Epic Era Has Saha Recipe

My Groundhog day tradition, started accidentally some years back, include a snowstorm and a minor splurge at a "go-to" restaurant. It hasn't work out exactly like this with the restaurant Black Skirt being long-gone (without a suitable replacement) and the snowstorm usually arriving a few days early. But every year I do a close approximation.

This Sunday, on 02/02/2020, it all came together again. There was actually a snowstorm and so I thought about going to Osteria Rialto at The Paradise Theatre. The menu there would definitely involve a splurge and it was supposedly also a Southern Italian restaurant like Black Skirt. But from a recent search, I discovered that Chef Saha was still cooking Indian fare in the city. If Groundhog Day was about invoking familiarity and nostalgia, why not replicate one of my first Toronto experience from 20 years before?

Even back then, Saha was always looking to elevate Indian cuisine out of the ethnic ghetto. At tiny Biryani House, he expanded from a few stools by the window during my first visits to full table linen service later on. So I wasn't surprised that Spice Indian Bistro (officially Richmond St but the entrance is on Sherbourne) had a modern dining feel: open kitchen, banquette seating, and mandala-like symbols painted on the wall.

From the menu, I chose an appetizer Rajastani Shahi Kachori ($8.95) and 3 mains: Malabar Machhi Masala ($16.95), Madras Prawn Curry ($17.95) and Street-style Okra ($13.95). I also ordered 2 plain naan ($2.50 x 2). It was a lot of food but that just meant more left-overs for the week.

The appetizer was lentil pasties piled with colourful ingredients and some fried puri. It was a nice contrast between savoury lentils with refreshing sprouts, ginger, and sauce. Pomegranate seeds added little bursts of sweetness. It was a nice start to dinner.

The prawns were large, juicy, and had a good chew. It was a thicker tomato-based curry with a touch of spiciness. The fish was also good, but perhaps too delicate and mild to compete with the masala sauce. The okra was a dry dish, mixed with onions and sweet pepper, and had large chunks of firm okra. Tonight, it was rather an indulgent dinner and I was overwhelmed with too much richness by the end. But for a more typical meal, any of the dish would be excellent.

Before I left, I spoke a few words with the chef. It turns out the quizzical looks he gave me was from half-remembered recognition. Once I mentioned Biryani House, it all came back. But he grossly underestimated my age back then. Spice Indian Bistro goes on my go-to list and not just for Groundhog Day.

Edit: The leftover Malabar fish curry was outstanding with plain rice and steamed vegetables.