Vij's
There's no such thing as a typical curry at this authentic Indian favourite.
Glowing reviews from both humble diners and big-shot critics have served this restaurant well, as it's grown from a 14 seater local into an international favourite over the last 15 years. With India's colourful and varied cuisine as their cornerstone, Vij's work along the lines that there's no such thing as a typical curry, creating instead an ever changing menu of regionally-inspired dishes with the freshest of ingredients. They even make their own yogurt and cheeses on site, and roast and grind their spices personally via an all-female team of Punjabi chefs. Outfitted in suitably exotic reds and golds with the trumpeting elephant motto making it onto glowing cut-out lanterns, the space is always buzzing with a young, hip crowd of repeat customers - so if you can't get a table (and there is a no reservations policy, so queue early) to try out the Chai and famous Lamb Popsicles, set up camp in the lounge and sample the house specialty - a ginger and lemon drink with a dash of pepper, most probably served by Vij himself.
Top Tip / UJ Loves: Grab some to-go packs from the fridges, assembled on site in their signature metallic and neon packaging at Rangoli, Vij's more casual café next door. You can also eat here, should you not get into Vij's eponymous haunt.
Vij's
1488 West 11th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V6H 1L1
Tel: +1 (604) 736 5711
Cost: $40
www.vijs.ca
