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Paratha — flaky, pan-fried unleavened flatbread — are ubiquitous across South Asia, with different regions being known for their particular version of this tasty fare. Whether they are stuffed with spiced vegetables or minced meat, dipped in egg, made sweet or savoury, there’s a delicious paratha for every palate.

Paranthe Wali Gali certainly caters to this idea, with a menu that features more than 100 types of paratha, along with other popular Indian street foods. Owners Amit and Pooja Sahni, a husband and wife team, were new to the restaurant industry when they launched their first Paranthe Wali Gali location in Brampton.

“We wanted to come up with something traditional that Indian restaurants in Canada didn’t offer. That’s when the idea of paratha materialized,” said Amit Sahni. “To come up as a new concept and a new player in a market flooded with Indian restaurants, we had to plan a menu which connects instantly with customers, with choices for everyone, from kids to papa and mama to dada and dadi (grandparents).”

The Sahnis opened their fourth Paranthe Wali Gali restaurant in Kitchener in May 2022. “Kitchener-Waterloo is a rapidly growing region with many people of Indian ethnicity. They deserve homemade, traditional delicacies at affordable rates,” said Sahni.

My sister-in-law and I went for a late lunch at 2 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised to find the small, 10-table dining room packed, with a wait list underway. Colourful Bollywood-themed pop art and murals adorned the walls, along with large photos and descriptions of various offerings.

We sipped our drinks, a sweet, creamy mango lassi ($6.50) and a decadent, milky rasmalai shake ($9.50) gently flavoured with rosewater, as we watched stacks of pizza boxes filled with steaming hot paratha being picked up for takeout.

Our server-recommended appetizers, masala chaat fries ($10) and chana dal masala ($9) arrived as we chatted with a jovial family seated next to us. The fries were crispy, topped with both garlic and pizza sauces, chopped onions, scallions and corn. There wasn’t anything particularly “masala chaat” about this dish, which would typically evoke more spice-forward, tangy, salty flavours. The fried chana dal, a popular Indian snack food, was infused with hints of turmeric and cumin, with chopped cilantro, onion and tomato mixed throughout. I had hoped for stronger, more prominent flavours in this dish too.

Our paratha appeared, light with crispy edges, served on large thalis (stainless steel plates). I went with a recommended vegetarian choice, the Lukhnavi ($10.99), filled with a mixture of spiced potato, cauliflower, paneer and onion, accompanied by a side of dal makhani, a thick lentil soup. My sister-in-law had the chicken tikka, made extra spicy by request ($11.49), featuring a thin filling of seasoned chicken, green pepper and onion, served with a cashew-based gravy. Both paratha also came with a cooling yogurt, achar (mixed pickle) and butter.

Paratha are meant to be eaten with your hands, and we enjoyed tearing pieces off and scooping up the various sides, concocting different flavour combinations as we went along. Both paratha were slightly mellow in taste, but definitely were filling meals and are certainly a good value, especially for those picking up a paratha to go.

We managed to save just enough room to try a dessert, the mango falooda ($10), presented in a sundae-like fashion, made with mango kulfi (Indian ice cream), mango purée, rosewater and pieces of dried fruit with a layer of vermicelli noodles at the bottom. Sweet, creamy and lusciously rich, this brought back memories of childhood desserts made by my mom.

Customers of all ages continued to stream in throughout the course of our meal, making it clear that Paranthe Wali Gali has struck a chord with the community, offering quality, value and perhaps a little reminder of home.

“Paranthe Wali Gali is unique due to the type of food and the flavours we offer,” said Sahni. “We have a whole range of vegetarian, nonvegetarian, pizza fusion blends, sweet paratha and many new features in parathas to come in the future.”

Instagram: @paranthe_wali_gali_brampton

Hours: Monday 4:30-10:30 p.m.; Tuesday: closed; Wednesday-Friday: 4:30-10:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday: 1-4:30 p.m., 6-10:30 p.m.

Menu: The online menu varies from the menu on-site, with more options available in person.

Accessibility: Plenty of parking in the plaza, with an accessible ramp. The front door does not have an automatic opener and the restaurant itself is small with limited space between tables. Supplies are stacked across from the restrooms, making them inaccessible for those in a wheelchair.

The bill: $76.25 including tax but not tip. Two non-alcoholic beverages, two appetizers, two parathas and one dessert.

Ordering food in the time of coronavirus: As restaurants are making decisions on a day-to-day basis, please check their social media or call them for updates. Lists of restaurants operating while dining rooms are closed can be found at https://bit.ly/3d2JV74 and wilmotstrongertogether.ca; a crowdsourced list is on Facebook’s Food in the Waterloo Region at bit.ly/3d1cKAX

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