Outdoing a lame lunch with NDG's new gourmet Indian
I needed a burst of flavour for dinner that night, due to my lunch of a crappy bland sandwich from Second Cup. (I know, I know, what did I expect from a place with crappy bland coffee? But I was desperate…) Clearly my evening meal had to make up for such an indignity to the palate.
NDG’s new Indian resto Garam Massala fit the bill. The inside is a promising riot of décor, tastefully put together. Red and green and sparkly gold, with all the glam glitter of Indian knickknacks like brass pots, painted elephants and costumed dollies. Jars of spices displayed as you enter invite contemplation on the meal’s components. The red velvet ornamental fan on the wall seems to say, "For those about to ingest, we salute you."
The menu is suspiciously akin to that of another upscale Indian place in NDG, down to the section titled "from our incredible tandoor." Fair enough – imitation’s the highest form of flattery. Besides, I’m always happy to see the likes of spicy vindaloos, yogurty kormas and vegetable-rich masalas.
To start we were brought pappadams ("India’s answer to the giant potato chip" says the menu – was there a question? I must have dozed off in class…). They were overly greasy, alas, as were the samosas that followed in our appetizer smorg. But the pakoras were exceptionally good, little balls of fried veggie shreds perked up with fennel. We liked the shami kebab, a small beef patty and cinnamony spice, but found the sheek kebab – a tandoor-baked torpedo of beef – a little dry.
To go with our mains, we ordered a selection of breads: sweet puffy nan, thin floppy whole wheat chapati, and fried white flour paratha. The latter caused dissent in the group. I loved its buttery yet dry crispness, others found it too stiff, preferring the more usual soft and flaky kind ("that remind me of croissants," said the discerning Indophile of the group).
A platter of tandoor-cooked meat involved more beef bullets, flavourful (but not tender) lamb, chicken, and a couple of shrimp (tastier than the malodorous burnt shell might bode). These were served with a golden rice pilau, heavy with clove, cinnamon, cardamom, raisins. Don’t forget to add some of the thin yogurt sauce for flavour and moisture.
Their dhal was particularly nutty. The sauce of the lamb tikka masala was a startlingly red, coarse yogurt-and-nut blend, both sour and sweet – Indian cuisine should never be monotone, but always symphonic. Spinach and potato curry was deep green and a touch sweet, the chicken jalfrezi was not the spicy firebomb I’m used to, but mild and onion-filled.
For dessert we decided to buy a tub of vanilla Heath Bar crunch at the Ben and Jerry’s across the street. The Indophile had fresh strawberries at home, best to eat them before the season vanished in an ephemeral puff.
When we left, the outdoor terrasse was full. Although overall it may be somewhat generic gourmet Indian fare, Garam Massala fills a niche on Monkland Avenue. The restaurant certainly helped rectify the dreary taste-bud assault by my mediocre lunch grub.
Garam Massala
5601 Monkland; 488-8999
Dinner for two, not including tax or tip: $25-$50
10 comments
This is exactly what the Monkland Avenue area needed- an Indian restaurant! The food and the ambience sound terrific and I always love to eat on a terrasse on a warm summer evening. We will definitely give this restaurant a try!
I strongly believe that Indian cuisine is grossly understated in Montreal. So much emphasis is (understandably) placed on French food that we sometimes forget to think (or eat) out of the bubble. Maeve has once again created a genuine interest in trying out new restaurants. I am a fan of Indian restaurant Malhi Sweets but it seriously lacks in decor so I might give Garam Massala a try if I want something a little more upscale.
Maeve started out by Trashing Second Cup sandwishes and coffee.
Then goes on to describe the Indian food in such a way that really discouraged me from wanting to go and try it. I have some very nice Indian friends and I had the pleasure of dinning at there house may a time and never ate food to this discription . I have often thought about eating at an Indian Restuarant , but honestly this article just discouraged me from it . Nobody today is looking for greasy foods.
Then I would say that the location is relatively close to several other Indian Resturants on Sherbrook St . in the same area . Too much of a good thing can be bad for business. Unless you have exceptionally good food and not like what was discribed by Maeve , you will just be running in compition with already existing restuarants.
Then what blew my mind was that this meal was not even satisfing to Maeve because he had to go indulge TUB of ice-cream from Ben and Jerry’s across the street. Ben and Jerrys ice-creams carry close to two tousand calories per serving, which indicates that if you had one for dessert , you could not have possible had a satisfying meal at the Indian Resturante.
It is a shame because we depend on good reviews and honest advertisements to help us choose what is good and what is bad.
