"
Vikram and
Meeru are passionate restaurateurs, but they also have a home life infused with the good food they share at their restaurant. They recently shared their love of home cooking in a new book,
Vij's at Home: Relax, Honey." (Faith Durand
The Kitchn 20110810)
"
Vij's At Home is a guide from some of America's most famous restaurateurs on their specific and beloved craft, authentic Indian cuisine. With a wide assortment of dishes to satisfy the palette, be it sweet or spicy, savoury or sweet, these recipes will prove easy to prepare and provide for excellent meals." (
Midwest Book Review 20110101)
"[
Vij's] features easy-to-make-at-home, family-friendly dishes that are designed for busy households." (
Chef Magazine 20110411)
"This book widens the lens on comfort food for Canadians, from signature lamb 'Popsicles,' to plentiful vegetarian dishes, chutneys, sustainable seafood and a delicious butter chicken schnitzel." (
Montreal Gazette 20101201)
"[
Vij's at Home] promises accessible recipes, with a sampling of the kind of dishes
Meeru and
Vij enjoy at home. If they are any bit as warm and inviting as the two of them, I am sure it will become a well loved staple." (
Food Network 20100922)
"[
Vij's at Home] is a family affair...The recipes come with plenty of explanations for those not so familiar with Indian cooking, as well as a description of the spices used and how to prepare them." (
Waterloo Region Record 20101113)
"What sets this book apart is that the wife-and-husband authors put the recipes in the context of balancing the demands of work and family. It is especially appealing to read how the couple's children respond to some of the dishes and what the authors learned about how to satisfy a variety of palatesÖA friendly, accessible book in which many cooks will delight." (
Library Journal 20110314)
"[
Vij's at Home is] a useful quick and easy guide to inspired Indian food: all preps can be done in less than 20 minutes plus cooking times. Thereís a full-range of vegetarian, seafood, poultry, meats and desserts...There is also the occasional memoir material on Indian family life. And some really sharp notes on wine pairings with Indian food." (
Wine and Food Books in Review 20100901)
"
Vijs at Home takes elaborate cooking down a notch. The subtitle --
Relax, Honey -- refers to nurturing through cooking. Recipes are geared to busy families and include Butter Chicken-Schnitzel. Simple Goat Curry, and Titapia in Yogurt and Ginger Curry. The book has an abundance of vegetarian options, such as the restaurant staffs favourite zucchini soup." (
Georgia Straight 20110916)
"While [
Meeru Dhalwalla and
Vikram Vij] could easily have succeeded on the strength of their culinary expertise, it is the personal touch that has brought renown to their restaurants and cookbooks. That feeling emanates from the restaurants' walls and keeps visitors coming back, and the same feeling will follow them home in Vij's cookbooks." (
Edible Vancouver 20110411)
"It would be hard to imagine a warmer, more easy going introduction to Indian cuisine in North America than the one put together by the Vancouver restaurateurs
Meeru Dhalwala and
Vikram Vij in their
Vij's At Home: Relax, Honey." (
New York Times 20110605)
Vikram Vij was born in India and grew up in Amritsar and Mumbai. He studied hotel management in Salzburg, Austria, before moving to Canada to work at the Banff Springs Hotel. He opened the original 14-seat Vij's Restaurant in Vancouver in 1994.
Meeru Dhalwala was born in India but moved to Washington, D.C., at a young age. Prior to moving to Canada, she worked on human rights and international development projects. She and Vikram live in Vancouver.
