Eating in Banff – Masala Indian Restaurant
Anybody who has read my reviews on the food of Banff before may have realised that I am generally visiting the kind of place that is not going to cut my bank account in half. However, as it was a friend’s birthday and a beautiful Friday evening, I decided the time had come to “fork out” and taste something on the higher scale. Masala is relatively new as far as Banff restaurants go. Whereas there are tons of Thai and Japanese places, Masala is the only Indian Styled restaurant in Banff.
It is decked out quite simply with genuine Indian decorations and it is located in a little nook on the corner of Bear and Wolf Street. The staff is immediately friendly and moved around tables to give us room to enjoy our meals. It really is one of the more pricey options in Banff and not just the food either. The cheapest bottle of wine is $45 and a beer is going to cost $8. Service is slow but generally this is a good sign for restaurants. Little things were frustrating such as how we had to ask and pay extra for poppodoms despite the fact that we were already paying quite a lot. However, hunger is the best ingredient and when the curries came out, all was forgiven.
Considering Banff is quite a touristy town, you might not expect authentic Indian food but that is exactly what it is. The dishes arrived sizzling in little hot plates and each sauce had its own distinct flavour. The traditional ‘dip your naan bread into everyone’s dinner’ is a good and cheeky way to taste all of the food and from the Murg to the Masala – it was all top quality. By the end of the meal, everyone was so full that it was barely possible to move. If you want to splash out on a delicious meal on your vacation to Banff and the Rockies – Masala is a top choice.