Thanjai Restaurant

When we discovered this gem (thanks to Unilocal) we came here first with a little trepidation.
We love dosa but have been a little spoiled by India, Singapore, and Jersey City.
Well this is our second time here for brunch and guess what: we are coming here for dinner too! Yes, it is that good.
The staff are awesome. Friendly, very pleasant, and efficient too.
For those of you unfamiliar, dosa is like a 24 inch crêpe except it is made from lentil and rice flours. You judge them the same way.
They should be crispy around the outer 6inches or so, at least, gradually giving way to a softer centre where the filing is.
A really GOOD dosa is crispy further and is even crispy on top over the filing. And of course this is precisely what you get Thanjai.
The choice of fillings is very extensive. If you like Indian food it is impossible you won’t be spoiled for choice. The difficulty is settling on one.
If dosa isn’t your bag, don’t worry. Aside from all the other for bread based dishes (idly etc) there are all the usual curries and rice based dishes. And of course nans.
Enjoy.

I’m a South Indian and I live in Toronto. I was in St Jean for 8 weeks and was dying to get a taste of home. My friend recommended Thanjai restaurant. I thoroughly enjoyed the food offered at this place and left with a big smile on my face.
I had:
Sambar Vada
Masala Dosa
Gulab Jamun
This all costed around 17 $ which is an amazing deal. The food quality is top notch and if you are a South Indian looking for some food in Montréal, this place is as authentic as your local dosa joint in Chennai.
I also took one of my buddies who’s of Caucasian descent m. He was initially worried about the spice as he’d never eaten Indian food before. His verdict was that the food was very well balanced, savoury and not at all spicy. So if you’re anxious about dabbling into the Indian cuisine, don’t worry, this place isn’t going to set your mouth on fire.
The quantity of food is also very reasonable at this place. The only thing I would advise you to do is to make a reservation. I spent the day in Montréal and reserved a seat, in advance, on their website and boy was I glad. The place isn’t very big and seems to attract a lot of people so do beware that if you don’t reserve, you may end up waiting upwards of 20 minutes.
PS: this is my first review.

This place is incredible, and has definitely earned it’s accolades in the last couple years. Young, smart passionate team paying close attention to everything from the alkaline ionized water served to the enormous 6ft dosas at this spot that pays devoted loving tribute to the uniqueness of South Indian cuisine. We went for lunch and couldn’t resist ordering way too much and it was still super affordable — two dosas, 2 savoury potato donuts, possibly the best chicken I have ever had, and two mango lassis for $ 30 is excellent (and delicious) value. I love the décor, the silver glasses and plates, and the charming friendly waitress who worked the whole lunch rush by herself with a smile. Big fan, can’t wait to go back.

Arguably the best South Indian restaurant on the island. Started off with the Medu Waddas which were sublime they were presented with a coconut chutney. My friend ordered the Chicken 65 and Chilli Chicken both were great. Warning: If your spice game is not up to snuff avoid the chilli chicken. My main was two Masala Dosais stuffed with chicken. The texture and taste were good, personally I would’ve preferred it more spicy but hey there’ll be a next time so will definitely ask. The meal was capped with a mango lassi and a chai which were both delightful. Would recommend this place to anyone who’s been to the subcontinent and who’ve actually been south of Bombay and craving the cuisine. Few steps from Metro Plamondon.

Everytime we think of a South Indian cuisine restaurant, Thanjai restaurant is the only restaurant comes in our mind! They serve very authentic south indian food. The cordial service by the waiters/​waitresses must be mentioned here. As always the food is very delicious. I would highly recommend to those who really miss their home town food. I would rate A+++…

Man, I love this place. I can’t handle spicy food but Thanjai is just too good. The tears are worth it.
I’ve tried the mysore masala dosa and the masala uttapam, and was happy both times. My next goal is to tackle that 6-​foot dosa!

The décor is nice and clean. The servers are knowledgeable and welcoming.
Portions are just right and the food is authentic and stunning.
I have been here twice and been beyond impressed both times.
The vegetable kurma is spectacular. As a vegetarian, the options here are great. I also like the Channa curry.
Try the lemon rice. You won’t regret it.
I am very new to Indian food, but of the places that I have tried this has been far and away the best, by a long shot.

