My Roti Place (Toronto) for delivery

Note: Prices in post are based on regular menu prices and may be higher when using delivery services

Does anyone else associate food with seasons? Hot pot or shabu shabu screams winter while hot dogs and burgers is synonymous with summer. In the fall, every time I tuck into a bowl of soupy noodles or pork bone soup it reminds me that winter is coming. So, what exactly do I associate with spring?

Salads come to mind – perhaps more from necessity as I attempt to shed the winter insultation that’s not needed when shorts and bikinis make an appearance. A recent meal from My Roti Place made me realize a veggie samosa evokes a spring feeling. I know, it sounds odd. For me, samosas are that bridge between the hearty winter (on account of the potato stuffing) and the promise of sun to come – just try not to smile when you see that lovely golden crust and colourful chutneys.

At My Roti Place, the filling of their veggie samosas ($5.95 for two) is even more reminiscent of spring: the potatoes are mashed and mixed with peas and other vegetables to create an airy light bite. Meanwhile, the wrapper is still a thicker variety that soaks in the oil – it would be great if these were drained a bit longer – so it’s not necessarily fully summer friendly.

Since it was my first visit, a classic roti seemed like a smart start, the shell is super thin and slightly chewy so that it helps hold together the thick saucy filling but melts away as you’re eating. These are a knife and fork eat as the saag paneer roti ($11.95) incorporated huge chunks of the soft Indian cheese and plenty of thick green spinach sauce that just tingles the tongue at the medium spice level – I think I can advance a step in my next order.

While the spinach-based roti was tasty, the mom’s classic curry was even better and will become my go-to sauce mixed with any protein - a safe combination is pairing it with chicken ($12.95). My Roti Place doesn’t skimp on the meat as there were large pieces of chicken breast scattered throughout.

I do need to figure out how to best re-heat the roti the next day. The go-to toaster oven method was decent and created a bit of crunch around the taller edges, but the centre was still so mushy. Maybe I’ll toast it in a frying pan next time to develop a crust on all sides.

The dinner arrived with complimentary fried chip rings (savoury with a hint of spice) and dessert. Normally, I’ve shy away from gulab jamun as they are too sugary for my liking. My Roti Place’s version is a perfect balanced ending – I can best describe it as an old fashion plain Timbit soaked in a sweet thin sauce, you’d associate with crème caramel. It’s absolutely delicious.

Our meal started with a sunny samosa and ended with a golden gulab jamun. It’s official, spring is in the air.

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10

How To Find Them

 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: Various locations

 Website: https://myrotiplace.com/

 Delivery: Uber, Doordash, Skip the Dishes

Referral Discount Codes

 Support the blog by using my referral code

 UberEats: use eats-ju6ta to get $5 off a $15 order 

 SkipTheDishes: click link to get $5 off a $15 order

 DoorDash: click link to get $20 off

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Gastro World's Grading System

• Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never order again
• 6 - decent for delivery and takeout, but there's better
• 7 - this is good, for delivery and takeout
• 8 - great for delivery and takeout, it's almost like you're in a restaurant
• 9 -  wow, it's like I'm eating at a restaurant
• 10 - I'd happily order this for delivery or takeout instead of dining in any day!

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Is That It? I Want More!

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Soos (Toronto)

Not everything at Soos will taste like traditional Malaysian food. But then, they’re not trying to feed you typical dishes. Instead, Soos aims to use Malaysian flavours and ingredients in a modern manner, bringing street food to a restaurant environment.

Malaysians are known for their curries, which tends to be eaten as a snack rather than a main course. It’s thinner but still filled with tons of spices and flavours, milder than Indian curries and contains less coconut than Thai.

The curry accompanying Soos roti ($9) uses a base of dhal (a yellow lentil curry) and tops it with crispy fried curry leaf for some extra zing. But, what makes this starter incredible is the hot, fluffy and flakey roti that arrives with it. The lovely toasted airiness makes it so good I could eat it plain and these are truthfully the best roti I’ve ever had. If you’re sharing, one is not enough… get an extra roti for $2.

