From Asia with Love and Spice

When referring to Asian food, more often than not, images of neatly manicured sushi plates, wherein the individual pieces and condiments fit together with the exactness of a jigsaw puzzle and beg the same type of wonder as a perfectly folded fitted sheet, come to mind. No untrained human is ever able to re-create either of these phenomena to the same aesthetic standard. Others imagine paper box containers, filled to the brim with MSG-flavoured goodness.
Joy Restaurant on Somerset offers a variety of Asian fare that is sure to please any discerning customer. Whether it is a spring roll, soup or chicken teriyaki, this Asian restaurant seems to do justice to Korean, Japanese and fusion dining equally well. The restaurant’s décor throws one off for a loop a bit, as it is mysteriously painted in Mediterranean colours and seems to further the Hispanic pretense with iron crosses on the wall. However, the fare offerings quickly put you back in your place. The portions are generous and the food is well worth the price.
Right across the street is yet another formidable gastronomic representative from the continent that brought us the fortune cookie.
The East India Company Restaurant taps into its wealth of spices to offer a smorgasbord so colourful and bright, you expect a unicorn to gallop in at any moment. The $20 dinner buffet is an experience for the senses like no other. The tables are laden with variety of rice, meats, salads and vegetables, spiced to perfection. Indian food seems to be the reason for adjectives like tangy, flavourful and aromatic to exist. Whether it was the curried chicken, the tender, buttery basmati rice or the accompanying pickled lime, the flavours worked beautifully together to wake up each and every taste bud. In comparison, the desserts seem a bit dull and disappointingly unadventurous. Load up on the main course, however. It will keep you filled and happy for the rest of the week.