Surrey’s Spice Trail is a vibrant culinary adventure first introduced in 2021 in this city in metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Spice Trail’s local food experience has grown substantially since then and now boasts scores of choices. Visitors find Mexican and Latin American eateries alongside Caribbean, African, Indian, and South Asian. But because a large percentage of the city’s population hails from the Indian subcontinent, the Spice Trail is heavily oriented to the exotic flavors of that region.
During a one-day tour of restaurants along the trail, we sampled Indian street food, traditional chai drinks, Nepalese dishes, and Afghan specialties. Restaurant owners and chefs are happy to explain the flavors and assist with selections. We enjoyed a picnic in a park, visited a popular stand-up chaat house, and concluded the day’s adventure with an elegant meal.
Eating Our Way Through the Day
Discover Surrey guides Danya Wheeler and Mary Ann Bell met our group of food and travel writers at our hotel, the Sheraton Guildford, at 10:30 a.m. It was a beautiful, sunny day in Surrey, seemingly the perfect time for a food tour. At the time, however, we did not realize what the day would entail.
Raunak Indian Cuisine
The first thing we learned is that breakfast and brunch don’t have to include American or Canadian staples. There were no offers of juice, cereal, or eggs. There was no buttered toast and jam, and no steaming black coffee. And we certainly did not miss them.
Instead, we began the day with vegetarian fare. At Raunak Indian Cuisine, we were treated to traditional chickpea curry from the tiny region of Amritsar in Punjab, India, just east of Pakistan. Tasty Amritsari Kulha, a type of flatbread stuffed with potatoes, onions, cauliflower, Indian cheese, and spices, accompanied the curry, along with cucumbers, onions, and a light, creamy sauce. It was a memorable way to begin the day!
Instead, we began the day with vegetarian fare. At Raunak Indian Cuisine, a , we were treated to traditional chickpea curry from the tiny region of Amritsar in Punjab, India, just east of Pakistan. Tasty Amritsari Kulha, a type of flatbread stuffed with potatoes, onions, cauliflower, Indian cheese, and spices, accompanied the curry, along with cucumbers, onions, and a light, creamy sauce. It was a memorable way to begin the day!
Located in Surrey’s Whalley Historic District, Raunak was the first Indian restaurant to join Jamaican, Japanese, Mexican, and Afghan eateries in the compact area. Its name means “brightness.”
Kerala Kitchen
Dosas are a specialty at Kerala Kitchen. Prepared from a fermented lentil batter, they resemble thin, crisp pancakes rolled into large, impressive tubes. Meant to be broken into smaller pieces, dosas are a customer favorite, often eaten with a variety of chutneys, sambar, or masala.This upscale South Indian restaurant in Surrey, specializes in the staples of India’s Kerala region. It is known for its innovative presentation in addition to its flavorful food.
Executive Chef Sujith is a master at integrating South Indian specialties with Indo-Chinese flavors. We were only too happy to sample some of those specialties.
First, a dramatic dish, kingfish steamed in banana leaves, tickled our taste buds. Then, we were able to sample curries, dramatic dosas with a trio of dipping sauces.
This chef’s passion for the regional specialties of Kerala permeates his dishes. We would have been happy to sample more of the South Indian foods from the extensive menu, but our time was limited.
Kathmandu Bar & Grill
A surprisingly upscale bar and grill in a decidedly casual neighborhood, the Kathmandu Bar & Grill delights in numerous ways. The restaurant takes its name from the capital city of Nepal, the tiny country tucked between Tibet and India. The interior decor is breathtaking, a match for the variety of food on the menu.
Kathmandu features 30 different kinds of momos, traditional Nepali steamed dumplings, with a flower-like shape. Head chef and co-owner Anil brought us hot dishes of jhol (little dumplings in a spicy, tomato-based soup), steaming Tandoori-style momos, and buttery-sauced momos. We loved them all!
Our group also raved about the Nepali Chow Mein that Anil prepared. Unique flavors derive from the marriage of East Asian and South Asian spices in the various curries, soups, sauces, and hearty main dishes.
The Nepali food served at Kathmandu has been reimagined for the Western palate, but it relies on fresh ingredients sourced from local markets. It is flavorful, filling, and palate-pleasing.
Chacha’s Tandoor and Grill
After a much-needed stroll, we moved on to Payal Plaza, a neighborhood “mall” that sprawls over four city blocks. Filled with boutiques, markets, restaurants, and small businesses, it features the largest selection of Indian shopping in British Columbia.
Chacha’s Tandoor & Grill has a name that translates simply as “father’s younger brother.” It’s impossible to miss the warm familial connection, but the informality belies the serious food the restaurant turns out. Eager patrons patiently wait for orders to be filled at this casual diner, and seating is often scarce.
