Smooch Food: January 2026

Sunday, January 4, 2026

Indian Favourites from Tamarind Tales

Happy Sunday! We have been stuck at home for the last two days watching Korean dramas and continuing the endless cycle of packing and sorting for our upcoming move. After Mass today, we grabbed our usual breakfast at Tims and did a grocery run at No Frills. On our walk back home, we passed by Tamarind Tales along West Broadway. We have seen this specific spot change from a Japanese restaurant to two different Indian restaurants, with this being the second one. We decided it was finally time to try it before it changes again and before we move away from the area!

Lunch at Tamarind Tales

We ordered our favorite Indian classics: Chicken Vindaloo, Palak Paneer, Tandoori Chicken, and a Bread Basket featuring four different types of bread.

Bread Basket from Tamarind Tales
Butter naan, roti, garlic naan, and laccha paratha

The basket included buttery naan, traditional roti, aromatic garlic naan, and flaky laccha paratha. The laccha paratha was easily my favorite! The bread basket is an awesome choice because it allows you to experience the best variety of Indian breads in one go.

Goan Chicken Vindaloo from Tamarind Tales
Chicken and potatoes cooked in spicy vindaloo sauce

The fiery Goan Chicken Vindaloo was spicy and the succulent chicken was incredibly juicy. It paired perfectly with the fluffy white rice. However, the charred Tandoori Chicken was the best of all the dishes we tried; it was smoky and tender.

Tandoori Chicken from Tamarind Tales
Bone-in chicken marinated in yogurt and traditional masala spices

I ordered the Palak Paneer mild, and this is the first time I have had a version that was still excellent even without the heat. Most Palak Paneer I have tried becomes bland when made mild, but this velvety spinach puree was flavorful and went so well with the breads.

Palak Paneer from Tamarind Tales
Indian cheese cooked in a roasted garlic, cumin, and spinach sauce

To finish our meal, we shared our favorite Indian dessert: Rice Kheer. It was creamy, sweet, and provided the perfect cool down.

Rice Kheer from Tamarind Tales
A creamy Indian rice pudding slow cooked with milk, sugar, and caramom

Tamarind Tales also offers a lunch buffet from Thursday to Saturday between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm. I already cannot wait to come back!

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Breakfast Tacos and Szechuan Shrimp + Pork Dumplings from Earls

Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! Our first meal of the year was at Earls. We woke up a tad late today and were rushing to make the 11:00 AM Mass, so we walked over to the nearby Earls for brunch afterward. I have made a personal decision to have a meal at Earls every New Year, a tradition we also kept in 2024 and 2023.

Szechuan Shrimp + Pork Dumplings from Earls
Chili crunch, black vinegar, roasted peanuts, and green onions

To start our meal, we ordered the new Szechuan Shrimp + Pork Dumplings, and they were absolutely divine. The delicate paper-thin wrapper was filled with succulent juicy pork and tender shrimp. The dumplings were drizzled with and sat on top of a bold tangy sauce made of dark black vinegar, spicy chili crunch, toasty roasted peanuts, and fresh green onions.

Breakfast Tacos from Earls
Scrambled eggs, aged white cheddar, pickled red onions, avocado, chipotle crema, crispy potato pavé, and garden greens

For my brunch, I tried the new Breakfast Tacos. These featured soft flour tortillas filled with fluffy scrambled eggs, sharp aged white cheddar, zingy pickled red onions, creamy avocado, and smoky chipotle crema. The dish was served with brittle crispy potato pavé and peppery garden greens. I really enjoyed the greens. I had only ever seen potato pavé in a YouTube video before, so I was happy to finally try it, though it was a bit too oily for my taste. The tacos were alright, but nothing truly wave-worthy.

Earls Breakfast from Earls
Eggs sunny side up, dry-cured bacon, sourdough toast, crispy potato pavé, and garden greens

Hubby went for the Earls Breakfast, which consisted of bright eggs sunny side up, salty dry-cured bacon, and crusty sourdough toast. His meal was also served with the same potato pavé and garden greens.

Ultimately, the company of my husband made this meal so much better than the food itself. For reference, here is the updated list of items we have tried at Earls:

Brunch