Vij's Rangoli

1488 West 11th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6H1L1
Tel: (604) 736-5711
Fax: (604) 736-3701
Neighbourhood: South Vancouver
  • Cuisine: Indian/Pakistani
  • Price: $$ ($15 - $30)
  • Meals: Lunch, Dinner
  • From company website: "Vij's Rangoli sells frozen and refrigerated ready-to-eat Indian dishes as well as freshly roasted and ground Indian spices. Rangoli's dishes were originally developed at world renowned Vij's Restaurant. All of our products are made fresh on premises and are free of any preservatives or artificial flavours or colours. Our diner serves a small, five to six item lunch menu for eating in or take out. The diner menu changes frequently, but always includes meat and vegetarian entrées. The menu items are different from the packaged foods we sell, and are also made fresh on premise."

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  • Reviews28

Reviews

Displaying 1 - 20 of 28 Reviews Found
rude and rushed
By JeNoodle of downtown Vancouver (10 Reviews)
Submitted Sunday, February 7, 2010 - 9:40pm

A group of us was going to a play around the corner at The Stanley, so we decided to have dinner at Rangoli before the show. We arrived around 6, and were seated right away. We ordered our dinner, and it arrived about 15/20 minutes later. The food was delicious. The service was terrible. The serving staff is pleasant and attentive before you order and while you dine, but once you're finished, if you don't hurry up and get out as soon as you finish your meal, the attitude factor kicks up to fifth gear. We came close to the end of our meals and wondered whether or not we should get more drinks and dessert; we were asked once, and said we were undecided. After that, it was shite service. We were presented with the bill (two minutes AFTER we'd said we hadn't yet decided whether or not we'd have dessert or a digestif), so, disgusted with that, decided to pay, but finish up our remaining drinks and food. Our money certainly was taken right away. Each time one of us put down a glass or finished a last bite, a server was standing there to sweep up our glasses/forks/plates/bowls right away (as in, one of us put something down, and it was snatched up less than ten seconds after it was put down). Not cool. They were obviously trying to send us a message to hurry up and get out. By the time that happened, our party had been there for slightly over an hour; not a long stretch by any means. When we pay at least $30 per person for dinner and a drink or two, I expect that we won't be rushed. I don't care if there are people waiting; we were there before them, and expect to enjoy a meal, unrushed, especially at an establishment or name that prides itself on its service. WE'd already paid the bill, so the tip had already been submitted, but at least two of our party wanted to request the tip BACK because they were so rude, hovering about and sending non-verbal messages to leave. After moving as slowly as possible to finish up our remaining food/drinks, we sluggishy got ready to leave...but not before noticing that one of the servers asked another table of two to please leave because other people were waiting. UNBELIEVABLE. We'd all been to Rangoli before and experienced nothing but great service, but this last visit has indelibly imprinted itself in our minds, and we won't be returning. There are plenty of places for Indian food in Vancouver, and I have never been rushed or made to feel unwelcome at any of the other Indian restaurants I've been to...not even at a $10 buffet on Main Street. I hope the bosses or managers talk to the 'service' staff at Rangoli, because there's no such thing as service there; it's all snot and attitude.

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Great Indian for the Non-Indian
By Gidge of Vancouver (76 Reviews)
Submitted Saturday, January 30, 2010 - 10:47pm

Finally got to try Rangoli for the first time today. Arrived at 7:00pm on a Saturday evening and only had to wait a few minutes for a two-seater outside, under the covered patio. Although it was mildly cold, the heat lamp and cozy blankets warmed us up. The ambiance was quite nice with plenty of diners outside to keep us company. Simple but modern decor. The dining area inside is quite small and offered little spacing between tables. Probably about 35 seats inside; 15-20 outside. Now onto food...

Hubby and I shared the pakora and cassava root fries. The pakora was a mix of deep fried cauliflower, spinach and onions. Personally, I couldn't distinguish one veggie from the other, but they all tasted good, especially when soaked in this corn curry sauce. The cassava root fries was superb, perfectly fried and tasty when dipped in either the mint sauce or some tangy red sauce (name escapes me...).Hubby had the black chickpeas in curry sauce and I had the lamb in cumin. Not a huge chickpea fan but I must say that they did a great job of downplaying the beanie taste stewed in light coconut curry sauce. My only knock was that no naan was included so there was a lot of wasted sauce. My dish was especially good. The lamb was very tender without losing the texture unique to lamb meat and the sauce was balanced with subtle sweetness and spiciness. For the Indian food purists, the level of heat was probably nil, but for my non-Indian palate, it was just right. The naan included was very good, however, the portion size was paltry with two small slices. All in all, we were stuffed and even had a little lamb curry left over. Chai tea was pretty good although a tad too sweet to my liking.

