TOMAS BORSA
Opinions Editor

Spicy Bite is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to, in any city, ever. Coming from someone who regularly consumes about twice the daily recommended dose of calories, this is a bold claim indeed.

First off, the owner of Spicy Bite is a really nice guy and brings the food to your table himself. The prices are extremely reasonable and the selection of dishes is extensive without being intimidating or overly confusing. It’s tucked away at the end of 8th Street in an unassuming alcove next to UltraCuts (home of the $5 mushroom cut!) and a gas station.

The portions were just right: One order of naan, one order of rice, a shrimp vindaloo, fish pakora and a lentil dish were more than enough for two. There is also a lunch and dinner buffet. But being vegetarians, ordering off the menu was a safer bet. Actually, as I write this, I’m enjoying the leftovers every bit as much as I did the first time. Oh, and we split a sweet lhassi, which was — predictably — as good as any.

Spicy Bite has enough seating for about 30 people, but on this occasion, we were the only people there. Well, sort of.

You see, the owner’s five-year-old son was also there and split his time between doodling, bey-blading, visiting with us and sitting on his grandpa’s lap, who provided him with a lengthy and well-articulated explanation of Halloween, Ramadan and the importance of being understanding of other cultural traditions. When we had finished our meal, the little boy ran up to the till with the type of enthusiasm and vivacity only a five-year-old could muster and with the help of his dad (and after a few tries), he rang through our order and thanked us for coming.

The food at Spicy Bite was so good that it crossed the unimaginable threshold of being at par with my Baba’s pierogies or my Aunt’s butter tarts; the atmosphere, the warmth of the service and the rambunctiousness of the owner’s totally awesome five-year-old son contributed to one of the most pleasant and heart-warming dining experiences of my life. I felt as though we were not so much customers at a restaurant, but guests at their family’s dining room table.

By the end of the meal my cheeks had begun to ache from smiling so much. Maybe you had to be there. I suggest you go as quickly as you can.

Spicy Bite is located at 3401 8th St. E. Phone: (306) 373-4747

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