Restaurant Review, Veda - Fine Indian Takeout

For a recent lunch meeting at the Vitality office, the staff decided to order in from Veda, an Indian restaurant close by on Yonge Street, just south of Davenport.

As we opened our food delivery, a joyous riot of yellows, oranges, and greens along with the classic aromas of India greeted us. Sleek white labels on the container lids indicated the name of each entrée.

Veda means “knowledge” in the Indian scriptural language of Sanskrit, and taken literally, describes a sense of healthful living through the knowledge of one’s mind, body, and spirit. This year-old restaurant, owned by Jared Ross, stays true to its name by creating cuisines with only the healthiest of ingredients; none of Veda’s dishes contain heavy creams or ghee (clarified butter) that traditional Indian restaurants tend to use. Instead, Executive Chef Umair Niazi uses lower-fat products as a healthy alternative — perfect for customers who are new to Indian food or customers who love Indian food but have weak digestion that can’t handle heavy fats and oils.

As I took my first bite of the deep yellow butter chicken entrée ($3.50) it was hard to believe it was made with predominately low-fat milk and no oil! Chunks of succulent white meat swim in a rich creamy sauce that combines coriander, cumin, chili powder, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. Vegetarians can order the butter tofu ($3.00) version; a generous portion of firm cubes bathing in the same creamy sauce. After speaking with Jared, I learned that the sauce is cooked separately from both the chicken and tofu, so there is no cross contamination between the vegetarian and meat versions.

It is apparent that the vegetarian and vegan crowd is important to Veda, as evident by the menu. The red lentil dal ($3.00) is delicate and mild, and provides a nice neutral counterpoint to the fire of the other dishes. The savoury chickpea curry ($3.00) has an unadorned appearance and is nicely paired with a side of mango chutney ($0.87); a chunky concoction that tastes homemade.

The mixed vegetable curry ($3.00) is loaded with vegetables like broccoli, green beans and green peas, but this mix of fresh and frozen vegetables turns out to be a bit of a disappointment. Thankfully, it’s the only entrée that appears to use a blend of frozen vegetables.

My favourite entrée was the chicken saag ($3.50); with a fusion of fresh tomatoes, spinach and onion, this is one delectable dish!

The beef madras ($3.50) is tasty, but by far the hottest entrée on the menu. Staffers who dared to eat it were rewarded with sweaty foreheads and runny noses – typical side effects of those sinus-clearing chili peppers. The burn is easily tempered when paired with the refreshing cucumber raita ($0.87). And a big sip of the yummy mango lassi is sure to hit the spot!

The flavoursome spinach basmati rice ($1.30) is a unique concept; this vegetable obviously marries well with basmati in the pot and yields a nutritious and satisfying side dish flecked with green that will appeal to those vegans wanting comfort food with a Far East twang.

The baked vegetable samosas ($1.30 each) are sturdy little triangles stuffed with potatoes, peas, carrots, onions and spices. Not as heavy or greasy as the usual Indian samosa, they go well with the piquant tamarind sauce that can be ordered on the side.

A side order of whole-wheat chapatti bread (a round flatbread commonly eaten with all Indian meals) has cumin seeds peppered throughout and offers a nice healthy alternative to the doughier naan bread, which is made with white flour. Both breads ($0.87 each) are made fresh in the restaurant each morning.

A half dozen desserts were also included with the order: the traditional Indian rice pudding infused with flavours of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom (our editor’s favourite); a dense, sweet chocolate truffle; a mouthwatering frosted almond tart; and a tangy, lemon coconut square ($1.30 each).

Whether you take-out or dine-in, Veda makes it easy by offering two different combinations among all the entrée dishes (both combo I and II include two entrees, rice, and bread for a price of $5.65 and $5.87 respectively). And for these affordable prices, the portions are quite generous! If you are ordering for a family or party, you can mix and match dishes to create your own customized meal.

When I made a trip to the restaurant on another day, I found the orange and silver décor welcoming. Even though the space is small it is well maximized and has a modern touch. It’s the perfect lunch spot for local office workers as well as a great dinner take-out for people living in and around the area. Veda also does catering and special order deliveries.

The place also has a beautiful display of assorted individual spices and spice blends for sale like tandoori, curry powder and garam masala ($3.75 to $5.75 per pouch). With these ready made spice blends, Veda continues the theme of providing a simple and fast approach to Indian food — even for people attempting to make curry in their own homes. There is also an assortment of signature teas like massala chai and geisha green tea ($6.95 each). Both spices and teas are sold in sharply designed, re-sealable pouches.

During lunch I noticed a tiny sign on my table promoting Veda’s commitment to the environment. By using as many recyclable and compostable materials as possible they have reduced waste and minimized the amount of material sent to landfills by 80%. They ask that you leave your containers on the table so that they can ensure everything is sorted properly themselves by recycling and composting all organic materials (such as used napkins and uneaten food).

Overall, Veda is a great restaurant for people who are new to Indian food, or who want a healthy alternative to the heavy salt, oils and ghee. This restaurant offers a departure from the salt-heavy, oil-rich version of Indian cuisine by creating a modern version that relies on skillful blending of herbs and spices for its delicious cuisines. As a bonus it is fast, affordable, tasty and unique — and for once, I wasn’t left with a tired, heavy feeling the next day.

The spices and herbs in this food will add fire to your belly and warmth to your blood, fortifying you against the long cold days ahead. With medicinal herbs such as coriander, cumin, cloves, cardamom, fresh ginger, and garlic (all anti-bacterial and anti-viral) lacing many of the dishes, this food can keep your sinuses clear and ‘flu bugs at bay all winter long.

Open weekdays 11:30am - 9pm, weekends 12 - 8pm.

Review by Lisa Boushy

For past reviews of restaurants in the Toronto area that cater to vegetarians and/or health conscious consumers, go to our home page, type “restaurant” into our search engine, and up will come all of the restaurants we’ve reviewed in the past couple months.

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