>So it was on the day we visited. In short, the place was jammed. Because there wasn’t enough seating available for our group, our guides ordered takeout and decreed that we would picnic in a nearby park when the order was ready.
A Break for Chai and Sweets
In the meantime, we enjoyed chai drinks of choice from Chaiiwala of London.
The closely guarded Karak Chai recipe can be traced back 90 years to a small tea stall operated by a great-grandmother in the markets of Delhi. Today, the shop at Payal Plaza serves up cups of the smooth, aromatic chai as well as roti dishes and street food.
But it was the steaming hot chai that we savored as we watched people come and go. Watching the crowds was half the fun. And I felt privileged to experience life in the heart of Surrey’s bustling South Asian community.
As we sipped our chai, we enjoyed treats from Aggarwal Sweets, a company that has catered to lovers of Indian sweets for two decades. In addition, Shalimar Paan supplied samples of paan, a traditional after-dinner treat. It is sometimes used as a palate cleanser, digestive aid, or mouth freshener. It consists of a variety of fillings wrapped in a triangular betel leaf.
An Unplanned Bonus
Unexpectedly, plates of food appeared as we rested our feet at outdoor tables and benches. Golgappas, classic Indian snacks of a street-food origin, were brought for us to sample. Flavo Grill, a recent addition to the busy Payal Center, was not yet officially a scheduled stop along the food trail. But Chef Raj and the restaurant’s owners seemed to take pity on our group of tired writers.
The food was not only a surprise, but it represented an example of a culture that welcomes strangers with open arms. In addition to the golgappas, a heaping serving of another of the eatery’s specialties was set before us. Like eager children, we ate before we asked its name.
Then, when our takeout order from Chacha’s was ready, we left this delightful shopping plaza.
Once at the park, we wasted no time devouring an order of Chicken Kalami Kebab in a spiced marinade, accompanied by rumali roti, a thin, soft, unleavened flatbread that we pulled apart with our fingers.
There’s something immensely satisfying about eating great food in a beautiful outdoor setting on a pleasant day. However, our dining marathon was not yet over. Our intrepid guides had a unique surprise for us. Somewhat unwillingly, we left the park.
Apna Chaat House
As our driver pulled into another shopping center, we did not know what to expect. Our guides explained that they couldn’t let us miss the experience of a “standing chaat house.” Customers often stand in line at Apna Chaat House for up to an hour on weekends to order these traditional snacks.
Apna Chaat Express is a popular stand-up street food venue. Little rounds of savory, fried pastry known as golgappas are typically filled with spicy potatoes. Then diners personalize their choices with flavored liquids or drench them with additional spice and creamy sauce. Usually they are consumed as single-bite finger foods. It’s an acquired taste and a very popular treat.
In India, vendors offer golgappa and other snack foods like fried Maggi (noodles) from carts alongside the roads. The stand-up counter at Apna Chaat House is a variation of that tradition. The small space bursts with color, decorated with menu boards and food photos.
Two renowned chefs from Mumbai, Bikram and Jogi Singh, founded Apna Chaat. They serve what is arguably the most authentic Indian street food found in the Vancouver area.
Clove, the Art of Dining
Clove has won acclaim as one of the best Indian restaurants in Canada. We stepped inside to a different world of calming, contemporary decor. The first impression was just a prelude to an upscale dining experience.
Clove’s cocktail menu features accompanying fables for each drink option. Each arrives in a unique glass that complements the story. Choosing from names like Eye of the Tiger, The Indian Alchemist, and Monsoon Weddings can be difficult because each one sounds tempting. Zero-proof cocktails bear equally evocative names, along with their own stories and names like Eve’s Eyeball, Spice Hibiscus, and Sushi Mule.
After the drinks and appetizers arrived, the parade of food began. A small army of servers delivered multiple dishes to our banquet table. Afghani lamb masala, duck Rajasthani, avocado and chickpea chaat, and aam chicken kasundi, in turn, teased our senses.
The menu contains some dishes with names we could not pronounce. Others are prepared with ingredients we chose not to guess at – Murgh Tikka, Seafood Moilee, and Surrey’s Mess.
We dined with gusto, and the feast proved to be a marvelous finale to a day filled with surprises.
An Epic Adventure in Surrey
As I look back on the experience, I’m sure I had never before consumed that much food – in quantity or variety – in a single day. My epic journey along Surrey’s Spice Trail is a story I will remember and retell for a long time.
Our group of writers was hosted for the Surrey Spice Trail Tour by Discover Surrey.
Adrienne Cohen blogs at Good Food and Faraway Places.
