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Vij's offers a menu of Indian inspired fusion cuisine.
I Love the saag paneer and the spot prawns my boyfriend can never get enough of the lamb popsicles, love the service and can't get enough of their Chai - thank you so much for putting that recipe online I can't wait to try it!! Every time I come here it's consistently great food and the charm of the place is fantastic. Never change Vijs!!
Hearing all the hype about this place, we had to give it a try. Went on a weeknight as a party of six, were lucky to get in and get a table. There was a lineup before it opened and I felt bad for those who didn't make it in because they were in for a long wait. First impressions - cramped seating, dark lighting, and very, very loud. The free appies and chai are a nice touch, since it takes a while for the food to arrive. I could hardly see the person I was talking to the lighting was so dim, and we had to yell to be heard.
We ordered dishes to share since two of our party have not had Indian food before and we wanted them to taste different things. We had the mutton kabobs and portobello mushrooms to start. Both were tasty. For mains we had lamb popsicles, beef shortribs, trout & lobster, saag paneer. It was all very tasty, although the paneer was a little disappointingly bland. The problem was between the six of us, we each literally only got one bite of each dish. I realize that these entrees may not necessarily be made for family style dining, but it would be nice if they had been just a little more substantial. The service was decent, our water was filled regularly and we did not feel rushed by the staff despite the line up of patrons waiting to get in.
The word 'pretentious' did pop up in describing this place. The food is tasty, but the long waits and uncomfortable atmosphere really did nothing to make me want to return.
Have been to Vij's a few times - food, service is quite simply awesome. But what's with the draft, especially if you get stuck with a seat by the door.
I do find the space a bit cramped - but to complain thusly seems a bit churlish given the food is quite amazing. I would say gorgeous but I am not sure that I can use the adjective to describe taste, etc. Anyhow, you get the point. It's money well spent and you will love the food.
I haved dined at Vij's for many years and it is always great. You go to Vij's for only one thing; the Food. The food is incredible. The service is the best I have experienced. The staff seem to anticipate everything. If you do not like waiting or must have a reservation then this is not for you. My only complaint is that one of my favorite dishes (Sablefish in a mango reduction) is no longer on the menu. Hopefully it will return.
Vij's food is definitely good, but I wouldn't rave about it like some people do. The little appetizers that get passed around are amazingly flavourful and the full appetizers and main dishes are very tasty. We got a table right away so we were fine, but I don't think I would have thought it worth a 1.5 hour wait.
The atmosphere is elegant, even waiting was elegant. This is a very crowded and noisy place so be warned. Noisy? means people are having fun. The long wait in the room at the back was made easy by the periodic free tidbits sent out from the kitchen to tide you over.
Once seated and a look at the menu and you will be impressed. This is a fusion Indian restaurant which marries various herbs and spices to create magical courses which will sooth your soul and excite your taste buds. Nothing that I have tried here has dissapointed me.
My sisters and niece were in Vancouver for a visit. We got to Vij's at 6pm and there was already a big wait. We didn't mind soaking the late afternoon sun and the service was very gracious that the wait didn't seem that terrible. They were serving us complimentary appetizers. All very good!! We would be excited every time the server came out with something different to try. When we got our table we weren't grumpy from the wait and had a very pleasant dinner. Lamb popsicle was amazing. Believe the hype :)
I came here with my friends a couple of weeks ago. I've been here before a while back and everything was excellent. The only reason I haven't been back sooner is because they don't take resos and I don't really like waiting. This time my friends waited in line and being a nice summer day they didn't mind too much. Vij was there as always greeting people and offering appys (more like an amuse bouche) to the people waiting for their tables. We shared some samosas to start which were really good. We also had the halibut and spot prawns and the goat curry, everything was amazing. Service was very professional as well. One of my favorite restaurants for sure!
