Pan-Asian

I've been eyeing newish restaurant Rickshaw Bar (Queen St. W and Bathurst) as I pass by, but I'm not usually down in this area at night. Given a great review from the Globe and Mail last week-end, I finally decided to make a detour on Saturday. I aimed for an early visit, only about 10 minutes after opening in anticipation of an uptick in customers. Good thing too, because the people who came just a little later had a 30 min-1 hour wait.

The critic claimed that this was a good "cheap eats" because of the small tapas-style menu. With tax and tip, my dinner came to $72, which isn't what I'd consider a bargain. However, chef Noureen Feerasta has drawn from her South Asian heritage as well as other Asian cuisines to deliver some outstanding dishes. Both the chicken ($6) and veggie fritter ($5) tacos were crunchy and fresh. Their shell of fried paratha added some unusual flavours. The fritter wasn't quite as good since the fried veggie had too similar a taste to the taco. I was on the fence about the scallop ceviche ($12). The taste profile was excellent: a coconut milk sauce, tangy line, bursts of herb, crunchy puffed rice, and delicate, thin slices of scallop. But it was a bit of a sticker-shock for such a small portion.

The chili fish ($13) had the best price/portion ratio. A nice piece of fish, barely seared, laid on top of a bed of rice. Along with hint of lemongrass, garlic, and a slight kick, this was a great dish. The Ismaili beef curry ($15) was also exquisite. Unlike both Thai and Indian curry, this thick almost chocolatey sauce hid tender potatoes and soft beef. It was sinfully delicious. It would have also been a great deal but the side order of rice ($3) pushed into slightly into the pricey side. Although if like the critic, your palate is refined enough to taste the dozen ingredients within it, you might consider it a steal.

As for me, I'll definitely come back. But I might grab a small bite at the Pizzaiolo across the street beforehand to make it a little easier on my wallet.