Brar’s opened up a new location in February inside Trinity Common Mall, and it adds a much needed touch of diversity to the strip mall sea of American-style eateries.
Compared to the average Indian restaurant Brar’s has done a fantastic job with the design and layout of their newest location. As you walk in, a member of the waitstaff greets patrons. There is a large menu posted behind the ordering counter with detailed information on prices and dishes. It’s hard to miss the considerable sweets display containing both traditional Indian and Western sweets. There is also a large glass opening for patrons to see fresh naan being made.
The restaurant is spacious and elegantly decorated, which lends itself to the ambiance. After we chose a seat, the waitress told us how our dining experience would work.
We paid for our order at the front counter and were given a buzzer to guide our waitress in delivering our meal to the table. This was a bit unconventional for an Indian restaurant and due to some constructive feedback from patrons the restaurant has now changed their services. They offer a full dining experience with orders being taken at individual tables. Brar’s appears to be a mix of an American-style dining experience with a touch of Indian flavour.
The menu is very colourful with images of each dish, this you generally won’t find in most restaurants. It was nice to be able to see exactly what we would be getting.With an all-vegetarian menu the options are extensive, including various dishes, appetizers and sweets. There is also a create your own meal option, which allows for customization. Patrons can also enjoy pickup and takeout.
Each dish has an indication of whether it was vegan, gluten- free, contains jain, onion or garlic. As a customer, it was great to see a restaurant working hard to cater to the needs and habits of a variety of people.
For our meal we ordered from the Famous Indian Meals section, ordering malai kofta with tandoor garlic naan and chana bhathura (also called puri).
The malai kofta with tandoor is a vegetarian dish of cottage cheese balls in a tomato based curry. It also came with tandoor-baked garlic naan and a side of vegetables including carrots and cucumbers. If your spice tolerance is low, you’ll appreciate this touch. The veggies can help to cool the taste of the spices.
The malai kofta was delicious with a nice creamy texture. The garlic naan wasn’t the best as some of the pieces were burnt, and I am not a fan of burnt naan!
Our next dish, the chana bhatura (puri), was a savoury dish of curried chickpeas served with fresh fried naan. The dish also came with a side of fresh-cut onions, two types of chutney and a hot pepper. The fried naan was freshly made and served warm, and nothing beats that. It was absolutely mouth-watering.
The curried chickpeas were a bit too spicy for me; understandably this is an Indian restaurant, however it’s important to ask the wait staff prior to ordering the extent of the spices so diners can ensure they enjoy their food.
For dessert we had the gajar ka halwa a sweet red carrot pudding. The pudding wasn’t as expected due to the fact it was served room temperature. When served hot, the dish has a much better texture and enhanced flavours.
Overall Brar’s is an average Indian restaurant, the main difference from others like it is the decor and character. The food is on par with any other restaurant, whether it be Sweet Palace or Rajdhani. The restaurant definitely made itself unique by trying to cater to various customers who may not be familiar with Indian food. It’s s great place for someone looking to try Indian food for the first time and can make the experience less intimidating.
Brar’s prices are a little higher than other Indian restaurants, but the experience and ambiance they provide makes it worth it.
ATMOSPHERE: Casual
SERVICE: Friendly service, staff will occasionally walk by and ensure patrons are enjoying their meal
Take-Out: Yes
Kids Menu: No
RECOMMENDED: Malai Kofta with Tandoor, the fresh naan
DRINKS: A mix of western and South Indian
VEGETARIAN / VEGAN: Yes
PRICES: Menu ranges from $3-14
OPEN: Monday – Thursday 10 a.m.- 9:30 p.m. Friday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS–Yes
Brar’s
126-140 Great Lakes Dr. – Phone:(905) 789-8887
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