Daal Roti Indian Tadka House — Restaurant in Pickering

This place has the potential to be a gem, but unfortunately, it feels lifeless upon entering—not inviting or engaging at all. Here are my observations: There’s a large stone or possibly a trash can placed on the left outside the building. If it’s government-placed, it still creates a negative first impression. The Happy Hours menu is written in plain white chalk. It should be colorful and written neatly to grab attention and entice people to walk in. I ordered tea and samosas (2 pieces for $1). I requested ketchup instead of chutney, and the server refused, saying it couldn’t be given because the samosas were only $1. That’s not the right approach at least upsell or suggest an alternative. The response gave me the impression that the place is Gujarati-owned, which is fine, but hospitality and upselling are key. The samosas were decent in taste compared to other Indian places, but lacked spice or chaat masala. Why price them so low at $1? Instead, charge $2.65, add chaat masala and ketchup make it a proper offering. Guests won’t return for bland food. I noticed a spelling error on the last page of the menu “Champagne Prosecco” was spelled incorrectly. Such mistakes are unprofessional and off-putting. The restroom door is misaligned and needs to be pushed hard before it can be locked. The handle inside is almost falling off. The toilet seat cover is extremely stiff and requires a lot of force to lift at least 2–3 kg of pressure. The bathroom floor was sticky; my shoes were literally getting stuck as I walked. The chef seemed friendly, but he had a supportive grip on his hand, which could make guests feel uneasy about hygiene, even if he’s doing his best.

Additionally, small service details matter. For example, if a tea cup spills slightly, wipe it before serving. Always provide two napkins, even with takeout orders. These little touches can go a long way.

Lastly, the tea tasted like it was made with powdered milk. Consider improving it by using fresh milk, and adding fennel seeds, cardamom, ginger, or even saffron. You could raise the price by $1–2 for a premium experience.

I come from a hospitality background, and these are just honest observations. If attention is paid to these small details, the business can become professional and profitability will naturally follow. It seems like Mr. Patel may not be actively involved, possibly managing another venture, but someone needs to take ownership and revive the...

Me and my fiancée are always looking for good places to grab a quick bite in Durham region. We normally don’t go for Indian as we both are (and get enough of it at home). We stumbled into this new gem.

We walked in an automatically got hit with a scent of delicious flavours not to mention a beautiful atmosphere with cozy booths and just the right amount of Indian charm. Since the place recently opened, it was very busy. We were quickly greeted with a warm smile and told that the wait was about 2 hours or so, so for the first time in a long time I actually waited (as I am not a patient person). And let me say it was worth the wait. Not only was the restaurant extremely clean, the food was delicious! I’m usually so skeptical about Indian food as no one makes it as good as at home but was I wrong! Just the right amount of spices and flavours to hit all the right notes. I ordered the lamb chops (melted in my mouth and cooked to perfection) and the butter chicken with naan. The tandoor naan is some of the best I’ve tasted in a long time!

I see where some people could talk about the service. Was it horrible ABSOLUTELY not. Was it super busy, and as a new restaurant the waiters and waitress were still in the learning phase, definitely. Our waiter apologized and clearly was trying his best, and to me did so well. So these people below me who are talking about the service should probably keep in mind that we were all there once and not be so judgemental as again the restaurant is brand new and service is not about how fast your order was taken or your food was served, but rather the fact that a place makes you feel comfortable and the food tasted to your liking.

So as I usually don’t go for Indian food, this will be a staple in books from now on! Can’t wait to try the entire menu!!! If I could give them more...

I didn't like this place for 3 specific reasons so deducting 3 stars for that.

Firstly, the people at Daal Roti follow devious practise of showing one price and charging another. Now, I don't mind paying if the food is worth it but if you're showing at the entrance that weekdays takeouts for veg thalli is 9.99 and aloo parantha is for 6.99 but charge 13.49 for veg thali and 7.99 for parantha and saying that the offer in display is only for lunch takeout then it's a devious practise. There's no such condition mentioned on the displayed offer. And if the offer is not for dinner then remove the board from entrance during dinner time..simple! 1 star gone there.

Secondly, the portion wasn't worth 13.49 for the veg thali. The rice was cooked good and smelled good but the spring rolls given were soaked in oil and there was too much sweetness in the sabji. My Gujrati friend might like it but it was too sweet for my Punjabi taste buds. The raita had too much of salt. Had to mix water and more yogurt to balance the taste. 2nd star gone there.

Finally, I was under the impression that aloo parantha will have some aloo stuffing in it and that aloo will have some taste and spices added too. Sadly I was wrong on both fronts. The parantha reminded me of my hostel says when we used to get a dry dough with hardly any stuffing. The parantha was burnt, had no taste, no spice and dry as card board from inside. It was given with hardly 3 spoonfuls of yogurt and pickle to, apparently, add flavor and taste to otherwise worthless parantha. My worst parantha experience in Canada till date. 3rd star gone there.

The place was clean and we were served water in clean glasses so keeping the 2 stars for that. But if you ask me, I won't be visiting this place again and definitely not ordering parantha...