When it comes to comfort food, mac ’n’ cheese and butter chicken are at the top of the list. So when Pukka’s Harsh Chawla and Derek Valleau were finalizing the menu for Ji, their new Indian gastropub, there was a moment of genius. Why not marry the two dishes together? So they did.
Menu mastery
Inside the St. Clair West space it’s a casual–chic affair. Think vintage posters and punches of colour that call Rajasthan to mind (cerulean! fuchsia!) with a steady stream of classic Bollywood films playing overhead.
The come-hither environs mimic the menu, which aims to put a North American spin on favoured north Indian dishes.
“We wanted to make approachable Indian food,” says Chawla. “It’s American and Canadian comfort food that’s been Indianized.”
The menu is a veritable who’s who of food meant for lazy Sundays. Go for poutine (with paneer and beef curry), a mound of nachos (a.k.a. naanchos, studded with lamb keema, kachumber and raita) or some tacos (puris topped with chicken and chutneys). But of all the crossover dishes served, the macaroni makhani is the big one.
Buttering the chicken
In Hindi, the term “makhani” means “with butter” and is found affixed to a clutch of Punjabi dishes. Of the collection, the most well recognized would be murgh makhani, commonly known as butter chicken.
The relatively young dish debuted back in 1950s Delhi at Moti Mahal, a restaurant known for its tandoori dishes. As the story goes, owner Kundan Lal Gujral — who fled Pakistan after India’s 1947 partition — would combine leftover marinade juices with tomato and butter and pop hunks of tandoori chicken into the mix. It was a runaway hit.
A comfortable pair
At Ji, the macaroni makhani is a collaboration between Indian-born Chawla and executive chef Kirti Singh.
Corkscrew cavatappi noodles are bathed in makhani sauce, with tomato, fenugreek, cinnamon and all the Indian spices. Plenty of cream, butter and cheddar cheese round out the ingredients, resulting in a rather decadent dish. Need meat? Order chicken lollipops for dipping.
“Everybody’s loving it,” Chawla says. “It’s the best of both worlds.”
Ji, 760 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-792-5550
