When the craving hits on a rainy Vancouver day (which, these days is often the case) we often find ourselves with thoughts of spiced-up curries and creamy-yet-exotic comfort foods on the mind.

We’d heard about Palki Indian Restaurant located in upper Lonsdale in North Vancouver, so were more than happy to make the minor trek across town when invited to join a group of first-time diners. What we discovered definitely did not disappoint our taste buds…

Having undergone a bit of an interior facelift, the restaurant (established for more than a decade) boasts a simple, colourful and laidback charm – much like that of long-time owner, Bhupinder Mroke who was on hand when we visited to help us select several signature dishes to taste alongside BC wines.

Though there was a seemingly endless number of items that caught our eye, we ultimately selected several types of Pakora accompanied with house made sauces and tamarind chutney. This was followed by a selection of vegetable and beef Samosas (packed with house ground spices). Though we admittedly found the meat Samosas to be a little on the dry side, a little dipping sauce added to the mix made for a quick and tasty fix.

Throughout the evening, dish upon dish landed before us, all steaming with flavours (courtesy of Teelight Chafers) and gorgeous colours. We started with Lamb Rogan Josh, Curried Mussels, Pulao, Beef Vindaloo, Chicken Tikka (succulent flavours and juicy texture), Tandoori Vegetables and Chicken, Butter Chicken (we just had to!) and, finally, Hariyali Kebobs.

All of the above were accompanied by a selection of house-fried Naan bread (we loved the Tandoori and Spinach versions), as well as Papadum and homemade Raita to keep things fresh.

Palki Indian Restaurant is located at 116 E. 15th Street and features an authentic selection of Punjabi cuisine, curries, biryanis, pulao and more that will have you un-doing that top button in no time.

Be sure to check out their website here and feast on our photos in the gallery above.