Allow me to throw three disparate thoughts together for you:

1) The Entertainment Book

2) 1975

3) Radio

Confused?  Good, keep reading, I promise, I’ll make sense eventually.

This past Thursday evening, we decided to crack open my friendly neighbourhood Entertainment Book. And I’m glad we did (ish).  While not a ‘coupon clipper’, I am a believer in exploring new places that you normally may never set foot in (read: Heaven & Earth India Curry House). Which brings us to our story.

The Heaven & Earth India Curry House was established in 1975.  And, to be honest with you, not a lot has happened to it since.  After you crack open the door at 1754 West 4th Avenue, you’re introduced to:

• picture frames nailed into the walls (which were obviously not removed the last time the stuccoed walls got introduced to some nice Egg Shell latex),
• carpet that probably started off beige,
• macrame-like suspended lamps,
• fisherman’s netting on the ceiling, and
• a beverage list that’s peppered with white-out and crossed-out text, that boasts such gems as V.S.O.P., Rusty Nails, and Beefeater.

Ever heard the expression, you’ve got the perfect face for radio? That’s exactly what I thought after we had been in the place for a few minutes.  An ideal location for take-out (and that’s the truth).

But let’s get to the food - the whole reason WHY Heaven & Earth India Curry House has been able to survive in the ultra-laid-back Kits area since 1975!

Two things you should know about the food - it’s very good; and, it’s at least 75% over-priced.  Entrees weighing in at $16 to $17 belong no where near this menu (read: a serious case of punching above their weight class).  Prices like that, belong at places like Indian Oven (and that’s perhaps stretching it).

With two women as the only staff in the place, and very likely the mother/daughter owner combo, service is sporadic.  And, it’s interesting.

The elderly lady is ‘the service’ and the younger lady is ‘the business’.  While we were greeted with smiles and many instances of the words ‘thank-you’ and ‘please’ being inserted into sentences at random intervals, I also felt like we were  eating at the Indian-grandmother-I-never-had’s house.  Case in point - we moved the table slightly when we got in to be more comfortable.  When she approached the table, we got “You moved table.  Do not move table!” [and then proceeded to move it back].  That was nice of her.

I could go on, but I won’t.

Long story short - good food, prices that are crazy like a fox, and service that probably was fresh and clean in 1975.  But that was then…

darren