I love this place! The décor looks better than most restaurants in Parc-​Ex and the taste is pretty comparable too. I visited this place twice and was pleasantly surprised both times. The first time we ordered the (giant!) Mirch Masala dosa and the chicken biryani. The dosa was very tasty; I haven’t had many in my life but I found this one to be crispy and filled with savory spiced mashed potatoes. The chicken biryani was very enjoyable but I prefer the shrimp version which I tried on my next visit. For appetizers, the bonda potato was a fun change from samosas. The filling tasted essentially the same, but instead of being wrapped in pastry dough, the spicy potato filling was fried in chickpea flour. The chilli uttapam was really unique, nice and spongey, reminding me of a tasty Ethiopian lamb crêpe I had at East Africa (I should get started on that review too!). I also tried the chicken pepper curry dish, which tasted average compared to the other dishes.
I can’t wait to go back to try their other dishes, especially the 6-​foot long dosa! Sounds great for a party :)

I have been here twice. First time I had mango lassi, dosa, and a curry shared with my friend. Second time I had buttermilk and the lunch only big set of dishes. You won’t go wrong if you want to try these.
The masala tea is kind of like a hong kong milk tea to my Chinese taste but with a hint of spice. The waitress told me that ginger. I think it’s a very old ginger which gives you a subtle spicy taste. That’s a nice Indian style. I like it.
I like the spices they use in the dishes. Dosa is so unique and worth trying.

They bring their spices from India. They specialize in South Indian food. They are serious about it. Best Indian food I’ve had in Montréal. Having been to Southern India 4 times, I vouch for the authenticity.
I recommend the different dosas and the biryanis. The curries were also very flavourful.
My colleague from India picked this place, and what a place it is! Story goes that the owner, a consultant working in a large firm, started in the restaurant business as a side job, in a little alley with 4 tables. Today they have a mid size restaurant with a private part room, and are planning to open a second restaurant somewhere downtown in the spring.

Aucun service en français. Nous sommes parti parce qu’il était impossible de se faire servir en français. Franchement nous sommes au Québec.

This is really a 3.5 but I’m rounding up because of our last take-​out from here. We were visiting Montréal and typically during every trip we end up getting Indian food at least once — it is our comfort food after all. We actually went to Thanjai twice during this trip. This review is for our 2^nd visit.
On Christmas Day, with very few restaurants open we decided to go to Thanjai. I ordered the Mysore masala dosa and my husband got the chicken thali. For a place that boasts of such a huge variety of dosas — my basic masala dosa was a huge fail. My husbands thali was ok — nothing too special to call out though. Despite the disappointment, we ordered more food as take-​out because we didn’t know if we’d get dinner elsewhere on Christmas night. We ordered the chicken 65 and the lamb biriyani. Both were phenomenal especially the chicken 65. Just blew my mind (Side note: We had asked for both these dishes to be made spicy since we found the lunch food to be on milder side for us). The lamb itself in the biriyani was very tender. This can either make or break the entire dish and this one was perfectly cooked. Portion-​wise, I felt that they were small. I typically always have leftovers with Indian food but not in this case.
Service is a little slow as others have expressed here as well. There are tons of South Indians who eat here which is a sign of authenticity. If I’m traveling through Montréal again, I’d probably go back for the chicken 65.

Delicious and well priced! Safe for vegetarians! This is the only truly South Indian restaurant I have been to in town.

I don’t think I’ve ever had this type of cuisine before, what a treat. Got there around 8 and it was packed with indians and hipsters ;)
The vegetarian dosa is quite good, we also the lamb biryani. Had to wait a little for a table but service was fast and friendly.

Where do I start… First off, I’m not an indian food connoisseur so what I’m saying here might not reflect its authenticity, but from my experience, the food here lacks in flavour. We had lamb curry, chicken curry, and chicken biryani. All three contained a vast array of flavours, but they still tasted… rather bland (for indian food). Chand palace, in comparison, serve stronger tasting food.
About the dosa, everyone liked it, but I found it average: 1. A bit too salty 2. Very oily on one side.
Otherwise it was crispy, but my impression of the dosa was similar to eating rice crackers or chips.
Pricewise, it is more expensive than the indian restaurants on Jean Talon West.
And as usual, I felt bloated after the meal.
Probably won’t come back.

