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Amaya
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
John F. said: "We ate here due to a Grupon coupon that we purchased, as it is a bit far from out West End home. But we will certainly come back. The large room is comfortable and accommodating, with indented black upper walls to cleverly give the…" read more »
18 reviews for Amaya
Review Highlights
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"...great and the food was delicious (LOVE their butter chicken." In 8 reviews -
"The saag paneer was really nice and spicy." In 4 reviews -
"Slightly sweet curry with a bit of a kick to it." In 6 reviews
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18 reviews in English
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Review from Lauren C.
Richmond Hill, ON
6/26/2011
I used to always order delivery from Amaya Express, but I finally made the effort to go to the restaurant. The service was great and the food was delicious (LOVE their butter chicken). I was a bit surprised by the restaurant's layout but it had a nice atmosphere. The only thing I wasn't mad about was the mango lassi. Theirs was a bit more juicy, while I usually like it to be more heavy on the yogurt side.
We had the saag panneer (yum!), shrimp curry (ok) and a couple of us had the gourmet taste platter which had a nice range of things to try.
I'll definitely be coming back here! -
Review from MARIANA L.
5/6/2012
My family and I came here for the tasting menu and we were in heaven. It was a terrific mix of all their best dishes. Several days later, I am still craving the short ribs, the lamb lollipops, the lamb kebobs and the casava fries.
The serving staff was a sweet bunch. Very attentive and a happy attitude.
I can't wait to come back to the city to enjoy this place again! -
Review from Priya B.
4/8/2011
Probably my favorite Indian restaurant in the city.
Some people find it a little toned down, but I really enjoy the subtlety the food here has. We ordered the saag paneer, chicken vindaloo, which was pretty spicy, but in a good way, and prawns in this slightly sweet coconut curry. Everything was amazing.
Service is good, but it feels a little snobby, especially when I came in with a Groupon.
P.S. They have one of the better winterlicious/summerlicious menus I have tried, portion sizes are great. -
Review from Jess W.
Toronto, ON
9/24/2011 5 photos
My boyfriend always suggests Indian food and I always turn it down since I always leave an Indian restaurant feeling 5 pounds heavier. I'm glad I didn't turn down his suggestion this evening... definitely worth the extra pounds!
We started with the Chandi Platter - with a vegetable samosa, pakoras & onion bhajia ($9). The samosa was one of the best I've ever had! As for the pakoras and bhajia, I had no clue what these were. I think I was daydreaming when the server explained to us what these were. All I caught was the tail end of his sentence when he assured me they were delicious. And just like that I was sold (not difficult when I'm starving)! The server was right - the onion bhajia was amazing. It was like a fried onion fritter. As for the pakora, they were like a chickpea (I think) fritter, which sadly wasn't as good. Found it a little dry and crumbly.
We also ordered the butter chicken ($15). It contained large chunks of chicken - white meat. Although I prefer dark meat, the chicken wasn't too dry.. the amazing sauce really helped. It tasted especially amazing with the garlic naan ($3.5), which is a MUST order. Delish!
The second entree we ordered was the Coastal Prawn Curry - with coconut milk, tamarind, mustard seeds & curry leaves ($19). Not quite as good as the butter chicken, but still decent. Slightly sweet curry with a bit of a kick to it.
We also got an order of the Saffron basmati ($4). Tasted like plain rice to me. I'd skip the rice and just get the garlic naan.
Overall, I had a pretty good experience at Amaya. Sure, the prices are a little on the high side - the bill for two of us came to nearly $60 before tips, but given the great food (for the most part) and the upscale, intimate ambiance, I feel it's justified. I'd come back! -
Review from PoliPace K.
Toronto, ON
1/31/2011
Winterlicious:
Good ambience, service, and food.
I had Pan-seared Tilapia with sour cream curry which was very tasty. The fish was fresh and juicy to each bite and the curry sauce was divine!
My main was amaya prawns-tiger shrimp in a tangy green mango curry with a hint of coconut. It was good. Butter chicken is also very good and so is the lamb shank. I don't normally like lamb but this one has to be one of the best. All the mains come with rice dish but we also ordered naan bread which by the way was really tasty with the sauce in your mains.
Carrot toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream was awesome as well. I've never tasted such carroty dessert! It was a nice mix of warm carrot mix and cold real-vanilla ice cream.
Winterlicious dinner menu here was $25 which is definitely worth doing.
