Posted by The takeout scene in Nanaimo keeps getting better and better. is it just because it’s Summer, or are we actually getting better at it in this town. Hopefully the latter! (Check out out previous takeout features here!)
The Curry Culture
We love Indian food. When the opportunity came up to try takeout from The Curry Culture while visiting friends in the North end, we leapt. Indian food is best when shared with friends or family, as it allows for a greater variety of dishes to try.
Ups
The Curry Culture has a an extensive menu with with some unusual items on it. There are all the usual North Indian staples, but also some South Indian dishes, drinks, and desserts that we don’t commonly see. There are also some chef’s special recipes. We tried one of these – the Beef Culture – and it was excellent.
Downs
There honestly wasn’t much to criticize. The naan breads were a bit overdone and dry.
Conclusion
Just when we thought that we knew where to find the best Indian food in Nanaimo (like here or here), along comes another contender. Curry Culture serves up great flavours at a reasonable price, and has a long enough menu that we can go back many times and always try something new.
Flip’N BBQ (with bonus Wolf Brewing)
Ok we admit this isn’t strictly speaking take out, as most people visiting the Flip’N BBQ food truck would likely stay to eat at the Wolf Brewing taproom right beside its usual spot. Still, we’re showing it to you anyway because it’s awesome grub to get on a Saturday.
Ups
There are a few. First, we’re not aware of anybody selling Filipino street food anywhere else in town, so it’s certainly got a unique menu. Second, said street food – essentially barbequed meat on a stick – is flip’n delicious. It’s smoky and sweet, and even the tofu option is great. Last, the fellow who runs the joint is just the most pleasant guy. He made ordering fun, and was even happy to run our food over while we sat at the brewery’s patio. (Bonus points for that, by the way. Wolf Brewing has some great beers and a nice shady patio to enjoy them on. Go check them out while it’s still sunny!)
Downs
Well, you want unique and delicious food, served with gusto, and in a fun location? Guess what? It’s pricy! Each entrée of two sticks and some (really tasty) rice was around $13. Throw in a modest tip and two people get a few bites for roughly $30. Treat territory.
Conclusion
Despite being a tad pricy, we fully recommend you check out the Flip’N BBQ truck. They are often but not always at Wolf Brewing on Saturdays, but check their social media to confirm. Enjoy a flight of beers, a few meat sticks, and the company of friends, and you’ve just had a quality Saturday afternoon.
Departure Bay Pizza
Now here’s one that everyone seems to enjoy. We usually stick to a select few favourite pizza shops (and should really do a special feature someday…) but Departure Bay Pizza has had so much buzz we just had to try it. We had two pizzas delivered – the special, and the tandoori chicken.
Ups
Something that made these pizzas special was the freshness. The meats and cheeses were fine, but it was actually the vegetable ingredients that most impressed. There was a fresh crispness too them – despite being cooked – that gave both of our pies so much more texture than we expected. The people are right – this place really does make good pizza!
The menu also deserves praise for having plenty of options. Just don’t expect anything that sounds spicy to actually be spicy.
Downs
We got blindsided by a couple of charges on our bill – $5.00 for out of range delivery and another $1.50 for paying by credit card. There was no mention about either charge when we ordered. We don’t mind paying for out of range delivery, but at least let us know in advance. The credit card charge though is frankly crap. Even if that’s allowed by the processing company (pretty sure it’s not) it’s just nickel and diming the customer. It left a bad taste in our mouths even after the pizza left such a good one.
Conclusion
Great pizza and a great menu, but be careful about the added on fees. Maybe stick to takeout only on this one.