Value-wise, the individual sized dishes are steals compared to it's more expensive sister restaurant. However, if this restaurant had been on Main St. or in Surrey, the pricing is above average. Being west of Main and catering to a predominantly non-Indian clientele, Rangoli offers good value and is a strong solid - 3.5 if I could average it. $55 for two appies, two mains, and two chai teas - not bad for night out. With a small group, I would try this place again but for large family gatherings, I would go to a traditional Indian restaurant for shared communal eating. Service was very attentive and friendly. No pretentiousness whatsoever.

Recommended

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Second best to Vij's, though at less than half the price ;-)
By dal of van (35 Reviews)
Submitted Saturday, August 15, 2009 - 4:47pm

So... last nite we found out the wait to Vij's was 2.5 hours.... I really wanted some lamb popsicles, but we didn't want to wait. Headed next door, got a nice seat right away, and ate some pretty good food. Lamb stew was nice, tangy, tender.. the naam bread was great... came with a salad (left untouched). Tried their pakoras - very nice, and some eggplant dish (so-so). Definately worth what they are charging.. and the prices for wine/cocktails very affordable. I would definately go again.

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Portobello mushroom dish cannot be beat!
By clementinebleue of Commercial Drive, Vancouver (12 Reviews)
Submitted Sunday, April 12, 2009 - 10:49pm

Lunch at Rangoli is always a delight. Although it's a bit cramped and noisy (so cramped a waitress once spilled a dish on my purse!), the food more than makes up for it.

The portobello mushroom dish is especially amazing. The paneer paired with it is surprisingly good, and the naan is like candy.

The takeout items are definitively a notch below, it's much more worth it to eat at the cafe.

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wonderful experience, but don't really get the food
By kawaii of Vancouver (32 Reviews)
Submitted Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 11:48pm

I think this restaurant suits certain palates, and other palates…not so much. I have no doubt that they use fresh, high quality ingredients, but I just don’t get the flavours. I don’t dislike it, but I’m not crazy about it either, I could take it or leave it. I like the experience though, it is a really lovely place with great colors and wonderful servers, and everyone tries to make the experience beautiful. So I enjoy eating there…and there are some dishes that are nice, a couple of the appetizers have been quite good. But overall, I’m kind of meh. It’s too bad, because I like eating there…but if I liked the food a bit more, it would be perfect.

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Pretty presentation but not much else
By silmycat of BC (24 Reviews)
Submitted Thursday, July 10, 2008 - 8:18pm

I think I was expecting Indian food, and Rangoli is more fusion than anything else. The food here is toned down and is catering to the south granville crowd. Meat was a bit tough in the curry. There is an interesting mix of mild flavors, but not my cup of tea. What disappointed me the most was the naan. WTF? I could not believe they were passing off those gluey pita looking things as naan. You can find more authentic naan at Curry Express for goodness sake! Lets end on a positive note: the mango lassi was very enjoyable.

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A solid alternative to Vij's
By bt227 of Vancouver (2 Reviews)
Submitted Thursday, May 8, 2008 - 10:21pm

Excellent service and good food. I questioned the price initially, "$12 for cafeteria style food?" But don't be deceived, the food is excellent and the servers are friendly and attentive. We were constantly refilled with water, tea, naan. Just head on over if the line up at Vij's is too long, a good solid place all round.

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Small menu, but perfect place for a casual meal
By chispita of Vancouver (5 Reviews)
Submitted Wednesday, February 27, 2008 - 12:30pm

This is probably a hit or miss kind of place, considering how small their menu is. The food is not really Indian food, but rather Indianized dishes - so beware! Not very spicy, and mixes flavours which might not be typical.

I can't recommend enough the portabella mushroom, even though it could loose the beet salad that comes on the side. Delicious sauces.

I would definitely recommend it if you haven't been here yet. Have a look at the menu outside ... if you can't identify anithing which appeals to you beforehand it might be better to find another place, since it doesn't have that many options. But if you like it, you'll love it.

