DESILICIOUS!

YOUR DIWALI MITHAI SHOPPING GUIDE

By SUVARNA SHASTRI

My mother is visiting from India and even before the month began, there she was at the kitchen table, drawing up lists of ingredients for a massive mithai-making marathon.

While I am thrilled with the opportunity to enjoy her famous Mysore pak, I had to confess that now I make less and buy more. She was horrified at this blatant abdication of my duties. Nothing, she proclaimed, could come close to the taste of home-made sweets. Which is absolutely true, of course, but we do have a huge variety to choose from at the many restaurants in town.

To help convince my mother, we are doing the rounds of the restaurants from the Desi News guide to the best treats in town.

Annapurna’s Mithai Shoppe People line up for their authentic Bengali and North Indian sweets. 1544 Warden Avenue, Scarborough. 416-449-0157.

A1 Sweets Khoya sweets, barfi, etc. 3300 McNicoll Avenue, Scarborough, 416-299-9424. Oakville location at 2345 Trafalgar Road, 905-257-0808.

Bhojan Bhandar Barfis, laddoos, jalebis and khoya mithai in interesting shapes and colours. 15 Jevlan Drive, unit E Woodbridge, 905-856-9099.

Gagan Sweets Many different north Indian and Bengali sweets and namkeens. 3175 Rutherford Road, units 43, 44. 905-532-0126.

Gurulukshmi A wide range of traditional South Indian snacks. 7070 Saint Barbara Blvd., unit 3, Mississauga. 905-795-2299.

Kwality Sweets and Restaurant. Khoya barfi, kaju and pista mithai. On Steeles Avenue, just west of Torbram Road, Brampton.  905-790-1684.

Madras Dosa Hut Authentic South Indian fast food. 1123 Albion Road, Etobicoke. 416-677-dosa (3672).

Mistaan Sweets (Reader Recommended!) The go-to place in the GTA’s east end for Bengali sweets and snacks. 460 McNicoll Avenue, North York. 416-502-2737.

New India Sweets Mithai, pakoras and chaat with a homemade touch. 1201 Britannia Road West, Mississauga, Unit 17. 905-814-1730.

Nilgiris Laddoos, Mysore pak, murukkus and other traditional South Indian sweets and snacks. Unit 50, 3021 Markham Road, Scarborough. 416-412-0024.

Premium Sweets Traditional Bengali sweets including decadent rabri, rasmalai and mishti doi, chaat and more. Units 15-18, 7025 Tomken Road, Mississauga. 905-696-6893.

RK Sweets & Restaurant Kachoris, samosas, etc. Divine gulab jamuns, kaju barfi, kalakand, gondh ka laddoo, and lots more. Strictly vegetarian. 755 Dundas St. West, Mississauga. 905-848-3933.

Royal India Sweets & Restaurant Tons of sweets and savouries.  116 Kennedy Road South, 905-454-0883.

Samosas & Sweets Factory Kaju roll, kalakand, rasgulla, besan ke laddoo, kaju barfi, boondi ke laddoo, gajrella, chocolate barfi,  khoya barfi and more. Look for alu tikki-chhole, samosa-chhole and various pakoras on offer. Their tent sale is one loyal customers wait for – a great place to pick up firecrackers! 1850 Albion Road, unit 8, Etobicoke. 416-992-5515.

Sweet Palace Pure khoya barfi, milk cake and a wide range of Bengali sweets. 1098 Peter Robertson Blvd., unit 15, Brampton.  905-790-1777.

Shriji Catering Traditional Gujarati sweets and snacks. 71 West Drive, unit 34, Brampton, 905-451-4050.

Udupi Palace South Indian snacks plus savouries and sweets. Gerrard India Bazaar, 1460 Gerrard Street East. 416-405-8189.

Village of India A wide range of pure vegetarian sweets, savouries and snacks. 114 Kennedy Road South, Brampton. 905-450-3333.