Turmeric Indian Cuisine is the new kid on the block, offering tasty, authentic Indian food, leaving you full and happy with their spiced offering of foods. Turmeric is located in Goldstream Village where Columbo’s Taverna stood for many years, beside the Caprice Theatre. I visited Turmeric on their second night open with a friend of mine.
A gentleman in a suit greeted us at the door, directed us to the hostess who seated us, followed shortly by our server who brought us some free Chai Masala tea. As for the decor, not a whole lot has changed from Columbo’s; just some new decorations and a paint job, and I think the tables are the even same ones as before. The decor is pleasant enough, though, so no gripes there.
The menu offered a good assortment of authentic Indian cuisine, with a selection of curries, BBQ, and even a separate vegetarian section. The menu was actually loaded with vegetarian options throughout and a strong offering of gluten-free and dairy-free choices. The curries are offered in mild, medium, and hot. After going over the menu, we got a start of Roasted Paneer and Lamb Seekh Kebabs, as well as Jalfrezi Chicken Curry and Coconut Curry for our mains. The starters were quite good, but the real exciting part was the curries.
Curry is a comfort food that I love very much and is one of those important childhood foods for me. My grandfather was posted in India and the Middle East during WWII and came home with a love of curry. My grandma obliged this love and learned to cook it from a neighbour who had recently immigrated to Canada from India. My grandfather’s love of curry then permeated into my generation. (So for those wondering how you get an Irishman who has curry as a comfort food, that’s how.)
My friend, a self-proposed “wuss” in regards to spicy food, had a mild coconut curry, which was good, but I’m also not a fan of coconut. I chose a medium Jalfrezi Curry, which was really quite tasty. The spices stood out with every bite, but you could also taste each individual item you were eating, whether it was the chicken or peppers. While the heat of the dish was certainly not as high as what I’m used to, it still had a pleasant bite, and would be easily tolerable by most. Both curies also came with great naan bread and rice.
Turmeric Indian Cuisine is definitely worth a visit, serving fantastic Indian foods. The spicing is great, with a good amount of heat and authenticity.
For students on a budget, I recommend avoiding the somewhat pricey starters and sticking to the mains, which are fairly reasonably priced from $12-$18.
Check out turmericvictoria.com for the menu and more info.