Taste of India

Taste of India, on Monkland, is one of the best Indian restaurants in Montreal. While you peruse the menu, you can snack on pappadum with a delicious salad of onions, tomatoes, cucumber and coriander. I always seem to turn into a klutz when I eat that, but it’s worth it – it’s so good! And before you order, let it be said that I always recommend a ginger ale with Indian food (though they do have a good selection of Indian beers).

There are several different combos that are very tasty and give you good variety while covering the classics. I definitely recommend the onion bhajis, along with samosas for a starter. The Mulligatawny soup is also very good. The butter chicken is always a safe bet, as is the chicken tikka masala and the tandoori chicken (which is excellent). The beef bhoona is also very good, as are some vegetarian dishes, like the saag aloo (potatoes and spinach) and the aloo gobi (potatoes with cauliflower). The rice pilao, while a little dry, tastes wonderful by itself and is also great to absorb sauce or cut spices. And let’s not forget the nan bread, which is amazing! Off the combo menu, I recommend the coconut chicken or chicken korma, if you like mild dishes, as well as the vindaloo or naga chicken, if you like spicy dishes.

For dessert, try the gulab jamon (pastry and Indian cheese dipped in sweet honey syrup and rosewater) or the borfi (squares made from coconut and Indian cream).