Shikha's Kitchen

The first time I ordered from Shikha's kitchen it was just Hannah and I for the night, which made me feel a little guilty because at her age, Hannah's only teenage interest in Indian food is butter chicken and "spiky things" (Pakoras) from Masala Grille. I knew that this order was entirely selfish, and that leftovers for R were very unlikely. I had been coasting my bike up and down Harold Street enough times thinking about how I would eat butter chicken while I ride, that it was time to order.

Shikha's Kitchen has changed what the Market means to me. It's all about the breakfast samosa now, and getting there before they sell out.
I think a lot of people in Thunder Bay will be comparing the Masala Grille and Shikha's Kitchen for all the wrong reasons. I like to think of the two as comparing a great navel orange to a juicy little mandarin - both bursting with delicious merit. Authenticity is a loose word these days; I try not to be too critical - after all: I've never been to India and have only read about the food from cookbooks and novels. My first introduction to Indian was in Amersfoort, Netherlands when I was eighteen. The Masala Grille is comfort food to me.

Shikha's Kitchen is home cooking, as real as it gets. When you call you don't order food, you have a conversation about food; and within a specified amount of time Shikha and chef Hasan will deliver it with a request to call him and tell him what you think. He promised me I'd have plenty of leftovers after a dinner for two, which I did - which was divine.

I love cooking Indian mostly for the leftovers; it's always so much better the second day. I struggle though, with my ability to improvise - and I don't know why. I made a couple of vindaloos (fun to say, yummy to eat) recently that were nearly freestyle, but I still catch myself checking recipes too often and getting overwhelmed by the lists of ingredients. I've learned it's much more simple than it seems, and really should be about improvisation: creating a garam masala, curries, flavours, and heat. Especially the heat (which is challenging with Hannah who wants none and us who want to sweat a little).

They are well known in the City already for their butter chicken and Market samosas, but the best I've had yet was the Chana Masala. It was incredible, with the perfect amount of heat, delicious flavours and my favourite: chickpeas. It provided me three meals with even a taste leftover for R. The rice did not last so long because it was delicious (I've used that word a bit too often in this post?), and was snacked upon almost constantly until it was gone.

R was the lucky one with leftovers after our last order because I haven't been well enough to eat regularly. When I can eat big, this is the food for me - my favourite flavours. Again, the food last three days (maybe more?) and served us all a couple meals. Hands down the best naan bread ever.

Of course I'm writing this without any of said food in the house. I may have to order again....

Or I could walk down to Maltese and get some things to make a vindaloo and chana masala....

An obvious passion for good food and the personal touch is definitely what I like most about Shikha's Kitchen. I can't recommend them enough.

Shikha's Kitchen

630-6600

345 Harold Street N