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Family Secrets and Special Meals At Ottawa's East India Company

13/5/2016

32 Comments

 

Chef Mehra took us behind the scenes and into the tandoori room at his prized restaurant.

Chef Nitin Mehra East India Company Ottawa
Interviewing Chef Nitin Mehra
Most chefs are notoriously tight lipped when it comes to sharing their culinary secrets but Chef Nitin Mehra of Ottawa's East India Company couldn't spill the beans even if he wanted to. The exact recipe for his restaurant's famous garam masala is a secret guarded so tightly that there's only one person on earth who knows the exact formula - his mother. Technically, it's not even her recipe. She inherited it from Chef Mehra's great grandmother on the day she passed away.

If you get goosebumps just thinking of how close that recipe came to being forever lost, you're not alone. Talking with Chef Mehra gave me amazing insight into the careful crafts of the culinary world, the passion and discipline that are poured into every sauce, and the role that family, tradition, community, and care play into making good food taste great.
Naan bread East India Company Ottawa
Inspecting the tandoori ovens
Naan bread East India Company Ottawa
Shaping the naan bread.
Naan bread East India Company Ottawa
Preparing for the oven
Naan bread East India Company Ottawa
Hot, blistered, freshly baked bread.
Having the opportunity to tour behind the scenes in an Indian kitchen  with the chef as my guide was a fascinating experience. And it will come as no surprise that what we were most interested in watching was the naan bread preparation!

In my opinion, there's practically no finer food in the world than fresh, hot, bubbly, buttery naan bread. Naan is very trendy these days, serving as a the base for everything from pizza to breakfast wraps, but very little has changed in the preparation method over the centuries. A skilled chef shapes and stretches the dough and slaps the flat bread onto the interior of a clay tandoori oven where it bakes and blisters in the 400 degree heat. It's equal parts art and science and it was wonderful to see it the process first hand.
Tandoori oven East India Company Ottawa
Chicken marinated in yogurt and spices gets skewered and placed in the second tandoori oven.
Chef Mehra is a classically trained Cordon Bleu chef, as well as a trained sommelier, and as such he is well versed in the many different cultures and traditions that have shaped Indian food over the years. From French techniques to Portuguese spices to English tea, he takes pride in incorporating these different styles into his menu. 

One small feature of the East India Company's kitchen that I really loved is that they have two tandoori ovens, one to accommodate meats such as the marinated chicken pieces above, and the other for the naan bread and other vegetarian items. Accommodating guests and respecting their choices is something comes naturally for this family run business. And speaking of vegetarian food.....
East India Company Ottawa
No cans or pre-packaged sauces in this kitchen!
Everything in the East India Company kitchens is freshly prepared - no surprises there, given the incredible TLC that's shown to their signature garam masala! I'm a firm believer that any type of restaurant and any type of cuisine can produce phenomenal meat-free dishes so long as the chef has the passion and the will to do so. And Chef Mehra and his team did not disappoint. They made a thick dal that was so hearty and delicious, and with so many layers of complex flavors, that Ryan (a committed meat-a-vore) kept dipping in for seconds.
East India Company Ottawa
These were the carrots of my dreams. Who knew something so simple could be so delicious?
While Ryan was sneaking extra spoonfuls of dal, I was quickly falling in love with a platter of roasted tandoori vegetables. At this risk of sounding a bit over the top, the heirloom carrots in this dish were one of the best things I've ever eaten. Seriously! I was so enamored with them that I kept making Ryan take extra servings just so I could steal the carrots from his plate (thus preserving my dignity, obviously). 
East India Company Ottawa Chicken 65
One of my favourite dishes - Chicken 65.
East India Company Ottawa Tandoori Chicken
This juicy, tandoori roasted chicken appeals to all pallets.
Biryani East India Company Ottawa
It looks chicken pot pie!
East India Company Ottawa Biryani
Yummy biryani rice hides inside.
We were so lucky to be a part of this lovely night where we were treated to one irresistible dish after another. Our experience was part of a special dinner set up by Luxury Gold by Insight Vacations, who offer luxurious, unforgettable group trips around the world (including India!) Their passion for India clearly matched Chef Mehra's for the culinary arts and it was a night of real travel inspiration. 

