At Kitsilano.ca we’re big fans of Jolly’s Indian Bistro on West 4th, so our mouths started watering when we saw today’s Grooster deal – $10 for $20 Worth of Food and Drinks from Jolly’s Indian Bistro in Kitsilano.
Don’t worry, this is not a bad news post. In fact, this is a very short and boring post. But boring in the best possible way. As in Jolly’s Indian Bistro is not closing. And they are not moving from Kits to Main Street. They’re just moving a couple of blocks west, from their current location at 2778 West 4th (@ MacDonald) to the space next to Nima’ma in the Black Swan (@ Bayswater).
If anything, it might mean that they will add some seats, although it’s hard to get a sense how big the new space is compared to the old one.
The next night of my family’s gastronomic tour of Vancouver got off to a slow start…I had my heart set on Indian food but everyone else was still full from a hearty English lunch at The Diner in Point Grey. I convinced my dad to come with me to Jolly’s Indian Bistro, mostly chosen for its proximity because we had a movie to get to at 7.
Jolly’s servers that night were two exotic beauties whose accents I could not place. They were calm, quiet, and a bit inattentive with the water jug once the place started filling up. I found it easy to forgive this lapse due to the fact that the menu offers butter chicken with naan, rice, and salad for 9 dollars! Of course, it wasn’t the best butter chicken I’ve ever had, but it was a decent portion that certainly hit the spot. I’ve honestly never seen that dish offered for less than 13 dollars, and that’s just for the chicken and the sauce! Since I am still working on becoming a beer drinker, I did not partake in the special that offered the same butter chicken platter with a beer for 11 dollars, but I can certainly see its appeal. My dad enjoyed the meat special, the price of which now escapes me but was certainly reasonable. Bottom line, for a cheap curry fix in a charming setting, Jolly is your man.
The good shopping and eating on West 4th doesn’t end at Balsam St. – and the good folks over at MacFourth.com want you to remember that. We’ve mentioned a couple great restaurants – Topanga and Jolly’s – in the vicinity of West 4th and Macdonald, but be sure to visit some of the other retailers west of the main strip. MacFourth does a great job representing the businesses especially considering the unofficial nature of the site:
MacFourth is not the official name for the area, nor is it a registered Business Improvement Association (BIA). The shops and restaurants in this neighbourhood are unique and innovative. Many of these locally-owned businesses are destination shops, and some of the finest foods in the city are available right here. We invite you to explore online the many interesting shops and businesses of the 2600 to 3000 block of West 4th Ave., and make MacFourth your destination soon!
Tamara and Darcy of Drexoll Games (congrats on 3 years in business!) are the brains behind MacFourth and they’ve managed to convince the neighbouring business owners to participate. The website is a work in progress as they add interior photos of stores and restaurants to accompany the cool streetscape shots. Hats off to MacFourth.
When it comes to Indian food in Vancouver, you can’t beat Vij’s, but tonight I discovered a great little restaurant called Jolly’s Indian Bistro at West 4th and MacDonald. The butter chicken was delicious and it was super affordable at only $9. We had planned on going to Topanga but arrived during a rush and didn’t feel like waiting 15 minutes for a table. Jolly’s was intimiate but busy and you could tell that lots of others discovered this little gem long before us.
