It’s been over eleven years since our original review, and a couple since the redo so we decided to do an update. Aroma Fine Indian Cuisine is still to be found at 287 King Street W. at John St., west of University Ave., a short walk from the St. Andrew subway station, and it still has a pretty interior mostly due to the windows and elegant tables which give it a Parisian flair, but these days there are far more extravagant especially in Brampton and Mississauga. Stairs are still unavoidable so it is not accessible for people with disabilities or in wheelchairs. We when for weekend lunch; there is also lunch buffet during the week though no dinner.
Mishy loved the butter chicken saying that it was very smooth, sweet, spicy and delicious. We both loved the tandoori chicken as it was wonderfully smoky, moist and flavourful... and fresh, which is very important. Samosas, although a bit dry, were delicious and definitely appear to be made on premises as lacked the loss of flavour freezing causes. Fried fish was excellent and well seasoned.
Naan was excellent, moist and fresh, smoky and delicious. Chana masala seasoning and sauce had some sweetness to it, which I wasn't big on, and it wasn't my favourite ever but still was alright. Aloo gobi was good although again not superlative. Mishy was not big on the lentil soup saying it lacked flavour, but I had no problem with it and thought it had wonderful seasoning and ended up having seconds. Veg. pakora were excellent, savoury and delicious. Kadai paneer was delicious and well-seasoned with a bit of heat. Chicken tikka masala was very good with not too much heat and excellent seasoning.
For dessert, there are three flavours of ice cream and gulub jamun balls. Chocolate ice cream was very rich, delicious and full of bittersweet notes. Mango ice cream wasn't the most flavourful we've ever had, but at least it was fresh. Strawberry ice cream was excellent with a puréed strawberry fruit layer. Gulub jamun were very good. Weekend lunch was $24.95 and this is a good enough price to warrant a value bonus... it’s still the same as over two years ago. There were a couple of merely OK items but nothing bad and a few excellent, so we certainly enjoyed our lunch and happy that Aroma is still offering it.Rating: 8 - 8.5 / 10 + 1 value adjustment = 9 – 9.5 / 10
Original reviews follow:
Update 2023-Nov-14: Happy to return Aroma to the list! New review follows as it had been a while since the last one.
Aroma’s lunch buffet is back 7 days a week... a very welcome return! Has a similar interior to when we last visited; I never knew it had that second entrance on John St.
Veg. samosa was very good and spicy, but not excessively. Mishy absolutely adore the butter chicken, and chicken tandoori, saying it was like barbecue. I agree it was super-smoky and delicious; it was also moist which meant it was fresh. (Mishy even asked if we could buy a clay tandoor oven.) The vegetable pakoras were delicious and not overly hot. Chili tofu is probably a Hakka dish and was pretty good and not overly hot which I was afraid of, as if so it dulls my taste buds for the next ten minutes or so. Lentil soup was delicious and clearly homemade, as it was very fresh and wholesome. Butter chicken was delicious and the sauce was very creamy and rich.
Fish masala was delicious and mildly spiced and this doesn't turn up often on AYCE menus often; it was finely breaded, not overly, and enjoyable. Chicken tikka was delicious and all those spices were not overly hot or persistent; Mishy also loved it. Beef rogan josh is clearly a Mughal dish and was very good with hints of western-style gravy and savouriness. Soya chip masala was good and uniquely seasoned. Tawa paneer masala was very good and has a contemporary flavour reminiscent of mustard and mayo; they also had this at the last Indian place we were at.
For dessert, Mishy was not at all impressed saying that the ice cream was all freezer-burned and the, gulub jamun balls were flavourless and soggy and tasted like they were made of Bisquick. I try them and rather agreed as they were soggy and mushy. I noted that the ice cream freezer’s door had been left open all the way up which will cause freezer burning if the ice cream is not covered. Vanilla ice cream was good and not freezer-burned, chocolate ice cream was fantastically good with many rich bitter notes and flavour, and did not appear freezer burned at all. Strawberry ice cream was also amazingly flavourful, and Missy even guaranteed I would smile when I eat it which I did. Mango ice cream was quite good and I didn't find it freezer burned at all; not sure what Mishy meant.
Weekend lunch was $24.99. This is pretty much standard, even less than average these days. Although the nearby Host is five dollars cheaper, this may be an opening special price. It was worth it for such a good lunch.... glad to have Aroma back.Rating: 8.5 – 9 / 10
Our first review:
Update: 2021-Aug-20 - There is no more buffet/AYCE at this location post-lockdown, and it is unknown if and when it will ever return. I am therefore removing it from the active list, and will follow up periodically and restore it should it return to AYCE status.
Aroma is located at 287 King Street W. at John St., west of University Ave., a short walk from the St. Andrews subway station. Aroma has one of the prettiest interiors of an Indian AYCE I have ever been to, mostly due to the windows and elegant tables which give it a Parisian flair; it seems like an elegant and upscale place. Beware that stairs are unavoidable at this location so it is not accessible for people with disabilities or in wheelchairs.
Naan bread is already waiting in the buffet area so there is no need to wait for it to be brought, as well there is also plenty of tandoori chicken which other places tend to run out of. Naan bread was fragrant and tasty. The Tandoori chicken was very good but not like others elsewhere; was not as baked and was somewhat moister.
Lentil soup was delicious and not overpowering, I ended up having seconds. Samosas were delicious and not over-fried as at most other places. Tawa chicken masala was wonderfully delicious and fragrant. Mishy loved the butter chicken saying it was amazing and tender, and I agree that it was excellent, so we both loved it. Dal makhani was excellent and had a very good spice balance. Beef rogan josh was fantastic with excellent spicing and large cubes of beef. Matar paneer was delicious in a creamier than usual sauce. Aloo gobi was excellent and spicy. Fish malabari was delicious with plenty of cumin notes and some heat in its sauce. Peas pilaw (aka pilau/pilaf) rice was a bit dried out from being out for too long. Eggplant masala was delicious, hot and spicy, and I am usually not a fan of eggplant. Beets were fresh but not pickled.
Mishy wasn't impressed with the misshapen gulab jamun (milk balls), but I enjoyed them, misshapen or not. Mango (muted flavor), chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice creams were all fresh and good. Mango chutney was excellent. Lunch is $15.95 on weekends which is a few dollars more expensive than Little India (the district, not the establishment) but is not bad for the area. I've been to Aroma several times over many years and have enjoyed every visit.Rating: 8-8.5/10
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The earlier review:
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| AROMA |
If
you are looking for the best East Indian all you can eat food in
Toronto, 'Aroma' is it. Located right at 287 King Street West right in the
centre of the theatre district, so you can have a brunch and then watch
your favorite plays showing in Toronto.
Other choices are aloo-gobi, tandoori chicken of courses which is baked to perfection, and kept moist under aluminum foil.
Some might think the decor is plain, but I actually find it very elegant with the white table cloths, decorated with golds, pewter and ceramic artifacts.
The waiters are very nice and efficient. if i was to be a little on the crabby side, I think it may be that the waiters may be too efficient, whereas they are constantly filling your water glass and asking you if you need anything :)
Overall rating : 9/10
| Saturday | 12–11PM |
| Sunday | 12–10:30PM |
| Monday | 11:30AM–3PM, 5–10:30PM |
| Tuesday | 11:30AM–3PM, 5–10:30PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30AM–3PM, 5–10:30PM |
| Thursday | 11:30AM–3PM, 5–10:30PM |
| Friday | 11:30AM–3PM, 5–11PM |
