Maybe Any

The Thai restaurant in the strip mall just south of Victoria Park and Sheppard East finally closed late last year. Its lunch crowd was sparse because its offerings were merely serviceable. A sign advertising an Indian restaurant went up for a while.

On Wednesday, I headed over to see the new challenger. It turned out to be Biryanis, a chain with locations mostly in India but looking to grow in North America. They had renovated the inside and put in cheery diner booth seating. The menu was the usual variety of tandoori and curries. There were also some South Indian choices including Uttapam and Dosa, although these were not yet available this week. I guess this is the "and more" part of their slogan.

I looked over the extensive Byriani options and opted for Ulavacharu mixed veg ($10.99) with horse gram (water), vegetables, and spices. It was a large portion of rice that came with a spicy chutney and some raita-esque yogurt. I've never had horse gram so I'm not sure how it should taste, but the dish was nicely spiced with fragrant and delicate rice. The only problem was that there were at most 10% veggies. So it was more a dish to be shared family-style with other entrees. On its own, it didn't satisfy as a complete meal.

The restaurant may want to offer a "meal-style" biryani option for the lunch crowd. I was reminded that when I first moved to Toronto, there was a small Indian restaurant called Biryani House tucked in a laneway (Roy's Square) at Yonge and Bloor. Chef Debu Saha's biryani selection was stuffed with veggies and boneless chicken pieces. It was my weekly ritual that first year to visit them for a Saturday lunch before checking out the latest Hollywood flick at an afternoon matinee. That hidden cluster of shops have long been replaced by a towering condo since 2008. But Mr. Saha continues to cook in the city.