When it comes to Indian food this place is always my fisrt choice. They offer a very complete menu. The dosa are amazing ! The byriani is to die for. Everything I’ve tried there was really good. They have a good variety of vegetarian choices as well. The serivce is friendly and quick; you might not get it in French but they are really trying their best. It’s an BYOW, that’s a nice plus. The prices are really decent for teh huge portion you get. The décor and lightening are not the best but it’s really not a big deal. Might just not be the place for a first date:)

One of the best dosas I’ve had! I ordered one of the spicier dosas that had onions, vegetables, and a bunch of spices. It was very flavorful and spicy! My friends also enjoyed their masala dosa. They have a huge selection of different dosas, along with other South Indian food. The only downside was that the food came a bit slow.

If you’re an Indian food fan and are looking to try something new then you should definitely check out Thanjai! South Indian food is a completely unique flavour profile then what you might try at your standard Indian resto in Montréal like Maison Du Cari or Le Taj which serve up North Indian fare.
The menu is vast and most of it top notch. If you’re a first timer my advice is stick to the south indian classics.
Starter: Idlis or Rasam vada. (the first a steamed rice batter dumplings, the latter are fried)
Main: Dosa! Be adventurous and prepare to get your hands a little dirty as you eat — it well taste best if you attack with your hands. Every dosa comes with sambhar — a lentil soup and chuntneys which are high quality and absolutely delicious.
End: must try the south Indian filter coffee. It’s unique to the south — sweet and strong.
Thanjai does a great job serving up south indian cuisine — with great service and a great ambience. It’s a must try and you will want to return!

It takes a lot to blow my mind when it comes to food. In Montréal there are many good and great restaurants that can prepare and serve a meal. However Thanjai truly is exceptional. If you are into the real flavours of Indian food you must come try This South Indian treasure. They deliver something intriguing and tongue tingling (flavour wise). Also it’s about a chef who can mix and deliver Indian spices that compliment and can contrast flavours in a meal.
With over 60 Dosas on the menu I had to try one. For those who have never tried Dosa it’s a crispy crêpe type texture filled with potato and spices whereby you break off small pieces and dip by hand in one of the three accompanied sauces. The Dosa I ate for lunch was PHAV bhaji (Mumbai street style). One of the sauces was a chickpea very nice and light. The other was a milk or yoghurt base which was cooler milder and the other was a creamy one. Healthy and flavourful and crazy amazing!
After my meal to continue on with the great flavour I ordered two dishes to go for dinner that evening. One was vegetable biryani the other chilli chicken. The chicken was ordered as a medium which was adequate spice level for me. Chicken was in a rich red sauce which was sweet but had some good spice kick to it. The biryani was so flavourful of mint, coriander and cardamom that I need to come back and indulge in more.
On the menu I LOL about the spice levels: of Spicy, Super spicy or Supreme spice. I can only imagine the heat level of a Supreme spice. It could be akin to seeing new colours in the air and Hindu characters dancing around you while in a hallucinating dream land.
They claim to be able to do a six foot family style Dosa. It would be a great place for a group event for those who are hungry!
I asked the people working there if they were from Tamil Nadu and they confirmed yes. Then I complimented them on the fantastic flavours of the meal and said how much I enjoyed it.
If you want real deal South Indian food eat here. If you don’t then I’ll enjoy it thank you!

The air was thick with humidity, the diesel of brightly coloured trucks passing along this roadside shack.
The cracking of the fire, the aromas of the dark crimson crab curry that simmers above it are in many ways not unlike the harbingers of Armageddon.
They warned you, you just didn’t listen.
The sounds of seagulls listlessly gliding about the port are punctuated by occasional ship horns, as the marina winds down for the day.
Such is the scene in my mind’s eye when I take a bite of Thanjai’s crab curry.
Beer me, bro. Fire’s starting.

