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India Gate
Address: 616 Robson St.
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Cognac is a place, and this ain’t it

By Daniel Fishman
Eat Vancouver Columnist
Monday, December 12th, 2005

* (of four stars)

I went for dinner with Jocelyn a while back on, I believe, a Monday night. We were in the mood for Indian food, and India Gate was the closest, located just east of Granville on Robson and convenient to central downtown. Showing uncharacteristic foresight, I actually looked at the menu before going in. The prices seemed a little steep considering how the place looked from the outside, but I was starving, and let’s face it, Jocelyn knew she wouldn’t be paying, so we decided to go for it.

India Gate’s website claims that “If fine cognac were a place, this is what it would look like;” however, it also goes on to state that Burrard St. is the most famous street in the world. I would say that both claims are equally overstated. The décor was certainly not off-putting, but it was nothing special. In fact, looking back, I don’t remember much about it at all, so perhaps it would be more accurate to say that if unremarkable cognac were a place, this is what it would look like. (Of course Cognac is a place, so this whole analogy seems a little off, but hey, they started it). At any rate, if you are looking to impress someone with a restaurant, this is probably not the place.

Upon sitting down we were provided with water, as well as some sort of flatbread [editorial note: Dan was served papadum, which is actually made from lentil flour]. The flatbread was a decent way to start the meal, although I could’ve gone for another round. The menu was of moderate size, with about 20 meat and 10 vegetarian dishes, a few appetizers, and the option to turn any entrée into a meal including green salad and naan or roti for $16.95—an option you would be remiss not to take. I ordered the Buttery Chicken-Spicy, and Jocelyn ordered Chicken Korma, also Spicy, with Garlic Nan.

My green salad arrived instantaneously, and was gone almost as quickly. It was your basic green salad, although the dressing was unlike any I have had before—a little spicy, a little savory—and quite tasty. The meal was off to a good start.

The entrees arrived within a few minutes, and this is a definite source of complaint for me. Yes, I was hungry, but at the same time, I hate the feeling of being rushed through a dinner, and when the food arrives that quickly, you have to wonder if it is just sitting in metal pans in the back waiting to come out. Perhaps they really are that quick, but I doubt it. Then again, I didn’t have much to say; maybe they picked up on that. Overall the waiters were quite attentive if a bit hurried for my liking.

To be honest, when I first planned this review, it was going to be very negative, and it was going to end as follows: “If you find yourself walking into India Gate, turn around, take 3 steps, hop on a 15 Cambie bus to Broadway, and go to Curry Point. You’ll save yourself $12, and you’ll get the same food, only more of it.” However, over the ensuing days, the Buttery Chicken has kind of gotten stuck in my head—Byyyy Mennon—and my position has softened. I still think that India Gate is a little overpriced given the quantity and quality of food that you receive, but the food is definitely a step-up from a take-out Indian joint. The naan, in fact, was delicious, and Jocelyn’s garlic naan smelled particularly tempting. If she had gone to the bathroom, the “waiter” would definitely have taken her naan while she was gone… One tip, if you like spicy food, definitely go for extra-spicy, because spicy was not even as hot as the typical buffalo wing.

India Gate is in an awkward position between fine and casual dining; not quite nice enough if you are looking for a true dining experience, and a little too expensive for a quick bite. Ultimately, I think its worth checking out, but I would recommend either going when you are not too hungry, or bringing a little extra cash and ordering a few appetizers or splitting three dishes between two people. As I left I would’ve laughed at the suggestion that I might be back, but writing this review has gotten that chicken lodged in my mind like a bad pop song, so don’t be shocked if I eventually hit it one more time.

Dan Fishman is a Master’s student at the University of British Columbia studying Psychology. Jocelyn certainly is a figment of his imagination.