t was a noble feat for virgin restaurateurs Paul Thind and Davy Sangara to attempt an infringement on Vij’s territory. Vij’s has been the one and only Indian restaurant on the Vancouver fine-dining scene since its opening in 1994. It does seem unfair that Vij’s should occupy the niche so unchallenged, but let’s be honest; they’re a tough act to follow. Nevertheless, the Mysala boys are going for the trump card.

The lack of Indian restaurants in the abundant gastronomical paradise of Vancouver was a big mystery to the pair. While wondering about the void and how they could fill it “Mysala” surfaced. To get their name, Thind and Sangara mixed this element of “mystery” with the Indian spice mix “masala” and came out with “Mysala”.

The curry at Mysala has made itself a name for being as easy on the stomach as it is tasty. Thind uses extra virgin olive oil instead of the usual clarified butter in his curries. The switch makes all the difference between a lovely foray into the early hours or an embarrassingly short date caused by an upset tummy.

Mysala’s rice is the restaurant’s second culinary mentionable. It is aged two years and subsequently fragrant beyond belief. The Kashmiri staple oozes scents of cardamom and cinnamon in an infusion that needed to cross the ocean to grace us with its presence. Paired with one of Thind’s famous curries, you’ll go home full and happy.

The partners’ plan for the future involves expanding the retail side of the restaurant. The idea is that people will come for the food and love it so much that they will want to buy the ingredients to cook up at home. We have a feeling there will be a line-up at the cash.