What comes to mind when you think about Pakistani food? You might assume that it's pretty much the same as Indian food. Although there are certainly some similarities, I tend to describe it as more of an Indian/Middle Eastern hybrid, as you'll see influences from both cultures in Pakistani cuisine. Knowing that Pakistan is sandwiched between Iran, Afghanistan, and India tends to make all of the food pieces fall into place. And the best place to try it in Toronto? Lahore Tikka House in the Little India part of Leslieville is the undisputed choice. You Gotta Eat Here! featured them in their fourth season and blogTO has listed them as the #1 Best Pakistani Restaurant in the city.

I visited on a Sunday evening and certainly the first thing that caught my attention is how massive their property is. The two storey building is huge, plus they have their own parking lot and an entire tented patio area. You cannot miss it. I love all of the motorized rickshaws that they have parked out front which really adds to the authentic and fun vibe of the place. It was a hot summer's day and we were seated on the patio. As such, I didn't see much of the inside of the restaurant but from what I understand, they have dining areas on both levels. The colours on the walls are jewel-toned and there are several beautiful murals decorating the space as well. The patio outside is draped in lovely sari-like materials. The restaurant feels nothing short of palatial.
The menu is quite extensive and our friendly server was happy to help answer our questions. I was excited to try the special Kashmiri Chai that they make but was unfortunately informed that they didn't have any. Nor their plain chai. This was disappointing because a beautiful chai done properly is one of my favourite drinks.

One of the first things that happened is a sword was brought around with flame-blistered green peppers skewered onto it. I wrongly assumed that these would be similar to shishitos... Instead these peppers were very, very spicy. I managed a few bites and couldn't continue! However, I loved this special touch.

There is a cute part of the menu that serves up Lahori Street Food and I really liked the idea of this! Unfortunately, we had so many other dishes to order that we couldn't get anything from this section but I would love to on a future visit. Two sauces were delivered to our table; one hot sauce that tasted like it was based in tamarind and a cool yogurt sauce that was seasoned with warm spices. These were both delicious and perfect accompaniments to every other dish of the evening.
First to arrive was our Butter Chicken (Boneless, red creamy sauce - $16.99) from the Karahi / Curries part of the menu. A karahi incorporates onions, garlic, ginger, chillies, tomatoes and garam masala spices. I was hesitant to order this because it seemed like such a "safe" and "typical" choice. But on the other hand, butter chicken is delicious so... Here we are. This dish arrived firey hot and spitting molten lava. The pieces of chicken were large and tender, truly bathed in sauce. The curry sauce was quite thick, which I liked, and it had a certain tang to it that I found to be enjoyable and unique. Probably not the best butter chicken that I've ever had but still a very good version.

Of course we also visited the Tandoori Naans section of the menu because it would be wrong not to! This flat leavened flour bread is baked in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven. I could see the cook making it exactly this way through the window. Plain Naan ($2.89 each) seemed like the right choice because I didn't want any other flavours crowding out the other dishes. Although they do offer seven different types. At first we tried to order three of these but our server smartly advised that only two would be plenty. She was right! We could barely finish two because they were so large. Naan is used as a utensil and the diner rips pieces of bread off and uses it to pick up and eat the food on their plate. This version was very simple and uniform - maybe even a bit too perfect. I tend to prefer a less refined shape and a bit more chew to my naan but at the end of the day you can't go wrong with bread.

Next up: Seekh Kababs, the restaurant's specialty. Known for its spice, we chose one Beef and one Chicken (Minced meat infused with coriander, ginger & garlic. Grilled on a traditional clay oven and served on a sizzling platter - $4.29 each). These certainly did arrive to our table sizzling profusely! I could tell that the meat had been formed onto a skewer, expertly crafted, and then cooked. Each kabab was extremely flavourful and bursting with delicious spice. Both types of meat were very good and I liked that we tried both for a bit of variety. This is the kind of item that you just get because you're going to want it.

We needed rice (curries are always best eaten over rice) and I was finding our meal order to be a bit chicken-heavy. Our server suggested looking to the Biryani section of the menu and she was absolutely right. All of our problems were solved with the Lamb Biryani (Made from a combination of spices, basmati rice, and meat or vegetable - $14.99 for small). Created in the Mughal royal kitchen, this was my favourite dish of the night! The lamb was incredibly delicious, flavourful, and fall-off-the-bone tender. The intricate spicing was just right and this might have been the best way possible to solve our need for rice. Why have I never thought of this before? Biryani clearly needs to hold a bigger place in my life.

When our last dish arrived we'd almost forgotten that we'd ordered it! From the Tikka section of the menu (grilled BBQ on a traditional clay oven) we were sure to try the Chicken Tikka (Boneless chicken marinated in yogurt, ginger, garlic and tandoori red paste - $12.49). I mean, when a restaurant is called tikka house you get the tikka. This dish arrived as a sizzling inferno as well and let me just say: our table was covered in a lot of very hot and dangerous plates. We managed to survive. This was very likely the best chicken tikka that I've ever had. The chicken was full of flavour and really embodied a wonderful smokiness. They use the tandoor extremely well at Lahore Tikka House and a visit wouldn't be complete without a tandoori dish or two.

Lastly, and yes, there was still more; Dessert. I was really looking forward to trying the Lahori Kulfi (Made with sweet cream milk and flavoured with cardamom. Available in mango, pistachio and almond - $3.99 each), a fun and Instagram-worthy ice cream treat. We got one of each! Each was amazing and you can't go wrong with ice cream on a stick! I had the pistachio one since it seemed like a very classic flavour in Pakistani cuisine. I loved the creaminess and the bit of bite from the pistachio nuts. You could just roll up and grab one of these and you'd be good.

I really enjoyed my experience at Lahore Tikka House and was grateful for the opportunity to dive a little deeper into the world of Pakistani food. This restaurant is more than just a place to eat. This is the type of place that has a community. I was happy to be a part of it for a little while.

Always a 45 min + wait on weekends from 7pm onwards... I love the energy of a jam packed restaurant with sights sounds and aromas that anchor in mind for days... Loved Maria for her warm hospitality as always!