Restaurants
Biryani House
Chef Debu Saha of Debu Saha's Biryani House kickstarted this year's Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights in high-style creating an exceptional five-course tasting menu that captured the colour, excitement and diversity of the lunar New Year.
Catering to both the vegetarian ($38) and non-vegetarian appetites ($45), the menu was designed for Canada's colder climate, seasonal ingredients as well as spices that enhance and tantalize the palates.
To make sure I got a taste of both 5-course meals, I ordered the non-veggie and Mark ordered the vegetarian, which I made sure I dug my fork into.
I started off with the lentil consommé with a tamarind marinated caramelized scallop. The scallop was actually cooked just right and was accentuated by the sweetness of the tamarind. The veggie, half lentil and half tomato soup was scented with mint oil that provided an aroma which quickly warmed all of my senses.
Next up was my favourite dish of the meal, the lamb parcel stuffed with spinach and Brie. The lamb was served with a spicy mint jelly, which was cooled down within the same bite by accompanied mango salsa. Dried cranberries helped even out all the flavours.
The crispy lentil dumpling stuffed with spicy potato compote was the vegetarian option. Scented with coconut-tamarind date dressing, the dish was the super high-end version of a regular samosa.
The third dish was a garlic flavoured five greens compote (spinach, Swiss chard, rapini, kale, fenugreek) with basil vinaigrette and chestnut-crusted paneer, served with stuffed baby radish paratha. This was served to both vegetarian and non.
To finish off the main dishes, I had the Old Lucknowi-style Cornish hen confit garnished with oven roasted cipollini onions, a quail egg and vegetable bundle korma. The hen was tender and juicy but also intensely flavoured by the curry spices.
The vegetarian main was a sesame seed crusted baby eggplant steak in tamarind-peanut sauce, scented with curry leaves and sweet potato ribbons dusted with black rock salt. Served with cilantro rice, the eggplant was a nice finish to the five greens compote. It provided a distinct flavour and texture change.
For dessert, we were served a raspberry stuffed rasgulla, coated with white chocolate and dusted with cocoa powder. Cardamom flavoured rice pudding in a chocolate cup garnished with roasted cracked pistachio nuts. Masala tea ice cream served with hazelnut sesame seed chikki and barfi canapés with raspberry sauce.
In total, the menu took about two hours to get through. It was obvious that each dish was carefully designed for the advanced palate. The flavours definitely flowed nicely between each dish.
P.S. Unfortunately, I do have to make a note about the service; it was below par. For an evening and celebration I expected more.
Debu Saha's Biryani House
25 Wellesley Street East (at Yonge)
416-927-9340
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