Review: Eastern Twist

Review:

Eastern Twist, Toronto

505 St.Clair Avenue West (at Bathurst)

(Also at Passmore Ave and Markham)

Cuisine: Paratha Wraps (pic left), rice dishes and noodles in milk

Sandwich: Chicken and potato curry paratha wrap ($7.95 + tax)

I had walked past Eastern Twist a number of times on my way home before I finally decided to venture inside. It is a small place, right next door to a Subway, with a neon sign next to the door advertising 'Butter Chicken, wraps, noodles'. It is cosy inside, with a few tables to sit-in and eat should you desire, a counter that runs the full width of the shop and thereby splits the space, and a reasonable sized kitchen beyond which can be viewed through a window. The menu is diplayed above the counter, with handwritten signs showing addtions to the menu diplayed on the glass screen that covers the salad portion of the counter.

A short conversation with the friendly girl behind the counter reveals that it has been open for quite some time, and has received some excellent reviews (displayed on the website and on the walls of the shop). Apparently business has been slow until a recent and inexplicable surge as people have started to take notice and wander in, just like I did.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with parathas, it is basically a chapati (indian flatbread) that has been spread with butter (or ghee), folded up and then rolled out flat again. This process is repeated a couple of times, resulting in a rich, flaky, multi-layered flatbread, often served as a decadent (i.e. fatty) alternative to chapatis. Recipe can be found here. I've never come across the idea of using them instead of tortillas to create a wrap so found idea an intriguing take on fusion fast-food.

I ordered the chicken and potato curry wrap, and was given the option of white or wholewheat. The paratha was freshly made in the kitchen behind, resulting in a waiting time of 5 minutes or so but the delicious, hot flatbread was worth the wait. It came out with a generous helping of chicken and potato curry down the middle and I was asked what salad and sauces I would like. The selection was very standard - onions, lettuce etc - apart from one item which is a curried carrot and cauliflower salad. This salad absolutely makes the sandwich - I think it is flavoured with cumin and coriander, possibly with a little fennel as well. I took the servers recommendation and ended up with tamarind sauce and hot sauce.

 

The resulting wrap is about 8 inches in length and 3-4 inches diameter. For $7.95, this is an enormous amount of food and was enough to feed me for dinner. The chicken and potato curry is hearty but a little bland, but this was made up for by the excellent carrot and cauliflower salad and the tasty sauces, all of which added considerable flavour and interest to the wrap. The paratha is buttery and tasty, holding together well under the weight of so much food and moisture from the curry and sauces. The freshness and spice of the salad counteracts the butter of the wrap, resulting in a sandwich that tastes well balanced, each part having a distinctive flavour that compliments the other. The curry filling acts more as texture than anything else, taking on and holding together the flavours that surround it and adding a thick, saucy element.

 

 

Verdict:

 

I think that on my first visit I got the best that Eastern Twist has to offer. A fresh paratha, excellent portion size and well balanced accompaniments. Having visited a few times since I have fIound that the quality varies a little depending on the time of day/who is working in the kitchen. If every visit to Eastern Twist was as good as my first, I would not be able to recommend it enough, but due to some inconsistency I can only say that it is good rather than excellent. I will certainly be revisiting Eastern twist for a more in depth investigation of the menu, and to find out which of my experiences illustrates the true quality of their product.

Summary:

Pros:

- Large portion/good price

- Good range of menu options

- Inspired fusion of Indian food in an easy-to-eat format - paratha tasty and holds together well

- Carrot and cauliflower salad

- Tamarind and hot sauce - both delicious

Cons:

- Inconsistency in quality/size across menu

- Only works as a whole - richness of paratha a little overwhelming if not balanced by salad

- Slightly bland curry filling - made up for somewhat by the excellence around it.