Meanwhile, the pork belly pancakes ($13) is so rich and decadent that an order can even be shared amongst four people. A thick slab of pork belly, covered in a thick sticky sweet and vinegary soy, is well rendered so the layers of lard aren’t too dense. Yet, it doesn’t just melt-in-your-mouth either – as you bite into it there’s still a chewiness that allows you to savour the flavours.

The crispy taro root pancake the pork belly sits on is fairly delicate, the root vegetable made into a batter rather than the slivers used in “bird’s nest” type dishes. So while the pancake is crispy, there’s still a soft chewiness in the centre. Although enjoyable, the dish could really use something fresh on the side, the small bit of scallions on top isn’t enough.

Something like the prosperity tossed slaw ($16) could work. I don’t generally love salad, but their slaw has some serious flavours and textures. Made with over 20 ingredients there’s refreshing, crunchy, savoury, sweet, and spicy elements all melded into one. There’s also a restraint to their yuzu plum dressing, which adds acidity but doesn’t render the slaw too tangy. Instead, it leaves a savoury taste to the salad.

The dish I’ve ordered on multiple occasions is their laksa ($18). While it normally contains chicken and prawn, Soos can transform it into a vegetarian version by adding extra tofu puffs (great for soaking up the hot and spicy curry broth) and more vegetables - the crunchy leafy gai lan and meaty oyster mushrooms are a great combination in lieu of meat. And really, the laksa is really all about the aromatic spicy coconut broth. Don’t let a drop go to waste … in hindsight, it would be perfect for dipping. Reminder to self: get an order of roti with the laska.

As an aside for vegetarians: while Soos already has a selection of meatless items, if you visit on Tuesday and Wednesday (previously Monday), their sister restaurant Fat Choi offers an entirely plant-based menu.

In general, their noodles are tasty. The char kway teow ($17) spends plenty of time in the wok, the flat rice noodles tossed with soy and their house-made sambal chili sauce so it develops tons of flavour and emits a heavenly smell. The dish is finished with egg, chives, and crunchy bean sprouts all topped with four massive tiger prawns. Even though the noodles are spicy already, Soos provides more of the sambal on the side for those who can really handle the spice. If you don’t use this on the char kway teow save it for the other dishes. Love the sauce? You can even get a jar to go ($11).

A bit of sambal works really well with the rendang beef short ribs ($28) since the heat helps to cut through the richness of the meat. While the rendang curry is blended with spices and Asian aromatics (ginger and garlic), it’s not a spicy sauce. The short rib, like the pork belly, is tender but not braised to the point that it’s melting away, there’s a slightly chewy consistency that allows you to taste the beef.

I just wish the dish had more curry to go with all the jasmine rice and roti. Oh, and of course, you’ll want an extra order of roti to wrap around the beefy short ribs so order it at the beginning or wait the eight minutes (you’ll need the breather).

After all of Soos flavourful and filling dishes, if you’re still hungry, the pisang goreng ($10) is a decent dessert. After all, what’s more Malaysian than deep fried bananas? It’s a surprisingly sweet dessert for an Asian restaurant – the combination of burnt toffee ice cream and candied nuts may be too much. With the ice cream being so sweet, the nuts could simply be toasted. Better yet, a more neutral flavour ice cream (like coconut) would be an ideal choice and leave more of the banana flavours intact.

But then, you don’t come to Soos if you want tepid tasting dishes. Their menu is designed to bombard your taste buds with flavour! And through all the dips, broths, and sauces, the most important side kick is… of course … an extra order of roti. Just get it.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10

How To Find Them

 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 94 Ossington Avenue 

 Website: http://www.soostoronto.com/

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

• Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
• 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
• 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
• 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
• 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
• 10 - absolute perfection!

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Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

• Restoran Malaysia
• Little Sister

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Restoran Malaysia (Richmond Hill)

Location: Richmond Hill, Canada
Address: 815 Major Mackenzie Drive East
Website: http://www.restoranmalaysia.com/
Type of Meal: Dinner

You may be unimpressed when you drive into the plaza where the restaurant is located – it’s tiny and a tad dated.  But, once you make it into Restoran Malaysia you’ll be surprised to see how spacious it is.  However, even though this place is large enough to seat what seems like 100 people; they are always busy whenever I go.