Ok, I'm born here and I've never heard of Vij's before. Am I nuts? Last month when I was in LA airport, a tourist (whose Amercian) was telling me how great Vij's is in Vancouver. He said we'll thank him once we tried it. So...last week we went to try it out. Hm...I think he hyped it a little bit too much for us. I must admit, the service was incredible. Once we sat down, we got our water and menu and then a lady approached us w/ some complimentary fries. Few minutes after that, we were offered fried potatoes. A moment later, we were offered some chai tea which I've never tried before. It was actually pretty good! Other reviewers were right; we were constantly getting our water refilled. I thought that was pretty cool. As for our orders, we ordered 2 spoons of dungess crab to start. I couldn't explain the taste but it was good and had some Indian spice(s) in it. As for entres, we ordered beef tenderloin & chicken breast. The chicken was flavorful, you could tell it was marinated for a long period of time. As for the beef, I only had a bite and I wasn't impressed. My bf thought it was good but we wouldn't go back to Vij's again. The bill + tips came up to $65. I'll stick w/ butter & tandoori chicken next time. Ok ok, I know Vij's is totally different from traditional Indian Restaurants BUT the flavor did not meet my taste, that's all.
Never got around to trying Vij until this past Sat.. We were in line @4:50 thinking it opened its doors at 5/5:30. Well, it was the latter, but we weren't the first ones there... By the time it came closer to opening, the line grew to the point where a few parties had an approx. 1.5hr wait.
Vikram Vij, the host, was amazingly w/o airs. I had expected by now, his popularity would have spoiled the man like those who run lesser/newer spots, but that wasn't the case at all! That alone just about made it a new favourite, but of course, it's w/ the help of the lamb popsicles that helped grab the spot! I almost never have lamb b/c I absolutely HATE the gameyness of it, but wow, there was just a bare hint while remaining juicy--literally, finger-licking good! Wanted to suck up all the yellow curry sauce it was served in. The grilled duck dish was less impressive. The meat itself was tender & made well, however, the flavours were lacking. The curry for the duck seemed quite watered down to the point of being non-descript. The house naan is good for sopping up all the sauces of your apps/mains. The rice that came for us to share was preferable over the rice that was soaked under my duck since I never care for oversauced rice/bread. The 2 of us couldn't finish that bowl of fragranted rice as we had to make room for dessert!
I quite enjoyed the jackfruit appetizer. That went really well w/ the bread. I didn't much care for the mutton skewers--too gamey but wanted to taste it just 'cause it's there.
Loved the subtle clean flavour of the rice pudding w/ the fresh almonds adding a nice contrast in texture to it. The mango "ice cream" was more of a sorbet--lots of mango-goodness.
The room is definitely less crowded than it used to be when I walked in one late night to purchase a gift certificate about 2 yrs ago. The tables seem better spaced & prepped for parties of 4/5 rather than mostly just for 2's.
It's the daunting lineup that kept me from trying for so long!
Vij's is without a doubt one of my absolute all-time favourite restaurants in Vancouver. I have been coming here on average once every two to three weeks for about the last two years and every time is perfect. Of course, they don't take reservations here but that is what adds to the experience and gives the extra added potential for fun. Arrive at whatever time you choose (there will be a line-up regardless), put your name on the list, and hang out by the bar, get to know your neighbours, and enjoy a bevvie or two as well as some exquisitely tasty appetizers, compliments of the house. The wait time varies and it's not always the case that week nights move more quickly than weekends. We have dined on Monday nights and Tuesdays as well as on Fridays and Saturdays and really haven't noticed much of a difference to be honest. The whole point of the wait for us is just to relax and enjoy ourselves while we peruse the menu and make our dinner selections. Once seated we then can order right away. The service at Vij's is excellent and unlike that of any other restaurant I have patronized. The motto among the wait staff is "we are all your servers", which to me, makes so much sense! Not only does it expedite the service to customers but it also equalizes the relations among servers by eliminating any potential competitiveness over particular tables and arguments over tips. The food is second to none, with each of the curry dishes having their own incredible and unique characteristics and flavours. I love the organic chicken curry as well as the mixed vegetables, and the halibut dish. I love that Vikram is there many nights of the week to talk with and serve customers and to make diners feel at home. Words cannot describe how much I love this place. It's no wonder that people come from all over to dine here. Vij's outstanding reputation is one that is well earned!