I know we have wonderful Indian restaurants in NDG, but I just love all of them and will welcome a visit to a restaurant named after my favorite blend of spices. Just the description of the different type of nan has picqued my curiosity. I appreciate different cooks ways of preparing my favorite dishes. This one is definitely on my list of must trys, especially since it is so close to home!
I very like Indian food and I found that there is not enough restaurant where you can eat that kind of food. I prefer places where they have buffet like the restaurant “Bombay Palace” in Pointe-Claire because you can taste different plates and re-order the food that you find good. It’s a better place when you want to experience the Indian Foods for the first time.
But If you already like Pomodori Chicken, samosas, and curry-foods, you’ll have to go to Garam Massala. A good place for a friday night !
Whoever said that variety was the spice of life knew what they wree talking about. . To be simply trapped in that Western cuisine of steak & potatoes is simply missing what a great culinary experience Indian cuisine has to offer…. To hear other people talk about a restaurant & to go down & personally try it for yourself is one experience you have to try….I’m sure when I go down there, I certainly won’t be disappointed with my personal favorite- lamb curry…..Try it, you’ll luv it!!
I used to walk by Garam Masala everyday before leaving Montreal, and now I wish I had the chance to try it. Too many restaurants, too little time, I guess. While there are other very good Indian restaurants nearby on Sherbrooke St. W, Garam Masala is the only one on Monkland, rounding out the neighborhood. It definitely has a place- the only thing Monkland is now missing is a Mexican restaurant, something I longed for on those cold winter nights where going downtown for food seemed very unappealling!!
I love samosas and nan bread, and my favorite thing about Indian food is that there are always plenty of vegetarian options (in fact, I took an Indian cooking course a while ago for that very reason). Spinach and potato curry definitely sounds good, but until I find a good place to go in Ottawa I’ll have to wait…..
As far as the Ben and Jerry’s goes, I’ll have to stick up for Maeve. Sometimes the lure of Ben and Jerry’s is too strong, despite having eaten a full, satsifying meal. I have found myself there many times after a good dinner, and have had to find room for some B&J’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie frozen yogurt.
Wow.. just reading down that article has got my tastebuds going. There really is nothing quite like good food to bring back happy memories. I love Indian food, and I actually just got back from spending the summer vacationing in India (a foodie’s paradise!)… A little curry, a little nostalgia and a handful of friends.. that’s the recipe for happiness and it sounds like Garam Massala can at least provide 1 of the 3. I’ve actually found the Indian restaurants in Montreal (who shall remain nameless) a bit disappointing so far, but I’m up for the challenge of a new one!
PS To Heather Jackson in Ottawa.. one of the best Indian restaurants there is the Little India Cafe right at Wylie and Carling near the Coliseum movie theatre.. you will not be disappointed!
GARAM MASSALA is actually in my neck of the woods and I can personally attest to the fact that it is a quaint and intimate locale with just enough atmosphere (especially at night) and speedy service to make you into a regular.
The menu is not as vast or as spicy as some other restaurants of the same ilk that you’ll find in this city but if your pallet is unaccustomed to such cuisine then I heartily recommend this place.
Monkland Avenue in NDG is beautifully diverse so that if this restaurant doesn’t do your thing then there probably is one that will just a few doors down.
Personally, I recommend it but feel free to find out for yourself.
We went to Garam Masala last night, thinking we’d have a nice curry dinner after quaffing a pint at the Old Orchard.
The menu is chocked full of your standard indian restaurant fare, but so is almost every other Indian rest in the city. We made our choices and nibbled on some nice salty papadums and sweet and sour carrot chutney to go with our apperitifs (Double Diamond). The onion bhahis were half decent, a little to much chick pea flour and not enough onion, but still, i have yet to meet an onion bhaji I didn’t like.
The lamb kebab was great, flavourful and tender. The accompanying rice pilaf was full of almonds and raisins and (gasp) baby lima beans? Well, why not. I am afraid however, that serving the kebabs on a bed of shredded lettuce doused in Kraft dressing gives me a bit of a shiver, as did the price tag, 8 small pieces of lamb with a cup of rice and a bit of yogurt sauce for $15. A little steep for this type of food.
The tarka dal (lentil puree) was respectable but nothing to write back to Mumbai about. The butter chicken was resoundingly well recieved, doused in a coconut based sauce sweet enough to be served for dessert and the aloo ghobi, although undersalted, was a flavourful mix of cauliflower and potatoes in an onion based sauce. A great health concious choice. As to the nan bread, well, thankfully i like pizza crust because that is about what we got. Ok maybe I’m being a bit unfair, but I’m a stickler for good nan, and this was only a 6/10.
All this with a total of 3 pints for $85, before tip.