351 Pitfield Rd
Scarborough, Ontario
Cuisine(s): West Indian
Date visited: June 2010
We've been to Roti Hut before, and after finding out the place I wanted to go to was closed, we opted for something different than our usual Asian choices.
Food: 4/5
We ordered a goat roti and beef with rice (after standing in line for a good 5 minutes figuring out what was what). The portion was very generous - the rice covered the entire plate, with curry beef spilling out on top while the roti was a giant lump wrapped around goat meat sitting in the middle of the plate. Both meats were very tender (I thought I recalled once the beef was a bit chewy last time I came but I think my memory is failing me). The rice grains are larger than what I'm used to but were good; the roti was a good consistency, but I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more sauce in the roti lump as it was getting a bit dry at the end.
Service: 3.5/5
Service is hard to determine at this place. The layout of the restaurant is fashioned so that there's a "front" area where you can get in line to order your food at single counter, much like a fast food place. However, you can opt to dine in as there is a wonderful seating area. The only time you really deal with "service" is when you're ordering, and since most of the patrons opt for take-out, that's about it. But if you choose dine-in, you just grab a seat and they'll bring the food out to you. So there is little service interaction here .. the cashier looked a bit bored (well, that's kind of expected) but was nice.
Atmosphere: 5/5
I love the dine-in area. It's quite spacious, with maybe a dozen tables. It's very simple, with well chosen decor and furniture that goes very well together. The tables are nice, as are the chairs - cushioned and well fashioned - not cheap like you'd find at a diner or any other fast food place. All the tables are nice and clean with a simple (fake) flower pot in the middle. The tiles also give it a clean and "uppity" feel and match everything else (the blinds are nice too, I have to mention). There is a sink equipped with soap and paper towels right by the dining area, should you need to rinse your hands before or after your meal. The washrooms are single-use but are actually quite nice - you notice it again in the tiling and sink/faucet.
Price/Value: 4.5/5
For $7-$8, you get a pretty big portioned meal (add another buck if you want a drink). If you opt to sit down, you don't even have to tip because you're not being served! You get the benefit of a nice dining area and nice sinks to wash your hands! For lunch, some people might find this a bit pricey but there are cheaper options on the menu should you want something else. For dinner, I think you get a pretty good bang for your buck at under $10 a person.
Overall dining experience: 4/5
Although the roti was a bit dry at the end of my meal due to the lack of sauce/curry, everything else seemed to set a positive tone with this establishment, especially the decor to the bathrooms to the good food. Next time I'd like to try the paratha roti with channa :)
