Al-Watan Tandoori - Vancouver

The actual place is Pakistani and some of dishes are from northern India, but all of them are amazing in flavor!I know that most of the curries are not done fresh, right before you order, but such is the cuisine that requires simmering for hours to get the proper flavor.If you wish to try authentic indian/pakistani cuisine without the much fuss and just great food, try this place.

Le poulet tandoori vaut le detour, mais mieux vaut le prendre comme plat principal avec six morceaux plutot qu'avec le menu de midi, qui n'a rien d'exceptionnel hormis son faible prix. Bon service, seul la decoration fait tache.

FOOD: Excellent , loved the Pakistani food, they also some unique items I don't see in other Indian restaurants, like Cow Brain masala and Paya(Goat's foot soup). Very nice for the price.SERVICE; Excellent friendly service, the cook is very friendly and hilarious.ATMOSPHERE: Basic but OK. Hole in the wall feel.OVERALL: Excellent Pakistani restaurant. Loved it. Highly recomended.

It was my first trip to Vancouver and I was craving South Asian food. My friend and I found Al-Watan on the web and decided to try it out. We were very pleasantly surprised! Not only was the food delicious but the service was wonderful as well! We loved it so much that we went back the next day for lunch - and the staff remembered us! Definitely get the Nihari with garlic naan. I could go back just for that!

When cooking at home I make use of South Asian cuisines more than any other. And yet I continue to be disappointed by the low quality of Vancouver South Asian restaurants. Most tend to offer a grim mix of spices out of packets, tiny portions, reheated frozen offerings and sour service. Al Watan is a ray of light in comparison.The restaurant itself is small and simple, (but very clean). At the same time the owner and his staff are friendly, helpful and accommodating. Their Pakistani/Muslim Indian fare is unusually well prepared: in contrast to the grungy mix of spices so often encountered, the individual spices stand out clearly and in balance. Portion size is at least 50% larger than typical, and the cost per dish at least 25% less. As a case in point, last night three of us had a chicken biryani, lamb saag, dal, two plain and one onion naan, raita (complementary) and four chais and this ample meal cost us $32 before tip. The restaurant is halal, too.