Bön bon bon! kya aap french bolte hain?
Le service exceptionnellement bon. Tout le monde est super fin, super beau. Le tout est excellent! Vraiment. Les portions sont un peu petites, mais le goût est vraiment superbe. Si vous n’êtes pas trop connaissant, allez-​y et discutez avec votre serveur/​seuse. Ça sera leur plaisir de vous conseiller.
Aussi! Goûtez les thali le midi ou encore les crêpes minces immenses!
Allez-​y pis vite! À genre 250 mètres du métro Plamondon… vite!

Quite tasty — I went out of my way on a trip up to the airport to stop in here. It was a bit of a trip to find it as it was a bit off the main routes (albeit still on a busy street) but worth the detour. The appetizer I had (samosa) was good though a bit too high on the pastry versus filling (and I was a bit disappointed they didn’t have Chicken 65 available though listed on the menu). The dosa more than made up for it however — wonderful filing, the sambar and chutney were excellent, and all very tasty. I always think the mark of a good dosa place is how well they do an onion rava masala dosa and this one was one of the better ones I’ve had — crispy yet not oily, spicy without being overwhelming, and nice ratio of dosa to filling.

One of my go to Indian restaurant in Montréal.
This place specializes more in South Indian food. That means (among other things) you’ll have more vegetarian dishes here.
Food is always delicious and service is good. Nice music usually, good prices.
I highly recommend!

Went there on a Friday night at around 7h30pm. The man told us that we would’ve been better if we had a reservation. .but then told us it would be about 5 to 10 min.?! So why would we need a reservation?
First thing I noticed is that this place is lit up as bright as a grocery store, terrible for lovers.
Then they sit us in between 2 tables (first 3 tables on the right) where there is no way of getting out of without bothering a person to get up and out of their chair?!
Wow, what is this place?
They have nice booths all along the left side of the restaurant, but you probably need a reservation or luck to get one.
The place is badly lit, bad seating arrangements, absolutely no ambiance, packed with people and quite loud… but hey, what about the food?
Well ok. Here is my humble opinion.
We came here because there were very good reviews on TripAdvisor and Unilocal,so we thought hey, let’s try it!
We are not familiar with the specific regional cooking specialties, so we went with what we know and love.
So we ordered rice and cheese with peas in a sauce which was brought to our table at least 7 minutes before they finally brought the rest, butter chicken and a fresh out of the plastic bag STORE BOUGHT NAAN BREAD!
Why the wait?
The butter chicken (that tasted like no other butter chicken I’ve ever tasted (spicy)) had a thin crust on top meaning that it was ready and (probably) waiting at the station for 7 minutes for the STORE BOUGHT NAAN BREAD to be taken out of it’s plastic bag and put in a basket.
All in all a VERY BAD FIRST EXPERIENCE.
The kind that makes me think of Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares tv show.
P. s. If you guys can’t make your own naan bread, than get it off the menu and don’t try and sell us store bought crap. You are not a depaneur.

Good south Indian food, I had «Maysore Masala Dosa» which i would rate 4 out of 5. Sambar– the lentils were the best I had so far in Montréal but it was in a tiny-​miny bowl. Usually sambar is what you get to eat the most at least in India.
The one thing which I didn’t like was the service was slow & I wish I was offered more sambar

The great thing about Thanjai is that everything is delicious! I got to sample food I never heard about and wouldn’t find at just any traditional Indian restaurant.
It’s a small place that gets full quick, reservations strongly recommended.
I tried the onion bhaji as an appetizer, these are like onion rings but less greasy and with a finer crisp, served with tamarind sauce.
Everyone comes here for the dosas: thin crepes stuffed with delicious savory potatoes, cheese, tomato and whatever else you like. They are paired with perfect dipping sauces and are easy to eat.
I also tried prawn curry and biryani which were very flavorful but there’s no kidding around with the spices, despite asking for it «mild», my mouth was on fire.
The only drawback was concerning the prices and portions — for 14 $ the curry seems expensive and there were very few shrimps, it’s not served with any rice or naan either.
Worth a taste, stick with the basics, like dosas and you won’t be disappointed.