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Best Cafeteria Ever?
By zach_food of Vancouver (30 Reviews)
Submitted Thursday, January 24, 2008 - 11:09pm

Been to Rangoli a number of times, and its up there in terms of places to grab a bite while out. Even if not in the area, I make sure the route takes me that way. Try to go at off-peak hours, late lunch/early dinner time seems to be the sweet spot. If its just for two, then you shouldn't have to wait long any time, but just giving you a heads up. The food is great. Similar in style to Vij's this is Indian food redux. My favourites include the spicy pulled pork, black-eyed pea masala, pakoras (whatever kind they have are outstanding) and the talipia and mussels I just had the other day were great. You can do a fancy lunch or good dinner here, though thats the only time the amibiance can go either way. Not a lot of room, nor particualrly polished, this place reminds me of an upscale Cafetria, not that I am complaining about what they are serving up. Dishes are big enough you can skip the shared treats, which makes it more affordable, or my personal favourite is one starter and one main for two.

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An excellent alternative to Vij
By Avocado of West End (9 Reviews)
Submitted Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 10:24pm

Rangoli is attached to Vij and offers a pared-down menu and seriously casual atmosphere. Summers have patio seating. Service is awesome. The food is very good: the creative menu is delightful even if short. Some of the dishes are not outstanding but still well-executed. Others are outstanding. Such as the pulled pork. Try it, even if you are a vegetarian. The restaurant gets some extra points for (a) giving eco-friendly compostable take-away containers and (b) giving extra naan in my doggie bag---a nice surprise when I had the leftovers the next day.

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Delicious Indian food!
By americangraffiti of Vancouver (12 Reviews)
Submitted Saturday, November 3, 2007 - 4:30pm

I will be honest: I'm too cheap to go to Vij's. For this reason, I'm so glad that Rangoli exists. I love the food here, especially the paneer and portobello mushroom dish. The rice pudding is to die for, and I'm so glad the restaurant returned it to the menu after it made a brief disappearance this summer. The restaurant is very small, so I often opt for takeout, which is prepared promptly. I like that the restaurant has invested in serving takeout orders in durable, reusable containers. Highly recommended.

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OK but overrated
By vwou of vancouver (22 Reviews)
Submitted Monday, October 22, 2007 - 10:54am

Lots of people come here because they make Indian food "friendly" to the masses. Make it a bit less spicy, serve it at a upper scale neighborhood, make the food more presentable, and you have success. Let's face it, the food is average. It is just that people don't wanna venture of their comfort zone and go to say Fraser St. But I have to give this place some credit. Service is excellent and they make Indian less intimidating. But honestly you can get the same taste and flavour somewhere else for half the price.

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Great food for takeout or dine in
By rebzees of Kitsilano (8 Reviews)
Submitted Thursday, October 18, 2007 - 11:55pm

Like many others, I first experienced Rangoli when arriving to Vij's and realizing the line and wait would be too long that night (although don't get me wrong - Vij's lets you sit in the bar and drink from an extensive wine list, and bring around free appies while you wait so normally worth the wait!)

It's definitely not a fancy dine out experience, but rather a trendy, quick bite place. All of the food is absolutely stunning, and is just as good if you get it to go (which you might like to do if you don't like sitting in a small area near others). As someone else mentioned, it's also available at Capers, but eating it fresh at Rangoli is so much better.

For dessert I highly recommend the Thomas Haas chocolates. He and Vij combine chocolates with Indian spices to come up with the most exquisite and unique flavours. A definite must to end your meal!

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Wowzers! We love this place!
By michli of Richmond (10 Reviews)
Submitted Tuesday, October 16, 2007 - 12:17pm

We go here often and love it!
It is best in the summer when you can sit outside as the inside can be crowded with not much space between tables.
The food and service is always amazing so we can easily overlook the size of tables. I wish they had a highchair for kiddies but the space constraints are tight! We like the fact that we can bring our daughter with us, as Vij's is out of the question with a toddler. BUT, we do love Vij's for a special night out!!!
Best on the menu: pakoras with the mint-coriander chutney, the mushroom-paneer curry (my husband will revolt in the streets if they take this off the menu!), the dals are very nicely spiced, the rice pudding is amazing, as is the meeti roti. Once in awhile, a portion is a bit small but you can usually request extra naan and rice for no charge.
The take out food is good but not nearly as good of a deal as eating in (the freshest of foods with rice, naan or chutneys).
Highly, highly recommended!!!

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Nice lunch
By Quality_First of Vancouver (11 Reviews)
Submitted Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 5:10pm

I happened to be up in the Granville area and decided to drop by Vij's 2nd restaurant - Rangoli for lunch.

I was quickly seated and knew that I wanted to try their curry lamb. Service was swift and friendly as I ordered and got my food in what seemed like a 5-10 minute span.

While waiting for my meal, I did take notice of their big freezer filled with ready-to-eat meals. Great idea. If you're craving East Indian food and don't want to wait in line for a table, buy something from their freezer and make it at home to enjoy.

