Calcutta meets China

Calcutta meets China! What a concept for a restaurant. But, as we explored the concept more closely we discovered that this is only new to us here in Edmonton. It seems that many years ago some Chinese immigrants arrived in Calcutta, India and made it their home. Over the years, these immigrants kept their cooking styles from their old home and added the spices found in their new home. Thus was born a new type of cooking.
Tonight, my lovely wife and blogging partner got at “taste” of this type of fusion cooking. The Masala Wok is located on 34th Avenue in the heart of the “Little India” of Edmonton. It is in a strip mall with a fitness centre, a real estate agent, a hallal meat market and other interesting shops. It was the name that attracted us.
The Diner
As I entered the restaurant I immediately noticed the darkness. The restaurant faces east and the blinds were partially closed to keep out the mid-day sun. There is a foyer to keep the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter at bay from the dining area. The ceiling and some parts of walls are painted a dark brick red, adding to the darkness. Most of the walls are painted faded mustard yellow. There are the traditional Asian fans on the walls, a happy Buddha in the corner behind the register and at least a half dozen artificial plants. The dark carpet added to the darkness of the dining area as did the black wooden tables and chairs. The music overhead is definitely of Indian origin and quite lively without being too loud. The beaded curtains leading to the washrooms added a special touch.
We were greeted quickly by a friendly hostess and told to sit anywhere we wanted to. The tables were set for groups of from 2 to many diners. Each table also had the tiny tray with a container of cut green hot peppers and a container of deliciously caramel flavoured soy sauce. The tables for more than two had small artificial flower arrangements on them. This was good because the table for two would have no room for the food with those added to it. We chose a table by the windows with my back to the television in the ceiling corner. From there we could see the fully licensed bar and the entrance to the kitchen.
The very friendly waitress brought some lightness to the room. She greeted us with a smile, handed us the main menu and a supplemental menu as she asked if we would like anything to drink. We ordered two Indian beers. She brought us the beers, two tall glasses and two glasses of water.
She gave us plenty of room as we perused the intriguing menu. Manchurian…a new type of Chinese cooking for both of us! Paneer…huh? on Indian cheese? Yes, Manchurian Paneer was on the menu. As were other curiosities like Szechuan Paneer, Lakhmi Kai Chicken, Chychan Chicken, Prawn Hubei, Chili Mutton and Egg Hakka Noodle. We decided to order an appetizer of Crispy Chili Potatoes while we discussed the rest of the menu.
The Dinner
Crispy Chili Potatoes. I had envisioned little discs of cut baby potatoes deep fried and sprinkled with chili flakes. What came out was a small dish of Kim Chee and another small bowl with cucumber slices that had been soaked in a sweet vinegar. These were accompanied by the Crispy Chili Potatoes. They were about the diameter of a shoelace and about 5 cm long. They were crisp and tossed in a Manchurian gravy. The gravy (you can order the food with gravy or dry) looks like a Mexican salsa but with smaller pieces and a totally different flavour. We asked for ours to be mild. There was still a spicy bite to the sauce and the flavour of the gravy came through beautifully. Little bits of ginger, garlic, green and white onion were accompanied by ground coriander in the tomato base. They were deliciously crisp, deliciously chili and deliciously potato; a great way to start a meal and to accompany an Indian beer.
We ordered the Paneer Chili Masala and the Chicken Mingle for the meal. The sound of the music overhead was broken by the sound of the chef working his magic in the wok in the kitchen. And what magic! The Paneer Chili Masala came in a bowl with about 8 to 10 pieces of paneer swimming in the chili Masala sauce with kaffir lime leaves visible. The paneer tasted like the paneer we are used to and the chili Masala sauce added just enough heat to make it known that I was eating spicy food.
The Chicken Mingle made both of us happy. We love eating rice and we love eating Chinese noodles. This mingle dish mingles both into a stir fry type of dish. Mingled in with the rice and the noodles are very thin strips of carrots, onion, cabbage, green and red peppers, scrambled egg, soy sauced rice and thin Chinese wheat noodles. We were able to see the egg and the bits of chicken without using a microscope. They were generously present in the dish.
The highlight of the meal came when my wife added the chili Masala sauce to the Chicken Mingle; it blended the best of both dishes and both worlds.
We were both too full to order dessert. The two beers, appetizer and two dishes came to just under $40 without tip.
We were both convinced that we will return to try the rest of the menu.
I recommend this menu for those who are curious, like to try new foods and go to the restaurant for the food not the ambiance.