Lahore Tikka House – 1365 Gerrard St E, Toronto ON M4L 1Z3
Country: Pakistan
Seating: Large indoor and outdoor seating
Must-try dish:  Mixed vegetable combo sizzler and Nihari beef shank curry
Dinner Guests: Loud Lucy, Millionaire Max & Young Matt

To pay homage to Sunday’s World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan, we made our way to Little India to taste some of Toronto’s most sought after Pakistani cuisine. 

Apparently this is the place to find the best Pakistani food outside of Pakistan, according to a number of sources in the city’s east end. We knew we needed to eat there.

Acting strategically, we pilled in with a group of five in order to sample as much of the menu as possible. There’s a pretty epic patio that was unfortunately shut down for the night, but we instead sat close to the kitchen, which was helpful to sneak a quick glance at the options available to order. The tables were also set close to each other, so we weren’t shy to ask our neighbors about the dishes they ordered before making our final decision. 

We’re guilty of judging a book by its cover initially – everything about this restaurant down to the Tuk Tuks outside looked amazing, and we couldn’t wait to taste the food. However, even then Lahore Tikka House exceeded our already high expectations.   

As always, we relied on our server to guide us in these tough culinary decisions and she even ended up saving us money by suggesting a platter instead of three separate plates. We were already on the right path!  

The colorful and aromatic spread that covered our table looked delectable, to say the least. Although we were being polite and passing the dishes around, it’s clear that it took all of our strength to not jump into each dish right away like a pack of hungry dogs. 

We went all the way with an order of chicken biryani, lamb tikka, beef curry, a mixed grill of lamb beef & chicken kababs, and a vegetarian platter with lentils, chickpeas, and cauliflower. Despite the whole meal being a hit, we favoured the legume and vegetable dish because it was full of flavour, even without the meat. The Nihari beef dish, in contrast, offered a completely different set of flavours – cardamon, cinnamon, and cloves. Go for both! 

Needless to say, we left full, having finished everything. 

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)