My curry lamb was good, but nothing remarkable. I've had many curry lamb dishes in East Indian town (Fraser Street) and Vij's was comparable to those restaurants, but didn't stand out from them. Although I must say the decor was much nicer at Rangoli.

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My favorite Indian joint in Vancouver
By mjc of west van (2 Reviews)
Submitted Monday, June 11, 2007 - 2:31pm

i like it better than the mothership (vijs) next door -always open too -i hate that shutting down in between lunch and dinner. the flavors always bring you back. ive run into vij several times there -hes quite a fun character. have bought his cook book and many carryouts from here.

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Tiny tables & chairs, but tasty food nonetheless.
By foodfanatic of South Vancouver (286 Reviews)
Submitted Friday, May 25, 2007 - 1:43pm

Went for a 1pm lunch and the place wasn't packed full yet so we started off with the tables on either side of us empty though later a pair sat on the one side. It is a little close, but it didn't seem to bother me as much as I thought it would have as the type of place is still cafetaria-like but upperscale & they serve you at the table. Also, they're careful to just bring out one course at a time so as not to overflow the surface of the tiny table.

I'm not sure I'd be ok w/ paying $8.50 for 2 samosas anywhere else, but it seems very natural to do so here & the condiments that come along on the plate is very tasty as well as the beans covering the centre of the dish.

I really enjoyed the Jackfruit entree. It was really juicy & a delight to eat though I'm not sure how it was supposed to go w/ the little mound of chickpea curry. The stewed lamb is a reminder that I don't like lamb as it is too gamey for me, but the sauce seems tasty enough. I gave it a shot since I was amazed by their lamb popsicles (grilled rack of lamb) next door which changed my view on simply made lamb. Most times, it's just stewed lamb that might lose some of that gamey-ness I dislike.

The meeti roti dessert was pretty sweet but still a much better take to the oversweet but seemingly popular sugar-drenched deep fried chewy dough fluff served in most Indian sweets places. The chai is served nicely hot & refillable while the Mango Pineapple Lassi was pretty good without being either too much mango w/o pineapple or vice versa. A good balance overall.

Will undoubtedly be back for me but will still have to lineup next door for the full Vij experience.

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I always like their lamb
By mem of east vancouver (18 Reviews)
Submitted Sunday, April 8, 2007 - 4:13pm

Of course the lineup for Vij's was more than 15minutes, and one of my girlfriends was pregnant (she couldn't wait).
We tried Rangoli (next door to Vij and owned by the same person), and loved the place.
One girlfriend tried a chicken dish, the other the paneer main dish and I ordered lamb. Very tasty and my lamb was succulent.
I also enjoyed our pakora appys and the mango/pineapple lassi was delicious. I ended my meal with chai, and it was a great ending to a great meal. Next time I will order a desert.

The price was very reasonable, service very good and ambience was casual, and friendly. A good place to hang out with friends.

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Excelleny Indian cuisine
By burvan of Burnaby (30 Reviews)
Submitted Sunday, April 8, 2007 - 11:38am

Stopped in for Saturday lunch with high expectations and did not leave disappointed . Service was terrific and the food presentations were impressive with excellent varied tastes as we shared 4 lunch dishes . The Chai tea was delicious and very authentic . Certainly not inexpensive but the service and food quality makes this a new favourite.

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My favourite
By RubyS of Burnaby (1 Review)
Submitted Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 6:22pm

I'm Indian, so I can say this is not traditional Indian food, but that's not what it is meant to be. Rangoli my favourite restaurant. I dream about Rangoli. Except for the fact that Vij took the beef kabobs (which would be my last meal, no contest) off the menu, I find the food perfect. Portions are perfect. My recommendations: chai (this chai is better than mine! and free refills), mango lassi, the chaat, samosas, portobello mushrooms/red pepper curry, beef with cream and fenugreek, and the rice pudding (better than my mom's!?).

Don't understand the other comments about service, but then I am a regular. I've never felt uncomfortable or unhappy with the service, maybe because I don't really notice that stuff. Also the music is always great and varied (not the canned bollywood music/sitar they have at other Indian places). Chairs ARE too small, it's nice to eat outside.

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Nearby Restaurants

1.Vij's (13 m)
2.Starbucks (20 m)
3.Bizou Bistro (40 m)
4.De Dutch Pannekoek House (83 m)
5.Thai Spice (98 m)
6.Primo's Mexican Grill (107 m)
7.Daniel le Chocolat Belge (125 m)
8.Taro Japanese Food (126 m)
9.Take Japanese Food (126 m)
10.Wrap Zone (141 m)