My Roti Place Opens New Location in Parkdale

The relatively new My Roti Place team have opened up their fourth location in under a year, located at 1376 Queen Street West! Torontonicity was invited to the opening of the Parkdale location and to sample some of their signature dishes, flavours, and newly developed cocktails that are specific to the new spot. Read on if you want to see what introductory bites we were treated to, and what I’d recommend if you’re craving something spicy.

The Parkdale spot of My Roti Place is the only fully licenced location, so the whole team worked together to create unique drinks that married the signature flavours of the rotis with some classic cocktails. The list looked quite intriguing, so I started my evening with a portion of their Dirty Margarita: tequila, Cointreau, lime, tamarind, jaggery (cane sugar), curry leaves, and a splash of ginger ale. If you’re a fan of tamarind, you must try this drink! It still has that play on sweet and salty like the classic margarita, but with the spices contributing a deliciously warm note.

Bites of the Rock Star Shrimp were handed out, and I immediately fell in love with the combination of the shrimp’s spiciness and the lingering tanginess from the Dirty Margarita. What a great mix of flavours! The Rock Star Shrimp is made with red cabbage, bell peppers, and sambal sauce. Simple, and straight forward.

I spoke with Chef KK about some of his favourite items, and he immediately pointed me in the direction of the Honey Garlic Cauliflower: crispy florets tossed in organic honey, fresh garlic, and tomato sauce. Chef KK says he’ll quit cooking if you don’t enjoy the dish, and honestly, he isn’t going anywhere. This is a great alternative for anyone who is craving saucy chicken wings but wants a healthier option.

If you’re really craving chicken though, try the Soldier’s Chicken: ginger, garlic, and a house made curry leaves paste. Not heavy on the sauce, but it does have a good kick!

Another cocktail and food combination that surprised me was the Turmeric Roti with paneer and green spinach sauce, washed down with the Trial By Fire: 5 Liquors, secret habanero juice, lime, soda, and garnished with habanero. Sounds simple, but the cocktail brings all the fire (think vibrant, not smoky) and the roti contributes all the creaminess to quell the heat. Would highly recommend this combo!

So maybe spicy food isn’t your thing, and you want something a bit more familiar? You should absolutely try the Butter Paneer Poutine: paneer cubes, fries, makhani sauce (gravy-style sauce typically used in Punjabi cuisine) and grated mozzarella cheese. The Makhani sauce has more depth than traditional gravy, and the paneer cubes don’t melt like traditional curds, but the flavours are so harmonious. This one took a lot of people by surprise, but also had people going for seconds.

Maybe you’re heading out with friends before visiting some bars in Parkdale, and just need a dish to share. In that case, I’d say to try the Damn Dirty Chips: chickpea, red onion, yogurt, dehydrated mango powder, all on an Indian chip. This is Chef KK’s take on nachos, without the heaviness of beans, cream, and guac. The flavours are light and colourful and won’t leave you stuffed, so you can grab a few other things to share too!

The My Roti Team have really taken the Parkdale crowd into account, because they have a completely vegan menu that includes items like the eggplant curry that comes with roasted peanuts, curry leaf, and coconut. They wanted a simple menu that allowed a wide variety of palettes to find a new favourite, without compromising on traditional spices and flavours. I can’t wait for them to open their fifth location later this year at 948 Queen East!

I’d like to point out that the My Roti Place at Queen and Spadina is open until 3 a.m. everyday, so if you’re out partying in the area, you can stop by and grab some late-night comfort food! If you’ve already been and area fan, comment down below with what your top choice dish is and let us know what to check out on our next visit!