Madras Masala - Dosa Review (796 Bloor St. West)

After visiting about half a dozen different Indian restaurants in an attempt to find the best Dosa in Toronto, I am sad to say that I still haven't found one.

The worst mistake (unfortunately the only option) is doing a search for "Dosa Toronto" via Google and trusting some reviewers' opinions.  What I've found is that BlogTo is not a reliable source of information for the most part.  Secondly, most people just do not have the same standards in taste as I do.

I tried out a couple different places in Scarborough which is densely populated with Sri Lankan and Indian people.  So you would expect that some of those restaurants that pop up on the top of the Google search lists would be somewhat decent.  Well all I can say is that a second visit will likely not be warranted on my behalf.

The other day I decided to check out a reviewed BlogTo restaurant for my favorite type of Dosa -Ghee Masala Dosa at Madras Masala on Bloor Street.  The shape and texture of the Dosa itself was okay.  But I was surprised to find a huge glop of potatoes in the centre.  I mean huge.  They totally destroyed the essence of the Dosa.  It's similar to comparing your typical American pizza with a true Italian pizza.  Quantity isn't always better, I'm afraid.

My second complaint is the quality of chutneys.  The coconut chutney was slightly acidic hinting that they were simply trying to preserve the coconut with lime juice.  Big nono.  Your average Joe might not know any better, but that's a huge penalty in my opinion.

In addition, the tomato chutney was just simply bland.  No taste at all. 

A Dosa is not a Dosa without fresh chutney, period.

So far my mission to find Toronto's best Dosa has been disappointing.  I am willing to give Udupi Palace in East York a second go since they pride themselves on the annual Dosa eating contest. 

Kambuja Inn, Phnom Penh (2012)

It hasn’t been long since the atrocities of the dark past of Phnom Penh happened.  A part of history that many will never forget and others will never truly understand.   Post WWII, political instability of many South East Asian countries opened the doors for strife and war.  Cambodia was no exception as foreign invaders sought to capitalize off the ripe state of the country.

Touring places such as the killing fields or the infamous school where many educated and innocent people were tortured and murdered, one truly feels the agony that spread throughout Phnom  Penh during the 1970s.

This dark history is still prominent in the hearts of the majority and the thought of a future is almost non-existent for many.

Even to this day the instability exists and parts of the country are more or less lawless.  With corruption in the government, countries such as China and Vietnam lend a helping hand in various ways with selfish motifs, sacrificing the lives of the poor local people.  Child sex trade, drugs, and corruption are often synonymous with the Cambodia of today, but we all know very well that these generalities only portray the negative consequences of a country that has been dismantled by internal strife and external influence.

During my two month journey across Asia, I had the pleasure of coming back to Phnom Penh for one night.  Fortunately I was able to meet an amazing individual who not only inspired me but showed me that there is hope for a better future in Cambodia.  

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As the tuk-tuk approached my destination, Kambuja Inn, I became fascinated with the architecture and design of the building.  Ms. Phorm, the owner explained that the building was built in the 1920’s as a residential place for French people.  After observing the details of the interior, it feels as if the residence had not been touched in the last 90 years.

 My room was quite spacious with ceilings literally 12 feet or higher.  It was nicely decorated with  Cambodian touch with a French twist.  In addition, there was a type of kitchenette space that included an external stove  top and sink, dining area, and very large bathroom that included two shower heads (for stand up and bath).  Ms.  Phorm was kind enough to upgrade us from a smaller room to this deluxe apartment without any sort of additional charge.  

Aside from the physical appeal of Kambuja Inn, I became quite moved as I learn more about Ms. Phorm.

 

She came from an educated background and acquired her first property by scraping by on a significantly small income.  In fact it is quite miraculous that she was able to save enough money to add 3 properties including the Kambuja Inn to her portfolio with a fraction of the income a typical Westerner earns on minimum wage.

Other interesting information:

-           -  She stands strongly against the child sex industry which is clearly stated on their website and within the hotel.  

-          -  The staff she employs are compensated not only through income but through full contribution to their education goals such as college and university.

-           -  She not only cares for the well being of her staff, but truly goes out of her way to help her guests. 

It’s the small gestures that go a long way and how wonderful it is to see how one individual can truly make a difference and have a positive effect on the people and city of Phnom Penh.

(On a side note, I was not paid to write this.  This comes truly out of my personal experience at the Kambuja Inn)

Bombay Dreams (Hong Kong) Review

 I must say that I was quite impressed with Bombay Dreams in Hong Kong.  I have eaten at quite a few Indian buffets around the world and I can confidently say that this was the best one so far.

The environment is catered towards more upscale clientele.  I went during the lunch buffet which was occupied mainly by expats who were working in the area.  The closest major station is Causeway Bay located on the Hong Kong island.

The food was excellent.  I have had many curries from home made recipes to upscale restaurants.  I would say most of the dishes were very well balanced.  I especially enjoyed the daal, which included subtle hints of cilantro and ginger slices.

 If you are vegetarian, you will be more than satisfied.  There was a nice room temperature dish that included egg plant cooked just perfectly.  Of course half of the heated dishes did not have meat as well.

The only complaint I had was that the fruit was not very sweet.  Perhaps it was not the season for the particular fruits that were being served











 




I found this restaurant doing a Google search for Indian buffets and I was glad I chose this particular one.

For two people, I paid less than $40USD.  This included the service fee which I believe was 15%. (Don`t quote me on that).  This also included a free drink (beer if desired) and dosai (pancake made from chickpea or lentil flour).

All in all, I think it was well worth the cost.  I would highly suggest giving this lunch buffet a try.

Hotel Santika Premiere Jogja Review

After all the hustle and bustle of a big city tour (Osaka, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong) in less than a few weeks, I was exhausted by the time I reached Indonesia.

Upon reaching Hotel Santika in Yogyakarta, I was greeted with warm faces at the entrance.  It was comforting being able to experience the warmth of the hotel staff especially after some less friendly interactions with the Chinese a few days earlier.

I booked the room through www.agoda.com.  This site is quite popular in Asia and can be compared to Expedia.com in the West.

I paid a little less than $100, which I found quite expensive considering this pricing is in line with Western prices.  Once I arrived into my room, I was quite impressed with the amount of space in the room.  A couple days prior, I was in Hong Kong and sleeping in literally a closet sized room.  So clearly there was some contrast between the two. 

Hotel Santika has a well kept swimming pool and a decent pool side to relax and soak up some sun.

In the morning, you will hear music blazing while the cleaners begin their work.  On the first night, I was surprised to see frequent knocks on the door asking whether I needed additional toileteries.  I found that a bit odd considering it was my first night.  I then realized that the hotel staff were likely looking for some additional income beyond their hourly wage.

The room was actually supposed to be two beds, but they somehow put them together to make a super king size mattress. 

The bathroom is quite outdated and the shower head literally poured water out.  Ironically, there was a sticker in the bathroom requesting to ``be efficient with water usage.``  The water also had a musty smell to it.  Almost as if the pipes were old.

You will find that there are few decorative touches of the washroom which was surprising considering the room was pretty decent.  Afterall, I paid $100 a night.

There was a breakfast buffet included in this cost which was nice.  The buffet included some traditional Indonesian and Western food.  There was also dessert such as cakes and fruit.  There were quite a few options and I would say the food quality was above average.  There were some dishes which I found a little heavy for the early morning (7AM-10AM) such as chicken wings, curry, and noodles.  But to each their own.  If you have a big morning appetite, then this may suit you!

All in all, this hotel was decent.  It would be nicer if the cost was a bit lower, but it seems Indonesian prices are quite inflated in comparison to other South East Asian countries.