Shaaz Indian Cuisine is a stylish halal restaurant that serves Indian, Saudi Arabian, and Hakka-style dishes.

Located in White Shield Plaza, a bustling shopping centre at the corner of Kennedy and Lawrence, Shaaz opened in early September and has been booming ever since.

The dining room is decked out in shades of blue, perfectly complimenting the elegant brown tabletops and golden cutlery. The artwork on the walls is inspired by traditional Indian paintings, though fun details like chunky headphones and heart-shaped glasses have been added to give the murals a more playful vibe.Before becoming Shaaz’s brand manager, Shahabuddin Shaikh worked for a prominent oil company. The Mumbai native tells us that seeing international cuisines flourish in his hometown inspired him to enter the food service industry.

"Mumbai is full of food from around the world," says Shahabuddin, citing Lebanese, Italian, and Mexican dishes as examples of this phenomenon. "We wanted to bring our food to people in Canada."

Together with head chef Omkar Belwate, Shahabuddin has crafted a dining experience that showcases the best his home has to offer.

Shaaz has a dizzyingly large selection, with more than fifty types of mandi alone. As such, the sheer number of options can be overwhelming, especially if you're as unfamiliar with Indian cuisine as I am. Luckily, Omkar was happy to show us the highlights.

According to Shahabuddin, most meals begin with either bread or biscuits. Plain Naan ($2.99) is the default choice, but toppings such as butter or garlic ($3.99) can be added as well.Roomali Roti ($3.99) is another popular starter. This wafer-thin flatbread is folded into quarters and used as either a palate cleanser or a vehicle for sauce and meat. I found that the pockets are a great place to store small pieces of chicken.Bite-sized options, such as Veggie and Egg Puffs ($2.99), are also available. These light, flaky pastries remind me a bit of Greek phyllo, minus the cheesy filling. Crunchy Osmania Biscuits ($1.99) are a must-have, especially if you plan on starting your meal with tea.Speaking of tea, Irani Chai ($2.99) feels like a hug in a cup, thanks to its comforting blend of cardamom, sugar, and milk. Saudi Lassi ($5.99) is a Saudi Arabian take on a popular Indian beverage. This yogurt-based drink is mixed with 7-Up, giving it the taste and texture of a refreshing citrus smoothie.Despite its name, Saudi Champagne ($6.99/glass, $21.99/pitcher) contains no alcohol. Instead, this fizzy green mocktail makes use of apple juice, mint, and soda water, and though it isn't quite as strong as the chai or the lassi, floating apple chunks make it interesting to look at. 

From the dinner menu, we tried the Manchow Soup ($6.49), made from chopped cabbage, carrots and ginger and garnished with crispy noodles. Green chilies give the first spoonful a slight kick without detracting from the hearty flavour.

The Sweet Corn Soup ($6.49) is made of similar ingredients, but the addition of corn kernels gives it a much milder taste.Chicken Lollipop Masala ($15.99) is a messy dish that's made for sharing. This sticky, savoury treat is made with fried chicken drumettes that are tossed in a spicy sauce and garnished with red onions. The Schezwan Hakka Noodles ($13.99) are a bright, appetizing red, thanks to the chili flakes. Combine that with scallions and green peppers and you get a bowl that’s as tasty as it is colourful.The Desi Hakka Fried Rice ($12.99) wears its Indo-Chinese influences on its sleeve. You can top it with scrambled eggs for $1 or grilled chicken for $2.

The Bahubali Mandi ($150) is meant to be ordered by a party of six or more and comes on a massive table-sized platter. A bed of long-grain rice holds pieces of masala chicken, Apollo fish, tender lamb shanks, and flavourful mutton, as well roast cashews and hard-boiled eggs. 

Mayonnaise and tomato chutney are served on the side, adding some saucy goodness to the already stacked platter.

"The only thing that matters to us," Shahabuddin explains, "is serving traditional food in a proper way."Shaaz Indian Cuisine is located at 2300 Lawrence Ave, Unit 20a.