Narayanni's Fusion Restaurant

I was pleasantly grateful to have the chance to try this exotic little Indian/South African fusion restaurant located just off of Whyte Ave. This family-owned restaurant enticed me to visit and savor their new lunch buffet that has been in effect for just the last couple months. They've been open for dinner successfully for the last 6 years, but have only recently begun offering a lunch option to the public for a very reasonable price of $12 per person. 

The fantastic key point of interest regarding this type of fusion is the blend of ethnic cuisine. The mixing of Indian spices and taste with South African flavours and European influence contrives a "cuisine that is delicate, flavourful and healthy, without the redundancy and heaviness of traditional Indian cooking." This peculiar restaurant prides themselves on their food being popular vegan, vegetarian, and celiac-friendly with "no MSG, no preservatives, no artificial flavouring or colouring, non-cream based sauces, as healthy as it is flavourful and delicious."
 

Right away, after I walked in, I was impressed with the immaculate cleanliness of the restaurant. While the exterior may not be much of a looker, the interior was spotless and the ambiance was suitable and pleasing. They were extremely accommodating and friendly, ensuring my companion and I felt warmly received.

I had the fortuitous opportunity to try the specialty chai tea made from a secret concoction of homemade spices and healthy ingredients. It was both delightfully rich in flavour and yet pleasantly soothing, and I enjoyed it immensely, though it is an additional cost. However, I highly recommend it as it is well worth the try, and upon my next visit I will definitely try the pistachio flavoured chai which sounded surprisingly intriguing.

Another additional option is the roti. I adore roti, and though I always will order roti canai as an appetizer at any restaurant that offers it, this roti did not disappoint. It had the perfect blend of firm pancake texture combined with a pleasing outer flakiness, and I was very much in approval. 

Now I readily admit I'm not at all an expert in vegetarian friendly restaurants, but I always attempt to be open-minded and genuinely love trying new interesting foodie spots. So I wasn't too sure what exactly to expect from the main courses, but the choices available certainly appeared appetizing once I perused the buffet.
  

There was a number of options available, and I ended up selecting to try the Braised Kale with Cabbage, Dhal with Zucchini, Chicken Curry and Basmati rice. Not surprisingly, the Chicken curry was undoubtedly delicious; I love curry, and this dish did not disappoint. The chicken was not dry at all, as sometimes it can be, and the curry taste was zesty with a distinctive spicy kick. As for the Dhal with Zucchini, it was cooked to an appropriate tenderness, very saucy; I enjoyed the rich sauce on the Basmati rice. The Kale and Cabbage I found to be surprisingly extremely tasty, subtly well-seasoned with an appealing crunchy texture. As far as vegetarian dishes go, I was pleasantly surprised to find them genuinely likable. 

Dessert offered that day was a rice pudding, and I had enough room to try a bowl. I have to say, it was phenomenal. It was perhaps the most savory rice pudding I've ever sampled, and the spices used were flavourful and aromatic-similar to the chai tea. The texture of the rice in it was cooked to perfection, and it was a heavenly finish to a well-balanced meal. 

The lunch was a favorable set of well-prepared options that balanced each other out very nicely. I was admiringly appreciative of the options, and each dish was individually delectable. The only thing I would wish for would be to have a few more options, such as a greater selection of dishes containing meat, but understandably a lunch selection would not be as varied as dinner, I would imagine. Also the food options change regularly, depending on the day in question the menu ranges a fair a bit. I would certainly return and partake in the dinner buffet without a doubt in future.