I hear a lot about bubble tea chains from China opening, or the first Canadian location of a well-known international brand from the states moving in. However, this is the first time I’ve heard of any Indian franchise coming to BC.
Located in an outdoor plaza in Surrey, this is Baba Chicken. The space felt like it once belonged to a barbecue spot or pub, and they have left the decor in the country cowboy theme that it once was. Simply mounting their own photos of the owners and other restaurant locations in India, speaking to the chain’s history.
This franchise was established in 1964, in India. This one in Surrey was the first of its kind in North America. There are now two, with the second being in Calgary. They originally started as take out concepts, but now offer dine in as well. Themed after a Dhaba, which is a traditional Indian spot known for fresh food made to to order on charcoal.
Given the still colder weather their seasonal item is a chicken soup. Interestingly this is served in branded paper to/go cups. The thought behind this is that it severs as a great snack to help you keep warm hands to mouth. Thicker like a stew it smelled like rotisserie chicken with large chunks of shredded chicken in the mix. Hot in temperature with lots of pepper and some chilli to further heat. Be warned it is served piping with steam visibly wafting.
The Spinach corn rolls are like western mozzarella sticks, but less stringy and with the inclusion of spinach. Crispy when hot, they had a nice even breaded texture. It would have been nice to have a tangy acidic sauce to dip them into. Like a marinara or even a tomato based butter chicken-like sauce to offer some depth.
Although, having said that, they do not use tomato in their butter chicken recipe. The Baba Butter chicken is a yellow cream sauce, thick and rich with no tang and little acid.
You definitely want a base to enjoy with this. Basmati rice is ideal.
The Karachi chicken was more like the butter chicken we know with the taste and colour of tomato. A tangy and sweet curry-like sauce with large chunks of white meat chicken breast.
Baba’s special fish n chips was unexpected. It looked like regular fish and chips, except the breading had a finer texture, like sandpaper it was gritty and offered a different kind of crispy from the rolls above. Similarly the tartare sauce was familiar, yet different. It was a sweeter cream and not as pickled, it left me wanting some vinegar and more lemon juice to balance. I did like how potatoey the fries were, classic England style crisps. This also came with a side of mint chutney which is known to be beneficial for digestion.
Their Goat curry use an entire goat, not just thigh meat, which is more common. Therefore this dish has limited quantities available daily, and when it is sold out, they are out. The stew was more like a soup, with a runnier broth, whereas I wanted and expected a thicker mix to be able to dip all our naan below into.
Unique to the franchise is Stuffed kheema naan. Your classic leavened and oven-baked flat bread stuffed with a thin layer of ground goat meat. Tasty enough to enjoy as is, and still serves as a sponge to help sop up excess sauce from the goat and chicken dishes above.
It was fragrant and zesty, but I still prefer plain or garlic naan with its toasted char. A more neutral base that allows for the mains to be the feature and star.
In between a stuffed and plain flatbread is Lachcha parantha, which is a layered naan that offers the same familiar char taste, but with a different chewy texture from the crispy layers.
In short, Baba’s is a solid option for Indian cuisine, with modern takes, traditional plates, and the history of over 50 years as a staple in India on its side.
Baba Chicken
7322 King George Blvd #115, Surrey, BC V3W 5A5
(778) 956-1000
babachickenca.com
