So I've been reluctant to try out this roti shop because the exterior is more reminiscent of a Subway sandwich shop than a Caribbean restaurant. I've come to realize that because I learned to love roti sitting on the kitchen floor of the Trinidadian lady next door when I was 5 years old, I don't think good roti can come from any place that doesn't approximate that experience.
Ali's West Indian Roti Shop proved me wrong. Really wrong. Even if I take off points for not having hole-in-the-wall street cred and preparing the food out of the sight of diners who want to know what's going on with their food, I have to rave about how good this roti is! A perfect dahlpuri wrap with that wonderful yellow stuff underneath (the friendly lady behind the counter told me this was split peas). Nicely textured and flavoured curry filling that seems to be seasoned for Canadians, but would easily be elevated by the addition of some hot pepper sauce (Grace, of course!). Ample serving sizes meant two chicken rotis fed four people back at my house and Ali's seems to have figured out how to put together this delicious package without grease soaking through to the paper bag.
Like the other roti purveyors on the block, Ali's runs a clean shop and if you can get past that feeling that you're at Harvey's or Subway, then you can enjoy roti while looking at starving artist sale oil paintings of a vaguely Caribbean landscape.
Ali's wins my prize for best roti at Queen and Lansdowne.