Adored by locals and honoured by such luminaries as the New York Times, who declared that Vij’s was ‘...easily among the finest Indian restaurants in the world,’ it’s no wonder that dedicated fans of Vij’s modern Indian cuisine are more than happy to queue — sometimes for 90 minutes — to get a taste of those legendarily delicious lamb popsicles, and other treats on the menu.
And it really doesn’t matter who you are, as Vij’s has a strict "no reservation" policy, which is why celebrities like Harrison Ford, Martha Stewart and Pierre Trudeau have all patiently waited to get a table just like the rest of us. But part of the fun of Vij’s is waiting in the lounge area, spotting who’s who, meeting new friends and gobbling down the delicious complimentary hors d’oeuvres that are handed around to stave off hunger pangs.
“It’s first come, first served for everyone,” says the acclaimed restaurateur and TV star. “This is my home, I want to welcome people; these [Vij's, Rangoli and My Shanti, his three local restaurants] are not just restaurants they are an extension of how I think, how I feel and what I love.”
Kalonji Sauteed vegetables On Coconut Curried Brown rice + Black Chickpea Pilaf
Vegetables Koftes Filled With Almond Masala In Sour Cream Curry
Shitake Mushroom And Vegetables In Lightly Creamed Curry With Mung Bean Rice Pilaf
Saag-Panner With Punjabi Daal And Chapati
Brasied Beef Shortibs with roasted Okra and Walnuts, And Jelly Beans
Rajasthani Style Spicy Goat With Mildly Spiced Vegebales
Wine Marinated Lamb Popsicles In Fenugreek Cream Curry On turmeric And Spinach Potatoes
Local Pork Tenderloin In Tangy Cayenne And Ginger Curry
Organic Chicken Breast And thigh In Cream Cardamon Curry With Green onion And Tomato
Grilled Sablefish In tomato-Yogurt Broth On Navy beans Sauteed In Onion masala
Bc Ruby Trout In Coconut And Fengreek kMasala with Wheat Berry Pilaf
Drinks
Grilled coconut kale on barley pilaf
Eggplant in thick yogurt and garlic curry
Curried chickpeas and sweet potato-ricotta"cookies"
Grilled acorn and butternut squash with beets roasted in ghee and raw sugar,topped with cumin-apple spiced onions
Portobello mushrooms sauteed in green onions and khoa on coriander seed spiced vegetable fritter
Jackfruit in black cardamom and cumin curry
Local pork belly with apple mint chutney(per spoon)
Mutton kebobs with Bengali style curry
Samosas filled with lamp and beef,sauteed in fennel,cloves and sumac
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I had the best Indian food this time and the spices on all of the food that we ordered are just so perfect. Cravings satisfied.
Too bad they don't take reservations is really my only less positive comment. Our party of 4 waited for 1 hr to be seated on a weeknight so enjoy the lounge. I believe they have 10 beers on tap and a nice selection of cocktails. The food was pretty good, lots of flavour & decent size portion and served with naan and/or rice. We tried the samosas, eggplant & mutton kebabs to start. For mains we did the ling cod daily special, lamb popsicles and goat curry. The service was very good.
Excellent
This was my two son's first forray into Indian food, and they were very impressed. We arrived just before the restaurant opened, and were promptly seated. The waiter arrived with some polenta fries, which my kids devoured instantly (we ordered a second batch). The curried chicken was excellent. The lamb popsicles were also superb. It was a memorable experience to see my children enjoy new foods. It is one of my wife's and my favourite restaurants.
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With celebrity restaurateur Vikram Vij at the helm, an outstanding all-female Punjabi kitchen staff, dozens of industry awards and a beautiful location on Cambie Street, Vij’s is definitely a must-try at this year’s Dine Out festival – if you can get a table of course. The three-course $40 dinner menu will feature the same Indian fusion flavours that have attracted nightly line-ups here since day one. Just as stunning as the food is the jewel-toned dining space, which is bathed in a warm glow thanks to gracious servers and the eye-catching paper lanterns strung from the ceiling.
View this Smart ListWidely known as the place to go for Indian fusion fare, Vij’s is owned by celebrity chef Vikram Vij, whose menu always changes with the seasons. They do not take reservations, but make the waiting room a party in itself with drinks and appetizer tasters to prepare your appetite for what’s to come.
View this Smart ListVikram Vij is Vancouver’s undisputed champion of Indian cuisine, with his long-running Vij’s restaurant, more casual Rangoli, My Shanti in Surrey and Vij’s Railway Express food truck. Despite his busy schedule – opening new eateries, writing books, appearing on Dragons’ Den – he often welcomes diners in person to his establishments. Top pick at Vij’s is the lamb “popsicles” in fenugreek cream curry, but you can’t go wrong with anything from the inventive menu. The restaurant doesn’t accept reservations (not even from the likes of Harrison Ford or Pierre Trudeau, reportedly), but Vancouverites and celebrities agree that the food is worth the wait.
View this Smart List