Our party of four showed up on a Friday night for our 8:00pm reservation. Our mission to tackle the winterlicious menu. Upon arrival a hostess greeted us as well as another male who I assume is the floor manager. He took over saying he had the perfect table for us.
We were seated in the front of the restaurant in what seems like a glass extension was built onto the original building. It was kind of cool because you could see the brick of the old building with windows intact. It felt like we were seated in a green house as the glass front was surround with lots of fresh plants. I can see this as being a really nice spot to sit the summer time. However since it was winter it was a bit cool but the manager turned on some heat lamps so we never felt the chill.
The winterlicious menu here is phenomenal, there are sooo many choices and options to choose from. Several waiters took care of us that evening and they were extremely gracious and attentive the whole evening.
To start we were served a complimentary amuse bouche of a crispy Papadum with a refreshing cilantro chutney.
Next up were appetizers.
I went with the Samosas which were served in a pair. To my surprise I received beef filled samosas although the menu said they were vegetarian. I actually didn't realize they were beef until my second bite when I went to smother them in the chutneys decorated on my plate. Needless to say I never bothered to complain to the waiter because I thoroughly enjoyed them.
For mains I went with one of my all time favourite Indian dishes
Aloo Gobhi - Classic simple preparation of Potatoes and Cauliflower florets perfectly done in thick masala
I absolutely loved every last bit of this dish. The vegetables were perfectly cooked still retaining a bit of the crunch and the balance of spice and flavour was mild and comforting.
My entree also came with a choice of side which included my second favourite Indian dish
Awadhi Khatti Dal - full-flavoured yellow lentil with a tinge of raw mango, yogurt and garlic
The dal had a very bright and zesty flavour from the addition of mango but balanced with the tangy yogurt and subtle garlic flavour
In addition to all that we also got a choice of rice and nan. Since there were 4 of us at the table we basically ordered all the rice and nan options so they brought us platters of each. The real winner was the nan. Fresh from the tandoor still warm and lightly charred it was perfect for mopping up all the last bits of curry. But the garlic nan was out this world! We demolished it all with in seconds of landing on the table. Eaten as is or with curry it was highly addictive. Our waiter was soo good in offering to bring us more in which thankfully accepted.
Finally for dessert as if we weren't stuffed from all that delicious Indian food.
Kesar Kulfi - Saffron flavoured homemade ice cream
Although the menu said it was safforn kulfi - I'd have to say it was predominately pistachio flavoured - dead give away as being green and garnished with pistachios. Perhaps it contained saffron but nevertheless I didn't bother to complain because pistachio is my favourite flavour! The kulfi was a bit too hard for my liking though the pistachio flavour was great and the salty bits of pistachio was good for taking the edge off the sweetness it was my least favourite dish of the night.
Overall I have to say the Host really shines in giving you that Authentic comforting Indian food. Although the restaurant may look a bit dated and they had a few menu mistakes the service here is really impressive. Every single waiter was well mannered and courteous checking on us and keeping our water glasses full. Next time you have a craving for Indian food definitely check out The Host to get your fix.