Jodi on 
Erin on 
Eric on 
Bill Evans on 
This month, I started a weekly column on CBC Radio’s afternoon show, The Homestretch. The focus is on hidden gems and holes-in-the-walls in Calgary. Tune into FM99.1 or AM1010 or live online every Wednesday at 5:20 p.m.
This is my Calgary-style tiffin. A tiffin is basically made up of metal, flat-bottomed bowls that stack on top of each other. This one has an additional insulated container to keep my food warm in the Calgary winters.
In Mumbai, a tiffin is used to pack rice, curry and dal as a meal for working men. Every day, thousands of dabbawalas use a complex delivery system to get the hot meals from homes to workplaces, and then return the empty containers back to the homes.
Tiffin Curry and Roti House in southeast Calgary plays on that tradition. They started a delivery program in October, mostly targeted at offices. For a minimum order of 10 tiffins (average $12.95 each), they will deliver a hot lunch of two curries of your choice, plus rice and two chapati flatbreads, in individual tiffins, and then pick up the containers when you’re done.
You can also eat in or take out yourself from the cafeteria-style restaurant. If you end up going to Tiffin regularly, you can buy a tiffin for yourself ($20 for a small or $25 for a large). Every time you bring it in, you get 10 per cent off combo meals. So it’s not only a good deal, but also very environmentally friendly.
The one I have (first picture) is a large tiffin. It has four metal containers, instead of three in the small tiffin. When filled, it’s enough for Jason and me for dinner, plus some leftovers for the next day.
Tiffin has northern Indian and east African influences in its food, reflecting the heritage of owner Aly Ramji’s parents. Butter chicken is always on the menu, along with a daily changing menu of six curries, both meat and vegetarian. I really like the okra curry.
On the last visit I discovered their spicy beef ribs, which I can’t stop thinking about. The marinated short ribs are grilled and then tossed in a spicy sauce. You can pick mild, medium, hot or crazy hot. Ramji assured me these are not North American levels of spiciness. I got a cross between medium and hot, and WOOOO, they’re gooood.
The ribs are $13.95 for a pound, or you can get five pounds uncooked for $39.95 if you’re planning a big barbecue.
For entertainment value, Tiffin has a roti machine. It churns out chapatis but Tiffin calls the whole-wheat flatbread rotis here. I’ve only seen the machine going once, but Ramji says it’s usually running during lunch time and just before the dinner rush.
Tiffin Curry and Roti House, 188-28th St. SE, Calgary, (403) 273-2420.
You got a radio show?! Yay! Come visit us soon….
Congrats on the new gig.
I need to visit this place soon. So many people have told me about it.
Congrats on the gig!!! You’re taking over the world!
This place sound so great! I’ve heard rumours of a tiffin service in Markham (or is it Brampton?), but it’s only word of mouth… It’s like you have to know someone to join in because it’s someone’s mom or wife doing all the cooking!
1) This looks awesome.
2) congrats on the CBC radio gig!
3) I luv ‘hole in the wall’ type places!!!
Congrats on the radio gig! I’ll have to tune in next week
Yay Congrats on the new gig! I’ll have to tune in online – can’t wait!
Our office orered lunch from there a couple of weeks ago. So good. So efficient at delivery too. The meatballs were amazing!
Tiffin has been one of our faves since it opened- we’ve only been for lunch but the roti machine (reminds me of Krispy Kreme, RIP) has always been cranking them out.
I tried your site on my smartphone (Nokia E71, Symbian S60 is the OS) and it’s not working. By default, wordpress blogs should display mobile versions (one for iphone, another for every other device, at least that’s how wordpress.com blogs work) but with yours not only do I not get a mobile version, I can’t even read the right side. I’ve only tried this on the E71 default browser btw; it might work in Opera or Skyfire but I’m not a fan of those.
Thanks John. I’ll need to figure out what’s going on with the smartphone display.
I listened to you yesterday on CBC. YAY! You did great and I love that now even more people can find out about this fab little site.
LuLu
Congrats on the radio gig! I love Tiffin. I work a block away so it is a frequent stop for me. Have you tried Safari Grille across the road in Shortpants plaza? I like it too & it has a really good lunch combo for ~$9 that comes with one meat curry, one veggie curry, one piece of tandoori chicken & naan.
Short Pants Plaza is on my list! You’re the third person to mention it to me in the last week. That Short Pants Plaza appears to be a popular place…
i now want tiffin delivery in toronto! there must be….
[...] CALGARY: Tiffin Curry & Roti House « are you gonna eat that? [...]
Tried Tiffin for the first time this afternoon. I love indian food but this place takes it to another level. The ribs where HELLA awesome! Butter chicken and seasoned rice was what I had. I had a big O’l smile on my face when I walked out. Best part is I was in and out in less then 1/2hr and didnt cost more then $20! Love it and will be back for sure.
Thanks!
Ate here today and honestly, not many good things to say about it. we had the butter chicken as well as the regular chicken (what ill assume is a masala) and it was really dissapointing, as well as overpriced.
the butter chicken tasted like it was tomato soup. no nearly enough spices in it.
the regular chicken was a bit better for curry flavour but still majorly lacking.
wont eat here ever again. nor will i reccomend it.