Amaya Express take out - So-So!!
Gave Amaya a try after reading all the rave reviews. Got myself a Chicken Korma and Lamb Curry plus pilau rice. Very disappointed with the taste. Nothing special, just another mediocre Indian restaurant.
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I got this from the today's Toronto Star and posted a edited version below. There are always 2 sides to a story but I don't see anybody making a complaint unless there are owed money. I'm avoiding this place !
STAR STORY
To union leaders and immigrant advocates, the tandoori chef from New Delhi, brought to Canada by a Toronto restaurant last fall, is a modern version of the indentured servant.
All Kumar wanted when he came in under the temporary foreign worker program was a decent job that paid enough to send his two children in India to a private school where they would get a chance at a better life. What the 43 year old got instead were 14-hour days sweating over a stove and threats and intimidation if he quit.
"I can't go home now. I've spent a lot of time and money to be here," said Kumar, who has $200 left in his pocket. He claims he is owed $3,000 in unpaid wages. "I need to work and earn my air ticket to go home.
Before arriving in Toronto last November to start his $36,000-a-year job as a head chef at the Amaya Express, Kumar said his employer advised he would be working a 40-hour week. Instead, he said he began doing 14-hour-a-day shifts.
Kumar claims he was threatened by his employer and contacted police. The Workers' Action Centre has since filed a complaint with the Ontario Ministry of Labour on his behalf. No ruling has been made on the complaint by the ministry.
Restaurant owner Hemant Bhagwani has denied the allegations and said he was unaware of the complaint to the ministry.›1 Reply -
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you...
It was my birthday tonight, however with the stormy weather my wife and I decided to order in and we gave Amaya Express a try. I have to say that, overall, it was very good.
Samosas were huge, crisp yet with flaky pastry, a bit underseasoned but delicious with the flavourful cilantro chutney.
My Chicken Vindaloo was excellent and extremely spicy, more so than any I've had in a while.
Wife's Chicken Madras was suprisingly spicy too, but with superb coconut and curry leaf.
Naans were an amazing deal at 99 cents each. We wondered how big they would be at that price, but they were actually about 50% larger than typical ones. Not overcooked and burnt either, as some are.
I have to make special note of the quality and quantity of the chicken in our dishes, definitely a notch above.
Samosas, 2 chicken dishes, 2 naans for $40 including $3 delivery fee and taxes, but not tip.
Yes, there was a lot of sauce. But when did that become a negative thing? We saved 1/2 to be used in preparing another meal.
Delivery was prompt and courteous (perhaps the owner?), especially given the weather conditions.
I will definitely try again.
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re: bogie
Maimonides
Feb 7, 2008 04:52 AM
Bogie,
Is this the Amaya Express take-away on Bayview south of Eglinton?
If so, do you recall their hours? Everytime I walk by it seems to be empty/closed.
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re: Maimonides
JamieK
Feb 7, 2008 05:01 AM
according to their delivery menu, they are open 7 days a week but advise customers to call for "current hours of operation" -
http://www.amayaexpress.com/amaya-exp...
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re: bogie
Hi bogie - glad you had a good experience. I've ordered in a few more times from Amaya since I posted above and I do think it's improved somewhat. The samosas are great, though last week, they were accompanied by a sweet tamarind sauce instead of the usual coriander sauce, which I preferred (though the combo would be great). I agree that delivery is prompt and the service is lovely. But...I still find the meat/sauce ratio to be too much for my liking - for me, the sauces are a bit thick/heavy and they detract from the flavours. I also find the prices to be on the higher side - most mains are in the $14 range. True, we order a bit more food than you (little piggies that we are) so our bill tends to be more like $50-$55. For me, I would still take the food at Maroli over Amaya Express for both complexity of flavour and value - though last time I checked, Maroli still wasn't delivering which obviously gives Amaya the edge.
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Hey Charles - I don't think I was quite as disappointed as you but I was far from wowed. Did you also find the dishes to be oversauced? For me, everything was drowning in a thick, goopy sauce. But I found some of the flavours - in the coconut curry shrimp and the raita, in particular, to be quite nice. Personally, I still find Maroli to have the best and most consistent food - and the prices knock it out of the park.
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re: peppermint pate
Charles Yu
Nov 24, 2007 05:09 PM
Totally agree with your assessment especially the gravy description!! ( Maroli's butter chicken is still the best in town, in my opinion!)
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kawarthagirl
Nov 24, 2007 07:05 AM
Oh say it ain't so! I was looking forward to trying them when they got their feet under them!
