Today we were at Masala Malt, a new Indian restaurant opened in Surrey. Here I met the owner, Akshay, who was proud to share that the entire menu is a collection of recipes curated by he and his family.
From the strip mall exterior, you would not expect the setting within. The space is opened up with new ceiling tiles and a mirrored wall, and given an air of formality with its black furnishings, white table cloth, and folded cloth napkins.
Being able to speak with the owner meant we were able to take his personal recommendations, focusing on the dishes he claims that we wouldn’t find else where. Worth mentioning is that everything on their menu is prepared in-house, from scratch.
But first we started with a couple of cocktails. The Banarasi Patiala is a refreshing cocktail created as an ode to the streets of Banaras. A mix of vodka, fresh lychee juice, a hint of black salt, and cooling mint. This they described as a uniquely desi twist with “swagger”, which was what had me ordering it. And when doing so, I was warned by the staff that it would be strong, although I did not find it as such. I liked how the salt contrasted the sugars of the fruit.
My guest got the Colva Colada, as a fan of a good piña colada. This was described as a “coastal remix” of the classic piña colada with white rum, fresh pineapple juice, coconut cream, and the twist of chaat masala, black salt, and cardamom. It was like the tropical drink we new well, but with the addition of savoury spice.
For food Akshay was most excited about the Beetroot Kebabs, as a vegetarian option not seen else where. He claimed that no one else in Canada is doing this. Freshly grated beetroot, a few vegetables, and aromatic spices. It ate like a mini vegetarian burger or falafel patty that did not lack flavour.
The Butter Chicken is a must for me at any Indian restaurant. Once again our owner-host was bold to claim that their butter chicken was unlike any other else where. Tender pieces of chicken cooked with a rich tomato cream sauce. This version was more tomato focused than others with a tangier flavour and smaller chunks of chicken, making the white meat less dry. This was an enjoyable and saucy rendition that paired well with the breads below.
Indian breads are my favourite part of any Indian menu. We had the Methi Mirchi Paratha which is layered flatbread with fenugreek and chilli. Flavourful on its own, this wasn’t the best receptacle for the butter chicken sauce. Its spices were bold in combat.
The Khan’s Rumali Roti was a better pairing, as it was a plain dough, cooked on the underside of a wok, described as a thin handkerchief bread. It was as soft and as light as tissue, which I found too gentle of a base for all that heavy sauce above. I needed layers to this, and scrunched bites into a ball to get a more even ratio of bread to sauce.
Just like the bread, I like my Indian food with rice to help sop up the extra sauces. We went with the Hyderabadi Biryani. Chicken and aromatic basmati rice cooked with spices, and served with a side of raita and mint sauce. Akshay Spoke to this being a specialty dish with a chef dedicated to making this and only this. This is to ensure it is fresh to order.
We also tried the Bhara Bhara Chicken Leg, described to us as chicken stuffed with chicken. Keema and veggies stuffed inside a tandoori chicken leg. All the above mentioned chicken is seasoned with masala for optimum flavour inside and out. We found the dark meat juicy and tender with an even charring. The seasonings were heavy and we reached for the raita to help cut in to things with great success.
Overall, a solid spot for Indian cuisine and a welcomed addition to the neighbourhood.
Masala Malt Co.
10592 King George Blvd, Surrey, BC V3T 2B3
(236) 427-8113
masalamaltco.com