Food: Had the mussels to start and our party of 4 then shared the beef tenderloin, lamb popsicle and the grilled chicken. Every dish was very good but the lamb popsicles were by far my favorite. All dishes come with rice and naan which was nice when the dishes themselves are quite saucy. Watch out for the peppers they serve in the beginning! Didn't have room for dessert but will definitely return to try their khir.
Service: Water refills were plentiful and our plates were changed after the appy. I found them quite attentive but not overbearing. The only irk I had with the service was the fact that they don't take reservations and we were told it was a 45 minute wait but it was more than an hour. There was also a single server in particular that was quite surly but we only encountered her a few times so it wasn't too bad.
Ambiance: I just love the dark interiors but was quite surprised it was so small. It's also quite odd how the waiting area is at the back of the restaurant. The little fish pond outside is really unique and quite beautiful looking at night.
Will definitely return but will try to avoid peak dining hours.
Dining at Vij's was a much-anticipated thrill but the reality of the wait to be seated -- it's appalling and even though the food was exquisitely ambrosial, I will never dine there again. Three generations of my family (there were nine of us) decided to celebrate at Vij's on a Saturday evening -- obviously a busy night so that was mistake number one. My brother went to the restaurant at 4:45 and put our name on the list. He waited outside Vij's the whole time and kept the rest of us posted via phone -- finally we were told to get down there ASAP for a 6:30 seating. We arrived and waited another 45 minutes before being escorted into the restaurant at 7:15. While we waited, the servers brought drinks and a tray of appetizers but it was cold outside, my 80-year-old parents had some difficulty with the wait, etc. -- 45 minutes on top of the initial 1 hour and 45 minutes!! When we were finally seated, our group of nine was not even able to sit together: our two tables were on opposite ends of the restaurant and due to serving time differences, half of our group had to leave long before the rest of us were finished with our meal -- we were like ships passing in the night. The wait certainly gives you ample time to ponder why the owners insist on such an inhospitable way of managing their guests' dining schedule! I get it that it's probably an ego-rush for the owners to see all these people lining up in desperate hope of a chance to dine, but seriously -- it's just absurd to expect people to put up with such a ridiculous process. I was sitting at a table near the door and over and over again I heard Vij explain to a bewildered would-be customer that a typical wait is 2 to 2.5 hours to dine at Vij's. Maybe if you're a 20-something it adds some cache to the experience (wow -- I waited 2.5 hours for my meal...so extreme)?? I'm happy that Vij and Meeru have produced cookbooks so we have a chance to try and create some of the food ourselves at home -- I will certainly never, ever go to Vij's restaurant again. Not only is it unpleasant and exasperating to wait for so long, it's disturbing to think the owners care so little about their customers -- it's a mystery to me that they don't simply take reservations.
absolutely delicious food. good service. perfect ambience. not too pretentious, the humble owner himself pops around to see you;re enjoying yourself. it really is simply wonderful, i'm so glad this place is around. vikram obviously really cares and that is the reason that his place is so consistently great. it's a passionate place.
What an excellent experience. So yummy. Because I regularly read this site (just started adding to it) I knew to go early.
So we went on Monday night last week around 5:30 and were sat right away -so I think that's the trick!
It was really good food and really good service. mmmm, just thinking about it makes me smile.
I didn't find it typical indian fare (and I love indian food) but that isn't why I went there- most high end places you don't get leftovers, so I was expecting something a little small but really good and that's what I got.
The server and owner were gracious -perfect.
I think this is a place that everyone should try -at least once.
I won't be a regular as it's a little pricey and by 6 o'clock there was an hour long wait -on a monday -(we ran into some friends that were going to wait once they took a look at our food).
Overall a great place!
My wife and I had an impromptu visit at Vijs last Thursday. The place was packed and we ended up waiting about 1 1/2 hours to be seated. ( apparently we had just missed the 1st seating ). Fair enough, so we sat in this tiny bar / holding area and while we had drinks they brought around a number of yummy appitizers.
When we were finally seated it felt a wee bit crowded and funny enough, the lady sitting behind me and I had to have a good laugh when she went to retrieve for something in her coat pocket and realized she was searching in my jacket instead of hers.
