Thali — Restaurant in Ottawa

Thali Restaurant is a unique dining destination in downtown Ottawa, where Indian cuisine is elevated through carefully curated tasting menus that capture all six essential flavors—sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent, and spicy. Located in the vibrant Centretown area, Thali stands out not only for its contemporary and stylish décor, which features expansive windows, long communal tables, white walls, and sleek pendant lighting, but also for its innovative approach to traditional Indian dishes.

The menu offers an à la carte selection, but the real highlight is the “thali” experience. The term "thali" refers to both the round platter on which the food is served and the assortment of small dishes it holds. Presented on gleaming copperware, your thali will be an artistic array of Indian specialties, including dhals, curries, vegetables, and soups, accompanied by rice, breads, pickles, chutneys, and other flavorful accompaniments. All you need to do is select your preferred protein—options include fish, poultry, meat, vegan, and vegetarian—and let award-winning chef Joe Thottungal and his team handle the rest.

However, while the overall dining experience is commendable, there are a few areas where Thali Restaurant could improve. The prices are on the higher side, which might be acceptable if the portions matched the cost. Unfortunately, the quantity of rice and parotta provided is quite limited; you’ll receive just one parotta and a small cup of rice to accompany up to 10 different curries. Additionally, parking is not provided by the restaurant, which can be inconvenient for diners.

Staff training could also use some attention. While new staff members are inevitable, it's crucial that everyone is equally well-trained to maintain the high standard expected from such an establishment. For instance, when I asked if the dish was Hyderabadi biryani, the staff didn’t seem to know and tried to cover up their uncertainty with an unclear explanation. This detracted from the otherwise polished dining experience.

Overall, Thali Restaurant offers a refreshing take on Indian cuisine with its beautifully presented thali plates and modern ambiance, but it would benefit from addressing these minor issues to truly enhance the...

Nov 2021--Sadly my second experience here was not nearly as good as my first. We had a lovely corner table however the lights were so bright above it felt like a cafeteria. It was also cold with both me and my dining companion wearing our coats over our shoulders. The restaurant was very busy and our server had little time for us. Luckily the host remembered us and helped with service as well as wine selection. Their wine list is limited with the least expensive bottle or red at $50 for a wine that sells for $11 or $12. We opted to order by the glass which for me was way too expensive. 5 oz glass for $13. was the most economical however we opted for cab at $15 for 5oz ( 2 glasses for me and 1 for my companion) and I have to tell you, I will not be doing that again. $ 45 plus tax and tip for 15 oz of a mediocre American cab is just wrong. We ordered the Thali again and it was not nearly as good as the last time. It was dropped off and I immediately noticed by the presentation that things were not the same. One had only 3/4 of the poppadum, the quantity in the dishes were different in each of ours even though we ordered the exact same thing and the temperature of the food was barely lukewarm The bill for 3 glasses of wine and 2 Thali was roughly $115 plus 20% gratuity makes $140 for a casual Sunday supper. I dont think I will go back and perhaps would consider take out.

Sept 2021--I had been passing by this restaurant relishing in the aromas several times a week for months before I finally came to dine here. My expectations were high because of the delicious smells and I can honestly say that they were met with the exception service and food we enjoyed. There was even a sommelier there to help with wine selection which enhanced the experience even more and helped rationalize the price of wine in restaurants these days. I will definitely be going back here...

Hi I buyed porotta beef curry and thali and salmon kerala curry. Porotta its taste like frozen one .because it's not like normal kerala porotta and in the menu they mentioned kerala special beef curry. Am really sad to tell you its absolutely wrong especially am from kerala and I know how kerala beef curry should taste like.and for salmon kerala fish curry they make that curry not for kerala people may be it's for Canadian people. Thali is good . Suggestion- please cut the beef into small pieces and try to avoid waste parts of the beef . Can add some spices and can be spicy and for Canadian it can be no spicy. Fish curry tell your cook or chef please go to Kottayam and study how to make fish curry. Porotta you can get a sample from kochin kitchen or le kochin. Thali you can keep like this. For the price Usually I travel a lot all over Canada I had food from most of the kerala restaurants For porotta first time I paid 4 cad for single piece and it's not real kerala porotta. Ambiance is good . The supplier one kerala lady I spoke is talk nice. But the guy who came is not at all friendly ( may be he think i will not give tip bec am a malayali) Other 2 suppliers 40/60 service means you can check the camera. OVERALL good for Canadian people not good for kerala people. Taste wise and money wise .( dont think am we poor guys came and had food from there, am also Kottayam and thiruvalla achayns. ) Please make more tasty food because I heard chef suresh pillai Is also coming to start his business in Ottawa. Once Canadians had food from his restaurant they will ** you all. Just my suggestion if you need you can take it...