Nonna? Nah, Nani

I took another day off on Tuesday but it was also without much activities. In the morning, I was debating whether or not to visit my old laundromat. It would be nice to clean my travel clothes. But I only had shorts and it was still too cold outside. It seemed wasteful to not wash my jeans. Breakfast was leftovers from previous meals: vegan momos and pilaf rice.

Near lunchtime, I walked to Dufferin Mall along College St. Most businesses on that strip have been around for a few years. But it looked like Gula Mexican Bar has replaced Lay Low Brewery. That spot has turned over numerous times including Pho Canh Buom and Me and Mine (one of the first gentrified business). After buying the Deluxe nut mix, I walked through Dufferin Grove. I was surprised there weren't many students on their lunch break. The sun was making things more pleasant so I ate a slice from 241 Pizza while people-watching. I complimented the owner on his craft; this franchise location was better than others and, in my opinion, even the trendier pizzerias. That was when I found out he worked 6 days a week. On the way back to my rental, I stopped off at Dosa Mahal for some curry puffs (5 for $5). I had planned on eating them with leftover Jamaican rice as my last dinner for this trip. But then I changed my mind. 

The lower-level Bsmt 254 venue at Lansdowne and College took over from an old business right at the start of the pandemic. A concert with Nyssa at the new spot was on my radar in 2021 but I was busy planning my move back to Ottawa. So whenever I was back in the neighbourhood, I was always looking for a show there. But since they primarily host dance and DJ nights, I haven't gone yet. When I passed by on my way to see Pomme I noticed a sign for Khaose.

This pinged my radar with its similar sounds to Khao Soi, the Northern Thai beef curry noodle soup. So it turned out that the Khao Soi was originally inspired by a Burmese concoction (ohn no khao swè) and Khawsa (or Khaose) was the Pakistani variant of that same dish. South Asian curry noodle? Oh, the leftover food can wait for another day!

During the day, a couple rented out the kitchen for their delivery service. Originally started out of their home kitchen during the pandemic, they now use this space for takeout and also continue to sell their "street food" at outdoor markets and festivals. I ordered a beef Khawsa ($18) and in a nutshell, it was delicious. The marinated beef was meltingly tender and its tangy sauce reminded me of musuman curry. The spaghetti soaked up the coconut curry and delivered rich toothsomeness. Outside of really good noodles, this was a better sauce-and-pasta combo than typical Italian fare. There was also a lot of texture as the dish came with a large variety of toppings: spring onions, chili flakes, garlic chips, onion crisps, crunchins', and slims.