I love you, in all your thick, creamy deliciousness. Mind you, not all Butter Chicken is created equal.
Early this year, I was sad to hear that Mumbai Masala, on West 16 St. off Lonsdale, had closed. I was a longtime fan of the food (though the service could be spotty). Bright tasting chutnies always arrived with papadum to start the meal; sauces tasted of fresh-crushed spices; naan bread was puffy and charred from the tandoor oven; and the Butter Chicken soared with the perfect ratio of crushed tomatoes and mild, house-blended heat draped over juicy chicken.
You can imagine my delight when I discovered the restaurant had reopened in Park & Tilford Shops, in the location recently vacated by Casual Gourmet Bistro.
The parking had become difficult near Lonsdale, explained our server last week when I asked about the move. Tucked away as it was, the old location wasn't easy for first-timers to find, and with more residential towers being added to the neighbourhood, finding a spot for your wheels - especially if you're only running in to pick up your take-out - was getting near impossible. The new location is smaller, more contained and easier for the family-owners to manage as well.
Happily, I found little else has changed. We still got our papadum and chutneys, and the menu still sports popular favourites like flaky, fried samosas and pakoras, Papri Chaat - potatoes and garbanzo beans on crispy wafers; and mogo, spicy cassava chips tossed with garlic and spices.
Mains include dishes cooked in the tandoor oven, like Lamb Tikka and Tandoori Fish; a long list of vegetarian items; or traditional sauces made with your choice of meat: chicken, beef or lamb.
Our offspring, ages 9 and 6, were delighted with mango Lassi to drink ( the Mumbai Mix ($10.95) we had to start: a platter of chicken, fish, and paneer pakora that was easily shared.
We ordered our Butter Chicken ($10.95) mild, and found the sauce still to be a heady mix of light cream and tomato with fenugreek, still simmering. We scooped it up with pulao rice and naan still hot from the oven.
Lamb Rogan Josh ($13.95) was just as good; a little more fiery thanks to the red chilies it's made with. We sampled Paneer Tikka ($14.95) for the first time: homemade cheese marinated in tangy spices and baked slowly in the tandoor.
The cheese is mild, but the sautéed peppers and onions, served alongside, add texture and flavour.
Though it was only a few dishes, we soon found ourselves well-sated, and had enough to take some home. The bill for the four of us, which also included one beer, added up to $70, including HST.
Mumbai Masala is at 770-333 Brooksbank Ave., North Vancouver. Call 604-984-888, or visit mumbaimasala.ca for take-out.
