This month, our gourmets discover hot, sweet and savoury combinations that will dazzle your palate.
Words by Tara Pepper
Bobby and I were in the mood for something different when we ventured out to dinner on a recent Friday night, and we could not think of a better cuisine to fulfill that desire than South Asian. Off we went to Nirvana for an array of Indian delicacies to tease and tantalize our taste buds.
Nirvana: The Flavours of India is a fine dining establishment located in a restaurant complex at Hurontario Street and Brunel Road, and you would never guess what awaits you inside when you pull up to the unassuming entranceway. The large space is divided into multiple rooms, all full with mostly South Asian diners. The d?cor is reminiscent of a regal court with extra-large paintings and soft, warm fabrics. It’s interesting to peer into the glass-encased tandoor kitchen to watch the chefs in action. The tandoor oven is used to bake naan bread. The dough is thrown against the sides and cooked to perfection: crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside. Fantastic!
Nirvana is known for its creative menu and for putting their own spin onto many traditional dishes. Indian cuisine is spicy, but that doesn’t have to mean hot. Most dishes start with a garam masala spice blend. Each cook has their own recipe, mixing a dozen or so spices. Some dishes, like Vindaloo, are quite hot (spicy), while the majority of others are highly seasoned and flavourful but mild. Our server was very willing to answer questions and guide us to the temperature gauge of the dishes we chose. The service at Nirvana, by the way, was excellent—helpful, accommodating, gracious and attentive—everything you could hope for.
The huge menu was divided as you would expect, with starters, offerings from the clay oven, and Daawat-e-Khat (the main meal) offering vegetable, rice and bread dishes. They even have a Hukka-style section—a blend of Indian and Asian cultures presented together in a dish—very interesting and very delicious. Indian cuisine lends itself to ordering a number of dishes for sharing and thus getting to try many different tastes in one meal.
Bobby started with the Hot and Sour Soup, and he said it was hot (of course) and sour (well, yes) but with a flavour and fullness that he hadn’t experienced before in this type of soup. I tried it… marvellous!
From the Hukka menu, we ordered Gobhi Manchurian—cauliflower battered and fried with a garlic and soy sauce. The sauce was sticky, the cauliflower slightly crunchy, the breading soft and tasty and it had a mild barbecue (yet not-barbecue) taste that was really unusual. Delicious!
Along with the naan bread, we also had Pappadums—thin, crisp, crackers usually made from chickpea flour. Nirvana’s were nicely spicy and the tamarind and cool mint sauces were delicious as a dip.
We chose two dishes from the tandoor: Shrimp Sherdil (a chef’s signature dish) and Tandoori Mushrooms. Both dishes had a subtly smoky flavour from being barbecued over a slow coal fire. Yummy!
Next was Butter Chicken, my favourite. Tender, moist chicken cooked in a creamy butter and tomato gravy. It’s smooth and tangy and don’t let the butter scare you, there’s not that much in there! I ladled it over basmati rice, and the faintly perfumed scent wafted up to tickle my olfactory senses as I put it on my plate.
The Rogan Josh, a Kashmiri stew of soft, boneless lamb was amazing; definitely flavours that I have not experienced before. This dish is prepared in two steps: the lamb is cooked separately (and was perfect, not overdone like in many other Indian restaurants) and then simmered in the sauce. The gravy is made from cardamom, cinnamon, coriander power, ginger, garlic, red chilis; a mesmerizing taste sensation. I’ll definitely be back for more of this!
For vegetable dishes, we ordered Chana Masala— chickpeas in curry, herbs and spices. It did not disappoint. The star, however, was the Palak Paneer—fresh spinach cooked with cubes of fresh cottage cheese. I’m not a fan of cooked spinach, but this was an exception. It was extremely fresh, gingery and creamy, but still with a bite that sent my taste buds into overdrive!
Last but not least, we had to try something really spicy like Chicken Vindaloo, a Goan delight.
The chicken was prepared in a sauce of tomatoes, ginger, coriander and some secret hotness that wasn’t apparent at the beginning. This is the kind of heat that sneaks up on you and then wham! Hot, hot, hot! Not for the faint of heart!
Indian desserts are very interesting, but alas, we were far too full from our meal to even try anything! From past experience though, Ras Malai (a milk-based dumpling dessert) or Gulab Jaman (Indian donuts soaked in a cardamom and rosewater syrup) are worth a taste.
If you’re seeking adventure, craving something different, or just looking for a taste sensation like no other, make Nirvana your destination. I promise you won’t regret it!
Have you tried a restaurant you love? Tell Tara about it via nightsout@mississaugalife.ca.