Chai Gallery is not just a restaurant, it is an experience, with a community of artists and musicians and passionate individuals, including chefs preparing a myriad of flavours in foods from the Silk Route. Our Vancouver Branch was transported, on a damp March evening, across thousands of miles to enjoy a delightful experience in the dreamy and romantic ambience of Chai. We climbed nineteen steps to reach an Aladdin's cave of cushions and candles, a world far away from Vancouver.
We were greeted with a taste of chai and a glass of wine and following our reception, we sat for a chai tasting before embarking on our culinary experience with an introduction to our food from Kaitlen. We were each served on a tray with a royal feast of foods including dhal soup, organic salad, boulani, roti, pickled garlic, afghan and coconut rice with additional dishes ranging from Afghan eggplant and alu gobi, through chickpeas and chicken masala, to lamb kebabs and saag paneer, all delicious and full of flavours. All of our food was organic and was sourced locally wherever possible.
Before our dessert of kir with pistachio and rosewater, we listened to the dazzling music of Lache Cercel and his strings, playing with flare and passion traditional Eastern European melodies with swingin' jazz harmonies, a little Egyptian percussion and some flamenco for good measure. Our wines during the evening were 2009 La Vielle Ferme Cotes de Luberon and 2007 Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon. Thanks are due to member Larry Burr for his assistance in arrangements, to Photographer and Historian Milena Robertson and to Izabela, Beatrice and Kaitlen who provided great service during the evening to ensure a wonderful experience for us all.
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