As you enter, you’re greeted by a large laughing Buddha statute and the wonderful essence of spices.  Large dark wooden tables, rectangular and circular, fill both sides of the restaurants.  The entire interior is decorated with dark wooden walls and large structured light fixtures.  Even the decor hints at the warm comfort foods to come.

Given it was bitterly cold outside, we decide to warm up with some tom yum goong soup ($5) to start.  I know what you’re thinking – isn’t this from Thailand?  Well, according to Wikipedia, in countries like Malaysia, that are close to Thailand, they use “tom yum” to describe any spicy soup.  And indeed the soup had some kick to it.  The broth was good and well flavoured; I would say just the right amount of spice as it wasn’t overly hot.  For those who are accustomed to the Thailand version, this is more tomato based and has less lemon grass in it.  It’s good, but not as good as the spring rolls or satay skewer appetizers that I’ve had previously.  So, if you’re only going to come once, I suggest sticking with those instead.

Tom yum goong (1)

In the mood for more spice, we ordered the chicken red curry ($12) with a side of steamed rice ($1.50) and two roti ($4).  When you come here you have to order the roti!  These thin, chewy, toasted sheets of slightly sweet home made roti are served warm and are perfect for dipping into Restoran Malaysia’s curries.  I love them so much I frankly could wrap noodles in there and still eat them.  At $2 a sheet you can order as many as you want for the table - I find one per person is usually enough if you also have other carbs.

Home-made roti (2)

Their menu has two curry sections: “Home Made Roti Canai / Prata” and “Entrees”.  The curries in the “Home Made Roti Canai / Prata” section is a smaller portion of yellow curry that’s not as spicy – a good option for those who may not love curry but want to try it with the roti.  I prefer the curries in the “Entrees” area as they are fierier and I like the vegetables that are mixed in with them.  The red curry we ordered (2 chillies) was the perfect spiciness for my palette.

To balance out the heat, we ordered Kuala Lumpur style hockien mee ($10).  Thick chewy noodles are stir fried with lot of oyster sauce (?) and seafood and vegetables.  The dish is slightly sweet and is a good contrast to the rest of our choices.  If you’ve ever had Shanghai fried noodles, this dish is similar, except the noodles are thicker and covered with more sauce.

Kuala Lumpur style hockien mee (3)

Two dishes we didn’t order this time, but are my tried and true favourites include:

1. Nasi goring ($10), an Indonesian style fried rice that has a hint of spiciness mixed throughout.  The rice is topped with a fried egg, which adds a lovely silkiness when it’s broken and the yolk oozes out to coat the rice.  A handful of crispy shrimp chips also accompany the rice and are more flavourful then the ones you typically find at Chinese restaurants.

Nasi goring
2. Penang char kuay teow ($10) or black peppered beef kuay teow ($12), both are stir fried flat rice noodles except the first has shrimp and the second shrimp and beef.  The noodles have an amazing essence (or what the Chinese would call “wok hay”) and also a hint of spice.

Penang char kuay teow (4)

The service can be a hit or miss in this restaurant.  The problem is they are just so busy!  Even so, the staff generally come at the right times – to take you order, bring you the food and give you the bill.  You may find it a little slow to get a refill on your water, which could be a problem for those who can’t handle the spiciness!

 Overall mark - 9 out of 10

____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

• Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
• 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
• 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
• 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
• 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
• 10 - absolute perfection!

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Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

• Khao San Road
• Gourmet Malaysia

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Photo Sources:

1. Tom yum goong - Bon Eats (http://www.flickr.com/photos/43114256@N00/7321070656/)
2. Roti - Sifu Renka (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sifu_renka/sets/72157629236027726/detail/)
3. Kuala Lumpur style hockien mee - TKOlive's Photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tkolive/page2/)
4. Penang char kuay teow - Sifu Renka (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sifu_renka/sets/72157629236027726/detail/)

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