Sample Indian and Pakistani delicacies while in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics
2010-01-19
This February thousands of international travelers will make the journey to
Vancouver in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics, and some may longing for
the comforts of home after a few days in the Canadian cold. For travelers
seeking to sample central Asian delicacies while visiting the Great White North,
Vancouver's Vij's restaurant may be the answer to their wishes.
Originally opened as a miniscule 14-seat restaurant in September of
1994, Vij's restaurant has expanded into a Vancouver institution providing a
versatile menu of sumptuous cuisines from India and Pakistan.
The food
reflects the diverse spices and cultures of the different regions of India
ranging from Rajasthani style goat curry to Garam masala sautéed Portobello
mushrooms in a creamy curry.
On the restaurant's website, executive chef
and owner Vikram Vij, whose restaurant experience includes time spent on three
continents, proclaims that his team may stray from many conventions of Indian
cuisine when preparing meals, but that the food will always retain inspiration
from his homeland.
The restaurant has garnered quite a bit of acclaim
from local and international visitors including glowing reviews from the New
York Times, Food and Wine Magazine and the Art Culinaire.