For dinner we decided to share Samosa's as an appitizer and for entree's I had the Lamb Lollipops and my wife had the Eggplant. I really can not discribe the flavours or textures without doing them an injustice, however the only words that comes to mind is brilliant and masterful.
Vij's has to be one of the top restaurants we have been to in Vancouver and will definitely be going back, and yes, the wait is definitely worth it.
I guess you should always start with the positives.
Service is great, friendly staff and Vij himself come around in full garb to make everyone feel welcome.
The atmosphere itself is beautiful and makes for a nice evening setting.
But on the poor side:
The value is horrible - I was expecting to pay a high price to eat there - but the cost was about 30% more than my already high expectations.
As for the food - I found it kind of bland. I think this may be why it is so popular, blandish westernized Indian food appealing to the masses which believe it must be good because it is overpriced. On the positive side, the food was presented nicely and prepared well - just lacked taste.
I probably wouldn't go back but I think it is worth a one-time visit.
So a couple of friends convinced me to try Vij’s again…I’d been once before and was kind of ambivalent about the place. I preferred next door at Rangoli in terms of décor, it is just a gorgeous space. But Vij’s is beautiful too of course, and you get those great little snacks while you’re waiting. But…I just can’t get that excited about the food. Both times I’ve been there, everyone at the table was raving about their meals and just loved it (especially the lamb popsicles – unfortunately, I don’t like lamb). I thought the food was good…it’s obviously excellent quality, fresh ingredients, there’s nothing to complain about. I guess it comes down to palate, if I’m going to spend $30 for an entrée, I want to be raving about the meal too.
I don’t prefer the food at Rangoli, but I like the space more over there, and it’s less expensive. I also like the experience, and for some reason, I like the servers there better too. I want to love Vij's because it is so beautiful, but I guess at the end of the day, it comes down to personal taste in food and I don't want to pay upwards of $50/person just because it's a pretty space.
We got there just before 5:30pm, and just as expected, there was already quite a line-up outside. Once the restaurant opened, we were lucky to get one of the last tables available. Service was very quick. Right away we had menu and water, plus complimentary chai (yummy!) and some other small tidbits. The lamb popsicles were just as good as I had heard- sopped up every last bit of the curry and the lamb was so tender. The duck was okay...it didn't have that duck flavour I hoped for- sort of tasted more like chicken. Both dishes had exactly the right amount of spice- hot, but not overpowering. Vikram was there greeting everyone - he wasn't quite as warm as I imagined, but pleasant. Service was great- very quick to bring more rice & naan, fill glasses, etc. Would definitely come again.
The food is absolutely terrible and overpriced. It's cheap ingredients with pretty presentation. Kind of lame, isn't it? They keep calling this fusion indian food because these morons don't know how to cook indian food. When you say it's fusion, it basically means anything goes and no effort.
The restaurant spent a lot of time and money on PR. So you probably heard it and have seen the press somewhere. But PR is just another form of advertising, you really don't want to believe the hype. If you want to bring your out of town friends here to impress them, they probably laugh at you more than appreciate your effort. In the States, you would get very decent and more authentic indian food with at least 1/3 price lower, plus some Indian restaurants are well decorated as well over there. It's not a big deal this restaurant has great ambiance, it's not like you have never seen anything pretty or like this before. It's cute alright but doesn't wow you.
The restaurant is taking advantage of the fact that this town has no night life so people would just go to fake fine dining restaurant to feel that they did something that night. It's really not that exciting, it's still a restaurant not a fun party. Food is terrible with cheap ingredients so you can't really call it fine dining experience. it's fake fine dining.
| 1. | Vij's Rangoli (1 m) |  |
| 2. | Starbucks (40 m) | |
| 3. | Bizou Bistro (56 m) | |
| 4. | Marquis, The (63 m) |  |
| 5. | Siena (82 m) | |
| 6. | De Dutch Pannekoek House (87 m) |  |
| 7. | Primo's Mexican Grill (114 m) |  |
| 8. | Daniel le Chocolat Belge (126 m) | |
| 9. | Take Japanese Food (149 m) |  |
| 10. | Wrap Zone (152 m) |
