Indian Mango

Occasion: Dinner with Yining (while it's full light out - weird)
Location: Indian Mango on Frakkastigur in Reykjavik, Iceland (indianmango.is)
Edibles: chicken tikka masala, aloo gobi (stewed potatoes and cauliflower), tandoori lamb kebabs and two sides of rice (we're Chinese - we like our rice)

Musings: The food was great, on par with what I've had in cities with major Indian populations (i.e. Vancouver, New York, London - that's as close as I can tell on authenticity, having never been to actual India). The spices were well-balanced, the meats were tender, the rice, fragrant and fluffly.

The only slight ding would be for price. The meal ran us about $100 after tip, and that's with no beverages at all. A similar meal at Brick Lane would probably come to about $80 all told. So I figure the math works out something like this: New York real estate < Iceland's short tourist season + cost of importing all of the exotic ingredients, and probably a goodly number of the mundane ones.

Brick Lane

Occasion: Dinner with Ben
Location: Brick Lane on E 6th between 1st and 2nd Ave (bricklanecurryhouse.com)
Edibles: aloo gobi (a potato and cauliflower dish); chicken tikka masala; tandoori prawns

Musings: I used to come here all the time with Karen, Indian being a cuisine that's both easy to share and accomodating to vegetarians. I like the atmosphere of Brick Lane - warmly lit, with a muted gaudiness. It's location on Curry Row means it's literally surrounded by direct competitors, but it always does brisk business.

Our food was yummy, as always. A smidge spicier than I usually like, but all the more excuse for a second Kingfisher. I took the few spoonfuls of leftovers home, and the curry developed even more muscle overnight (as it tends to do). Those pungent, savory spoonfuls, plus a generous bowl of rice, stretched far enough for another meal.

In an unexpected and wonderful surprise, I was also presented with a bottle of cassis-flavored apple cider vinegar - all the way from France! Thanks, Ben!

[Note: Brick Lane is also home to famous Phaal Challenge. It involves the (supposedly) spiciest curry in NYC. Follow the link to see a picture of the chef wearing a gas mask while cooking it, no joke. If you finish it, you get a certificate of achievement, your picture on the restaurant's website (the "P'hall of Fame" - hee!) and a free beer to douse the flames.]

Original Tandoori King

Occasion: Dinner with my mom and brother
Location: Original Tandoori King on E 65th Ave at Fraser in Vancouver [Note: there's another restaurant on Fraser itself that's called Tandoori King - don't be fooled]
Edibles: chicken tikka masala; lamb korma; eggplant bhartha; palak paneer; sides of garlic nan and pulao rice (all spellings are theirs)

Musings: Came home absolutely stuffed! The food was delicious as always, though their prices have gone up since I was there last ($3 per meat dish and $2 per veggie dish). The consistency is worth mentioning - I've been to this restaurant about 15 times and have never had a bad meal. Everything is richly spiced, and you can tell they use quality ingredients. Highly recommended.