Wasn't a big fan of mango mohito that I got..maybe i'll try lassi next time. -
Review from Richard S.
Vancouver, BC
1/3/2011
My wife took me here over the holiday break as a redo of my birthday.
The food here is fantastic. The prix fix menu for 2 (at $60) is a huge steal. We were eating the food for two days, so at $30 a person the value is great.
The special came with a 4 item chef's sample platter. Each item was flavourful; A good indication of the meal to come. For mains we had the Butter Chicken, Mutter Paneer and a shrimp curry. The Butter Chicken was the best of the three, which isn't to say the others weren't tasty in their own way.
I forget what I had for dessert, but it was good. Some mild flavoured cottage cheese thing. My wife had the roasted marsh mellow ice cream which is definitely one of the top 3 ice creams I've had.
The service was also great. Our waiter was courteous and very helpful. Definitely give this place a visit. -
Review from sarah c.
Toronto, ON
2/7/2011
I loved Amaya! Went last week with a few friends and the waiter was really great about explaining the dishes, making suggestions and was very personable.
Ordered two types of naan, rice, three curries - chicken, lamb and beef as well another dish with shrimp and it was all fantastic. They are really creative with their naan!
The staff was great and the food is incredible! The waiter mentioned there is a smaller Amaya restaurant near Yorkville which I am looking forward to trying as its a bit closer. I will absolutely go back to this location! -
Review from Mariko M.
10/29/2010 3 photos
Came here on a Thursday night without a reservation. I go to the Amaya locations on Bayview often, but this was my first time at the Yonge Street location.
It's chic and sassy. The decor of the restaurant is quite modern with square shaped plates and super, sleek chairs. Waiting staff are all dressed in black and quite professional, which stems from their extensive knowledge of the menu.
We ordered the lamb vindaloo, butter chicken, bismati rice and garlic naan. The complimentary poppadum was a pleasant surprise. Their vindaloo is so spicy, but so good! The butter chicken is my all time favourite as it's just right with the spices- just thinking about it makes me want to have a bowl of it right now. With rice and naan, you can't really go wrong.
Mentioned in a couple of reviews, the food here is slightly pricey, but I think you're paying for the entire package - fresh and delicious food, service, and the atmosphere.
Yay! I'm a fan. -
Review from Dave O.
Toronto, ON
10/19/2009
Some of the best Indian food in Toronto, you just have to know what to get. If you are there on a date, and I sincerely hope you are, get the chef's taster menu for around $45 a head... it's a delightful romp through traditional and inventive fusion dishes, it's quality food and in a perfect quantity.
If you don't want a personal, guided tour from the chef, then I suggest the biryani, the butter chicken or the saag paneer. Their naan is small, light, fluffy and absolutely amazing when fresh out of the tandoor. The chutneys and pickles are out of this world, and served with fresh, crisp pappadums.
This is not traditional Indian food, the chicken is boneless (everyone loves a chicken-spine in their vindaloo once in a while right?)... but still quite excellent. The biryani at Amaya is one of the best rice dishes I've ever had, but it's not a biryani in the traditional sense. You must try the mango lassi, it's also phenomenal.
You can't leave here without spending a fair bit of money, but the food is unique, well prepared and delicious. -
Review from Joanna L.
Toronto, ON
2/1/2010
Amaya Bread Bar claims to serve "neo-Indian" cuisine but in my view that really means toned-down Indian food for the "Canadian palate."
The fare was decent but it really could have been more flavourful. It was really lacking that extra something that makes me want to go back to a restaurant again.
I also must say the prices are a little high for the amount of food served.
I went there on a fairly busy night and five of us got crammed into a small 4 seater. I wasn't the best seating arrangement.
That being said, the management and staff are nice, even if our server was a tad clueless about some of the ingredients on the menu.
Not likely to return unless invited there for aspecial occasion. -
Review from L B.
Toronto, ON
6/2/2010
In my opinion, this is the best Indian food in Toronto. The biggest thing I find, is that the ingredients are really high quality. The meat, especially is high grade.
The saag paneer and butter chicken are my favorites from Amaya. They used to have a potato pastry appetizer that was to die for but no longer offer it unfortunately. -
Review from Nox D.
Toronto, ON
6/30/2010
One of 3 Amaya locations in north Toronto, Amaya Bread Bar offers take-out and local delivery (on orders over $30) in addition to a beautiful dine-in facility.
