Chorney-Booth: Kondattam is a pan-Indian dream come true
While many Asian restaurants in Calgary are opting to go more regional these days, Thangavel and Senniappan decided to make Kondattam a pan-Indian affair or, as Sennaippan likes to say, 'from Kashmir to Kanyakumari' or 'K to K,' referencing a popular north-to-south Indian road trip route. The menu is quite large — though, Sennaippan notes, significantly more curated than a typical curry house menu — with selections representing the best of Indian cuisine. You've got snacks like pani puri ($10) balls stuffed with potatoes and green peas; a fried squid appetizer with house masala ($18); ultra-crisp dosas ($10) with plenty of filling options; and five flavours of naan ($3 to $7).
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Everything on the menu is prepared with great skill and care, but there are some must-try standouts. While Senniappan did put the obligatory butter chicken on the menu, he's pleased that the most popular curry has been the fragrant Kondattam signature curry, made with a blend of 16 spices from the Karaikudi region of Tamil Nadu. The tandoor section of the menu also has some interesting choices, including fresh Atlantic salmon cooked in the charcoal tandoor ($24) and an Alberta sirloin steak ($26) prepared in the tandoor and served in a tomato butter curry.
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Thangavel and Senniappan aimed high, bringing their dream and spices from halfway around the world. Already almost constantly full of customers, it's turning out to be a dream come true for Calgarians, too.
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Kondattam is located at 1006 1st St. S.E. in the Upten Apartments building. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner and can be reached at 403-453-0078 or through kondattam.ca.
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In other food news, knowing where our food comes from is important, which is why agri-tourism is so popular. The annual Open Farm Days takes place this weekend (Aug. 16 and 17), with farms throughout the province welcoming the public to tour their properties and see how the food we enjoy is produced. Pay a visit to well-known operations like Edgar Farms near Innisfail or Spirit Hills flower winery in Millarville, or take a chance and try a new-to-you greenhouse, honey producer, cattle ranch or fresh flower grower. There's a lot to explore: the full list of participants can be found at albertaopenfarmdays.ca.
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