Daal Roti — Restaurant in Oakville

Located in a business park on Iroquois Shore Rd. just east of Trafalgar Rd. in Oakville, Daal Roti has reopened under new management approximately two months ago prior to the time of this writing. They are a small and quaint Indian restaurant that offers a-la-carte service in the evenings and a daily lunch buffet throughout the week and weekend. Though we did not sample their buffet offering during the day, we did select their menu items for dinner on a weekend evening. Greeted by the owner and server as we entered the restaurant, we found them to be very friendly, cordial and helpful. It was quite apparent during our visit that they place great value on their customers and their satisfaction with the menu items selected, and the service provided. This was perhaps the highlight of our overall experience. Menu items selected were presented nicely in serving bowls very much typical for restaurants specializing in Indian fare. Food items were served at a good temperature directly from the kitchen and portion sizes are somewhat comparable to those offered at other restaurants, depending on what is ordered. Each of the menu items sampled were flavourful, and fresh tasting. However to be fair, though our opinions are entirely subjective as they should be, we could could not find anything about the food items selected impressive, or good enough to draw us back for a second visit. The Daal Makhani was very basic with one type of lentl and the consistency seemed to be watered down which took away from the creamy and full feeling of the sauce typically found at other restaurants. The Veg Pulav was colourful and presented nicely but we found it to be a bit oily, and made with I believe frozen vegetables instead of garden fresh. The Chicken Madras Curry has a nice mild coconut flavour and the chicken meat was somewhat tender. Unfortunately, with the few pieces of chicken in this dish for the price paid, we found it a a bit disappointing. Overall, prices for many of the food items found in their menu appeared to be moderately overpriced. Perhaps their lunch buffet offers better value for the money. Keeping in mind that the restaurant has been operating for two months under new management, it is understandable that the overall ambience of the restaurant fell short of making our dining experience comfortable and pleasant. The colour of the first dining area is a dark blue-grey colour and the second a lighter pastel green. There were no Indian inspired aesthetics to speak of that could have contributed positively to our overall experience. The restaurant dining areas felt stark and lifeless and not conducive to instilling a feeling of warmth and comfort. All said and done, we found that they tried to make a better than acceptable effort with respect to providing good customer service. However, we found that the overall quality of food items selected, portion sizes and value for the money, and restaurant ambience could be improved. There is definitely potential with this restaurant. Perhaps in the months to come everything will fall into place making this restaurant the “go-to” for...

I’ve tried a few dishes here over my past visits, but this time was truly exceptional. I went with the Chef’s Special Tadka Dal and the “Mom Made” Chicken Curry (bone-in), and both were beyond delicious. The flavors were rich and comforting, and the portions were just right, though I do wish the dal had been a bit more generous in quantity.

Previously, I’ve also tried the Pav Bhaji, which was quite good. One thing that stands out consistently is the quality of the food, it’s evident that a lot of care goes into preparation. The prices are slightly higher than average, but they reflect the high standards maintained, which align with the expectations of the local community.

The ambiance is warm and pleasant, and there’s plenty of parking available in the plaza. It’s also conveniently located near the QEW, which makes it easy to get to.

A special shout-out to Ishita, who served us with genuine warmth and attentiveness. She ensured our food was fresh, checked in regularly, and made us feel well taken care of, like we were dining at home. Her service added a personal touch that elevated the whole experience.

If you’re someone who values quality and flavor, this spot is absolutely...

We recently went for a buffet lunch at the Oakville location of Daal Roti. The buffet had a good variety of North Indian dishes. The mutton, butter chicken, and dal makhani were absolutely delicious, had rich flavours and authentic preparation. The naans were excellent, perfectly soft and complementing the gravies well. The buffet also included veg biryani and a single sweet dish, Gulab jamun, which were soft and rightly sweetened.

However, the experience was marred by a few issues. The tandoori chicken was very bad - tasted like bland boiled chicken and lacking the expected tenderness and flavor. Additionally, the food on the buffet was surprisingly not hot, and we had to request for it to be warmed up.

Another point of concern was the steep price for minor customizations; for example, adding garlic to the naans incurred a hefty extra charge. It would be great if the restaurant could accommodate small changes more flexibly and offer more variety in their sweet dishes.

Overall, it’s a recommended spot for lunch, especially if you enjoy classic Indian flavors, but with room for improvement in service flexibility and food...