I recently poked through the June 2007 issue of the Ottawa magazine. In it, I found a glowing review of a take-out restaurant, called Indian Express. Accordingly, this little restaurant has won the hearts of just about every member of Ottawa's police forces. Please remember that uniformed members of the police are the good people who patrol large sections of a city. They are on the road. They work ungodly hours. They appreciate good food and are a great source for tips on what best to eat and where to find it. The first police officer to order from Indian Express did so because of the rather bold statement in its front window: "Best Butter Chicken in Town." He returned with his colleagues and word spread.

Indian Express is located in the Hintonburg neighborhood (1104 Somerset St. W), which happens to border on the Wellington Village. When I walked into it, I discovered that the review from the Ottawa magazine wasn't an exaggeration. The back wall of the eatery is papered with business cards from police officers. There is even a signed picture from a Canadian astronaut, nestled amongst the cards.

The gentleman behind the counter must have been the owner. A tall and friendly fellow, he was quick to smile and warm to speak with. When asked for my order, I of course chose the butter chicken. As I waited, I learned a couple things about the establishment. When asked about whether business was slow, the owner answered, "I can't complain. If I complain about the slow days, I really can't appreciate the busy ones. It's been 2 years since I opened this place and everyday I come to work is a joy." When the restaurant owners have this kind of outlook, you really can't go wrong dining in their restaurants. Their pride and joy will show in the food they serve.

"Butter chicken" or "chicken makhani" is essentially a spiced braised dish that is often served on rice. Most recipes start by frying up chopped aromatics (onions, shallots, ginger, garlic), freshly ground spices (garam masala, cumin, cinnamon, coriander), and a bay leaf. Some cook the spices by adding butter. Others add full fat dairy (yoghurt and/or half and half) and use its fat to cook the spices. These recipes add the butter later. For body and brightness, all recipes include tomatoes. Most recipes employ pureed and peeled tomatoes with juice. Some use tomato paste or a combination of both. The mixture is then simmered together and used to braise boneless chicken.

At Indian Express, the result is borderline magical. The chicken must have been braised low and slow because it literally melted in my mouth. The braising liquid had even penetrated superficially into the meat. The sauce provided a wonderful warmth from the added spice. It was a back of the throat warmth, which is far from a sinus searing or eyes watering hotness. The fat from its preparation was visibly colored by the spices. It carried flavor. There was a also a strong aromatic base. Needless to say, the dish was very rich in taste. Even so, some lightly sour notes were present from the cooked tomatoes. The rice was fluffy and tasted slightly of coconut. Given its texture, it may have been basmati rice. I am more familiar with Asian rices.

The portion was huge. It was large enough that I could only finish half and saved the rest for lunch the next day. My cube-mates weren't too happy when lunch time came and I heated up my left over butter chicken. Even the aroma was addictive.

You better bet I'll be returning and soon. The counter display was filled with sweets. During my 10 minutes wait, I saw 3 customers pickup a half dozen samosas each. The menu also listed dozens of curries and even a British Vindaloo.

Before you ask, vindaloos aren't authentic Indian food. They are extremely spicy concoctions that are widely popular amongst the testosterone saturated young male Brits. If you followed the series, Red Dwarf, the character Dave Lister subsisted on them. His character typifies consumers of vindaloos.

Particulars:
Indian Express: Food and Sweets
1104 Somerset St. W
(613)761-0000
Cash prefered (I didn't see an Interac or Credit Card machine)



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