The food is great; as the name suggests you owe it to yourself to try a couple varieties of the naan. But if you're a big fan of spicy food you'll notice that Amaya tones down some of the traditionally super hot dishes -- the vindaloo is delicious, but certainly won't set your tongue on fire. Our waiter was friendly and offered helpful information and suggestions for my companion's dainty palate.
The dining room features some separate tables, and some long tables with dividers at which you sit next to strangers. The dividers offer some privacy, but be prepared to bump elbows with your neighbor as there isn't much space between seats. Consider calling ahead for a reservation if you have your heart set on a private table.
You're paying as much for the ambiance as you are for the food, so unless you're on a date or going out for a special occasion there are better values in the neighborhood. But if you're a local and you're in the mood for some tasty Indian food, the take-out prices are reasonable and the portions large enough that you'll probably have enough leftovers for another full meal. -
Review from Joe S.
Toronto, ON
4/3/2009
Nice location, nice ambience, but mediocre food and service.
And a very limited menu for vegetarian diners. Quite surprising considering the location and the times. -
Review from Janna S.
7/28/2010
I'm not sure who would find this food on the "bland" side...maybe someone with a fire-breathing habit? Anyways, the food here is adequately spiced - which is to say it's pretty much perfect, but then again, I'm no expert in Vindaloo veracity. Came here with Lauren M. on Sunday and enjoyed a quiet dinner on their outdoor patio, which is colourful and unique (compared to the other Indian restos I've visited).
It was evident throughout our visit that the staff were earnestly trying to please us. The manager gave us a complimentary app, and we were asked numerous times whether or not we were enjoying the food. Afterward the manager asked us to confirm that our visit had been a good one. This is always a great sign, but the bathrooms may have seen better days.
The quality of the food isn't lacking here, and you won't leave hungry (which seems to be the case with the more pricy restos), but the prices are a bit more steep than most other places serving these dishes. I'd recommend this place for Indian food lovers willing to pay more on a date. -
Review from Lauren M.
Nice place! Patio was absolutely lovely in the summer. They have a nice $25 prix fixe dinner menu right now, but we were using a Groupon coupon so we were not allowed to order off that menu.
The food is pricey, but pretty damn tasty and nicely presented. We had a chicken tikka masala, a saag paneer, 2 naans, poppadums and various chutneys. It came to around $60 with tax and tip (no drinks, just water)
The saag paneer was really nice and spicy. The tikka masala was good but pretty standard. Naan was good, but isn't it always!
The restaurant has great decor, lots of bright colours. Very clean and modern, but the washrooms were surprisingly ghetto in comparison to everything else.
Service was fab and the manager popped around a few times to introduce himself and ask if we were enjoying the food.
I probably wouldn't go back because I like my food cheap, but this was a great treat if you don't mind spending a bit extra. -
Review from Alon G.
Toronto, ON
4/11/2010
the food was delicious, but a little expensive. i found that Mela (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) is a very comparable restaurant, with similar menus but cheaper.
the service was great. i really enjoyed how the food was presented. the person who brought out the food explained the spices and ingredients. that made the experience great. -
Review from willi p.
Markham, ON
It is great to have a nice indian curry house in this neighbourhood. Food is excellent. Patio is nice in the summer.
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Review from Shehzad H.
Toronto, ON
7/13/2010
I was pretty psyched to goto this place, since I read all the reviews. As one of the reviewer pointed out, the food is definitely on the bland side. I was expecting good service from the reviews as well, but the service was pretty mediocre. We did have a coupon for $$ off, maybe that's just a universal sign for waitstaff to be rude.
At least on the positive side, I wasn't the table next to us, who got charged $140 for a meal of two, when it said $70 on the menu. We had the Chicken 65 for appetizers, and that was fairly bland. The one trend I noticed with the food was the temperature. All the food seem to be tepid. Almost like it was made before and then just heated up.
I tried the Chicken Tikka Achari - couldn't tell the difference between this and butter chicken. The chicken was definitely not grilled before being thrown into the sauce, and for all I know, they probably did serve us butter chicken.
The aloo-gobi was fairly good, and the best dish of the night was the beef masala. The paranthas were really bad. The mango lassi was pretty good. But overall for an $80 meal for two, it sucked.
I'm going increasingly weary of 'ethnical' restaurants in the city. I've noticed the better ethnical food is always out in the suburbs. If you want safe Indian food, goto Amaya. If you are looking for Indian food, go somewhere else.