It's clear that Ryan and I are a little bit obsessed with Indian cuisine but I know not everyone feels very fond towards spices and curries. Take heart! We also had an amazing, lightly seasoned platter of tandoori chicken that would appeal to the most finicky of palettes. An earthenware pop of high seasoned biryani, topped with a crust of saffron infused bread, was perfect for guests who love flavors beyond curry and chili. And my favourite meat dish of all, Chicken 65, tasted the way butter chicken should if it were ever to grow up. There was heat and a depth of flavors but the addition of cream kept the dish from being fiery or overwhelming. So delicious! 
East India Company Ottawa Dessert
Plating the ice cream and pudding.
East India Company Ottawa
As delicious as it was colorful.
As our wonderful evening of new friends and flavors concluded with luscious mango ice cream and coconut pudding, we were so taken with everything we experienced that we vowed to return again soon. And we did! Three days later, we made our way back to indulge in East India Company's evening buffet. Buffets are a tricky gamble for us. We usually like to have certain dishes done a certain way (well, RYAN does! In his opinion, beef vindaloo is never hot enough). But given our wonderful experience with the group dinner, we were keen to give it a try.

The buffet was one of the largest and most colorful we've experienced. There was a wide range of salads and chutneys that was great for mixing and matching flavors. And many of our favourites, including butter chicken and vegetable korma, were present and in fine form. But there were a few detractions as well. The showcase dish, a large pot of bubbling chicken, had overheated and scorched on bottom. Unfortunately, the scorched taste permeated the entire cauldron when it was stirred. And there were a few moments when the service was less attentive than we'd like. Neither concern was critical but we were a bit disappointed after our incredible experience previously at the group dinner. My final verdict: Decent buffet, but this is one restaurant where you want to splurge with the fantastic a la carte. 
East India Company Ottawa Condiments
I was so sad to leave our lovely meal behind.
If you can't make it to Ottawa to experience Chef Mehra's talents first hand at the East India Company and a tour to Indian isn't in your immediate future, you might want to follow some of my blogging colleagues. Erin at the World Wanderer, Andrea at the Wandering iPhone, and Mariellen at Breath, Dream, Go are sure to inspire you with their beautiful photos and heartfelt stories! They will have you packing your bags - or heading to the kitchen - in no time. 


If you enjoyed this piece, you'll also like:
Ottawa's Best Sandwich Shops
Ottawa's Croissant Crawl
Tea Tasting in Old Hull

​

Our first dinner was courtesy of Insight Vacations. All research, writing, and opinions are our own.
32 Comments
Carol Colborn
14/5/2016 09:17:55 am

The tandoori chicken does not look dry at all...the way I see them in most ordinary Indian restaurants! at tandoori Looks like a special kitchen!

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Vanessa
14/5/2016 12:25:38 pm

It wasn't dry at all - quite the opposite!

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Ann Bacciaglia link
14/5/2016 09:53:13 am

One of the best meals I have ever eaten! I can not wait to go back. Let's plan a lunch date :)

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Vanessa
14/5/2016 12:26:10 pm

I think a lunch date is a great idea.

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Jackie link
14/5/2016 09:53:57 am

I just love Indian food so you had me at Tandoori! How dramatic to imagine the garam masala recipe nearly being lost on a deathbed! All the food looks amazing, but the vegetarian food would be my choice. The thick dal you described has me drooling! Luckily, in NYC, we have a great selection of Indian restaurants, but you can be sure I'll keep the East India Company in mind when I visit Ottawa!

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Vanessa
14/5/2016 12:28:01 pm

Can you imagine if that recipe for the garam masala had been lost? I get shivers just thinking about it. You would love the dal - I wish we had a picture of it. It was so thick and rich.

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Mellissa Williams link
14/5/2016 10:07:56 am

I love Indian food. There is an excellent restaurant about 20 miles from where I live that make biryiani like they do here with the pastry crust. It keeps the dish and chicken moist. If I ever visit Ottawa I will certainly visit, this restaurant looks amazing.

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Vanessa
14/5/2016 12:32:16 pm

I had never seen the pastry trick before but I think it's so cool. I love the presentation and the flavor.

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LeAnna link
14/5/2016 11:01:52 am

I think this "tight-lipped" recipe method is common in the Indian culture (I could be wrong though). After touring India, I asked a good friend whose mother in law is from India if she had any good butter chicken recipes...the answer was yes but that she wouldn't even give her daughter in law the secret!!! Gotta love a great Indian meal though!

