Roti Wala Snack House & Café — Restaurant in Vancouver

I came with two friends, and since it was so hot outside we decided not to get any tehari or haleem. We got the chicken muglai paratha, piyaju, doi fujka, cha, mango juice, and desi doi. The price for the food was perfectly reasonable, and the presentation was simple and down to earth. We were served in plastic plates which is my only concern with the presentation. The doi fujka was absolutely phenomenal; the toq was perfect flavor, the filling was delicious and plentiful (unlike the pani puri often served at indian restaurants here in van), and the doi was fantastic. I’ve been really craving doi fujka bangladeshi street style, and this definitely satisfied my craving. My only recommendation is that the doi is a bit thick and i think adding a bit of lemon juice or water would do wonders for the consistency. The muglai chicken paratha was tasty, but the dough definitely could have been better cooked towards the center to maintain that signature paratha flakiness throughout, and the filling was slightly sparse in my opinion. The piyaju was also tasty, but there was far more batter than vegetable filling. The chai was fine, definitely quite weak. The desi doi was also okay, it was far more tart than expected and could use some sweetener. It was also clear that the doi was not fresh, as there was quite a bit of liquid accumulated around the container. The food was overall good, and I look forward to going back to try their haleem and tehari once the weather cools down since everyone has been saying such good things about them on here.

I was extremely disappointed, though, when I saw we had been billed for the water we were given when we were seated. The waters were 1.50 each, and when we were seated we were immediately given 3 cold water bottles. This was before we had received the menus or anything, and I was under the impression that this water was complimentary, as water is usually offered for free at a restaurant, and they had not stated otherwise. We were billed a total of 4.50 for the waters we were given. My wife paid the bill when i went to the washroom, and when I saw this charge, I went and asked the waitress why we had been billed for the waters. She said that it was because “the prices were in the menu”. I kindly told her that regardless of that, the right thing to do would be to inform your customer that chilled bottled water is available for a small fee, instead of tacking on an almost 5 dollar fee without the customer’s knowledge. On top of that, tap water should be offered by default. The waitress was very kind, but it was still quite disappointing as I did not expect such a juvenile business practice from a fellow member of the local bengali community. I hope you guys decide to adjust your protocol surrounding this!! There are not many bengali restaurants around where I live and i hope to...

This was an outstanding place, both food and service! Being of Bangladeshi heritage myself, and being used to my mum (and dad's) excellent cooking, I had a few doubts, but Roti Wala honestly far exceeded my expectations. If you like Indian food, you HAVE to try Bangladeshi food, and this place is THE place to do that.

We did a sample of mainly street food, as it was our first time.

The Fushkas (aka Pani Poori or Gol Gappes at Indian restaurants) had an interesting twist of a finely shredded boiled egg topping and the liquid filling was bursting with flavor - quite unique from it's Indian counterpart.

The Maglai Paratas, crispy flatbread dough filled with a spicy scrambled egg filling or ground chicken were fabulous.

We also tried the chicken roll, fried in breadcrumbs and stuffed with ground chicken.

A true classic Bangladeshi street food is Dahl Poori, again fried dough pockets stuffed with a lovely dalh stuffing. These were reminiscent of my childhood visits to Dhaka, where my grandfather would bring these home for me in a paper bag, hot and ready.

We tried one curry as well, the Spicy Roast Chicken, with their rice flour Roti, which is a great option for gluten free diets. Also very amazing!! Finally, for dessert, we had their Desi Doi, a thick, creamy and mildly sweet homemade yogurt, with a caramel-like flavor, and it was authentic like everything else.

Akash, the owner was so kind and accommodating too. I was so excited that I had to write this in-depth review. They have pre-packaged whole wheat rotis and other cool baked things to go, as well as faves like samosas and more.

The only thing that left me wanting was that it's such a long drive from my home. I wish they were next door!!! However, I am SO glad they're here in Vancouver and I hope they make their way to the burbs too! It makes me happy to see Bangladeshi food served with care and made to LOVE. Don't take my word for it. Pop in to this tiny place...

We ordered: Chaler Ruti + Gorur Rejala – ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5) Kolija Singara – ★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5) Gorur Tehary – ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)

Unfortunately, it was a very disappointing visit. As a Bangladeshi, my main expectation was to enjoy authentic Bangladeshi flavors over other regional styles. Sadly, the experience fell far short.

Chaler Ruti + Gorur Rejala The roti was far too thick and seemed as though it had been defrosted before serving, which left it dry and undercooked. The outer layer was broken in irregular patches, giving it an unappealing look. The biggest disappointment was the Gorur Rejala — it appeared to have been warmed with hot water before serving. When it arrived, water and oil had separated, and there was no harmony between the meat and the curry. The meat itself lacked flavor and seemed poorly cooked, with a distinct taste separate from the sauce. I was expecting freshly cooked food, or at the very least, some explanation if the meat had been frozen beforehand.

Kolija Singara Visually, the singara looked promising, and the filling was well cooked. However, the pastry sheet was too thick, leaving the inside undercooked. The size was also noticeably smaller compared to the price point, making it feel less than value for money.

Gorur Tehary This was the better of the three dishes, and I can at least say they are trying here. However, the portion was much smaller than expected when compared to similar places in Vancouver such as Hyderabadi Biryani House, Lahori Kitchen, and others. The dish was also quite oily. Serving it in a thick, curved plate created the illusion of more food, but in reality, the amount was noticeably low — and the plate’s shape made that very obvious.

Overall The experience did not meet the standard I was hoping for, especially for a place serving Bangladeshi food. Improvements in cooking quality, portion size, and transparency about food preparation would...