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Vanessa
14/5/2016 12:33:31 pm

Now I'm motivated to do some research at other restaurants to see just how secret things are in other families! (Or maybe in this case, they just don't like their daughter in law!)

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Rebecca link
14/5/2016 04:23:48 pm

I love Indian food! I especially like the coconuty, creamy sauces found in korma and butter chicken (especially as I am not a spicy fan). So great you gained such an insight into one of your favourite world cuisines.

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Vanessa
15/5/2016 07:00:39 pm

I too am a huge coconut lover. They had a thick, creamy coconut chutney at the restaurant that I was putting on everything.

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Brianna Simmons link
14/5/2016 09:36:48 pm

Ok, as a huge Indian food fan this entire post had me salivating. So cool you got to go back and learn from the master!

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Vanessa
15/5/2016 07:03:07 pm

It should come with a warning not to read on an empty stomach.

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Katja Gaskell link
15/5/2016 05:24:18 pm

I definitely agree that freshly cooked naan breads are one of the best things ever! Although I prefer southern Indian food over northern, I do love tandoori anything so I think I would have been very happy here! It sounds like you had a wonderful and delicious evening!

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Vanessa
15/5/2016 07:04:07 pm

In our house, Ryan prefers southern and I prefer northern so we usually have a pretty diverse selection of dishes on the table.

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Linda Cassidy link
15/5/2016 07:42:03 pm

what an amazing view into the iner workings of what sounds like an amazing restaurant. Thanks for sharing

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Vanessa
18/5/2016 03:17:44 pm

I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

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Rosemary link
15/5/2016 08:20:50 pm

Always a fantastic experience when the chef takes you behind the scenes :) Would have loved to see the naan bread making as well. Your pictures look amazing..the chicken especially!!! Yum.

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Vanessa
18/5/2016 03:18:46 pm

I could have watched the naan being made all day - it was so cool to see the dough instantly blister and bubble when it made contact with the oven.

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Jenna link
15/5/2016 11:03:29 pm

How fun!! I love getting a look behind the scenes, and getting a tour of a kitchen at an Indian restaurant would be fantastic! I get nervous hearing that only one person knows the recipes!! All of the food looks amazing, especially the chicken 65. I think that would be my favorite dish as well! Sounds like such an amazing evening!

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Vanessa
18/5/2016 03:19:54 pm

I know how you feel - I hope the chef's mom has it written down and stored in a vault somewhere for safe keeping.

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Karlaroundtheworld | Karla link
16/5/2016 05:25:49 am

Wow. If there's only one thing I have to say about this, it's the fact that my appetite got all fired up the instant I saw the pictures of the food. With Chef Mehra's background and expertise, I'm surprised he hasn't been living the famous life yet, I'm honored to have known him here through your post. Thanks for sharing!

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Vanessa
18/5/2016 03:20:42 pm

I'm so glad you enjoyed it - if you ever make it to Ottawa, we'll have to go out to dinner so you can try it all for yourself.

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Christina S link
16/5/2016 09:33:12 am

ALL OF THE NAAN!!!

Oh man, I love Indian food so much! Will have to add this to my (growing) list of places to check out in Ottawa!

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Vanessa
18/5/2016 03:21:44 pm

I crave it all the time. I honestly think I could eat it every day.

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Holly link
17/5/2016 11:10:16 am

mmmm Naan. My fav is chicken tika masala. So good.

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Vanessa
18/5/2016 03:22:59 pm

I love tikka masala too!

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Chef Praveen singh
18/5/2016 04:37:03 pm

Very nice all food. Everything food is very well . before I am working job with chef Bharat . he is great chef in my life . he was teach me every time how to make every dish . thanksss to all

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Vanessa
19/5/2016 09:27:29 am

This is so wonderful to hear!

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Emily Marie link
2/6/2016 09:56:38 pm

I will have to take my husband here! He loves Indian food and if there is a buffet, we are golden! For myself, I love to try anything new and everything you mentioned sounded like a delicious adventure.

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Vanessa
6/6/2016 12:05:20 pm

"Delicious adventure" is such a great description. I should mention as well that the buffet has a few non-Indian dishes, like salads and ice cream which, combined with the milder main dishes, it's a very user friendly introduction to the cuisine.

Reply



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