The 8th Vancouver Foodster Curry Challenge was a success featuring unique curry creations at restaurants around greater Vancouver. Each restaurant featured their creation on their menu from October 4-27, 2024 and their customers voted for their favourites daily throughout the challenge. The Winners are: 1st Place (tie): {110 points} Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine Southern Thai Curry with Betel leaves Price: $20 Created by: Chef A Thares Description: Gang Graa-Ti Tai Bai-Cha-Plue – The flavourful Southern style curry with coconut milk, betel leaves and prawns served with rice noodles and fresh cilantro and ground peanut. Ingredients: Coconut milk, in-house made yellow curry paste, Chaplue leaves, Sweet chard, cilantro, palm sugar, Fish sauce, Prawns, Ground Peanut, Red pepper, green leaf, fine rice vermicelli, garlic fried and onion fried Offered: lunch and dinner Available: take out and delivery Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine 20395 Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge Tel:(604) 459-8000 Web:https://banchokdee.com/ Instagram @banchokdeethai and @BCDThai 1st Place (tie): {110 points} Kerala Kitchen Chicken Stew and Appam Price: $18.99 Created by: Chef Sujith Raj Description: Chicken stew and appam is a delicious combination popular in South Indian cuisine, particularly in Kerala. The chicken stew is typically made with tender chicken pieces, cooked in a fragrant coconut milk base with spices like ginger, garlic, and green chilies. The stew is mild yet flavorful.Appam, on the other hand, is a type of fermented rice pancake with a soft center and crispy edges, perfect for soaking up the rich stew. Together, they create a comforting and satisfying meal. Ingredients for Chicken Stew: Chicken , Ginger, curry leaf , chilli, carrot, potato, whole gram masala, coconut milk ( gluten free , dairy free dish.) Ingredients for Appam: Coconut milk , rice flour , sugar, salt. Yeast Offered: all the time Available: for dine-in Kerala Kitchen 9386 120th Street, unit 103, Surrey Tel: (604) 498-6919 Web:https://keralakitchen.ca/ Instagram @keralakitchensurrey 2nd Place: {104 points} Dhaliwal’s Lounge Malabar Fish & Prawn Curry Price:$23.95 Created by: The team Description: Malabar Fish and Prawn Curry is a rich, coastal delight featuring tender fish and succulent prawns simmered in a coconut-based sauce infused with tangy tamarind, fiery green chilies, and a fragrant blend of traditional Kerala spices. This vibrant curry offers the perfect balance of heat and flavor, best enjoyed with steamed rice or flaky parathas. Ingredients: Coconut oil, Mustard seed, Fenugreek seed, Cumin seed, Curry leaves, Ginger, Garlic, Onion, Tomato, Lemon slices, Chilli powder, Turmeric powder, Coriander powder, Coconut milk, Salt and Tamarind. Offered: dine-in Available: all the time Dhaliwal’s Lounge #112 – 7938 128 Street, Surrey Tel:(604) 543-2222 Web:https://dhaliwalslounge.com/ Instagram @dhaliwalslounge 3rd Place: {102 points} Thai Ni Yom Restaurant Khao Soi Nhua Price: $24 Created by: the team Description: Authentic Northern Thailand, a rich northen Thai curry served with flat egg noodles, braising beef brisket and topped with pickles, shallots, lime cilantro and crispy noodles. Ingredients: Offered: dine-in Available: all the time Thai Ni Yom Restaurant 2953 West 4th avenue, unit 2, Vancouver Tel:(604) 736-5474 Web:https://www.thainiyom.ca/ Instagram @thainiyom.vancouver In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Curry creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge. The Winners are: 1st Place People’s Choice: Kerala Kitchen Chicken Stew and Appam Price: $18.99 Created by: Chef Sujith Raj Description: Chicken stew and appam is a delicious combination popular in South Indian cuisine, particularly in Kerala. The chicken stew is typically made with tender chicken pieces, cooked in a fragrant coconut milk base with spices like ginger, garlic, and green chilies. The stew is mild yet flavorful.Appam, on the other hand, is a type of fermented rice pancake with a soft center and crispy edges, perfect for soaking up the rich stew. Together, they create a comforting and satisfying meal. Ingredients for Chicken Stew: Chicken , Ginger, curry leaf , chilli, carrot, potato, whole gram masala, coconut milk ( gluten free , dairy free dish.) Ingredients for Appam: Coconut milk , rice flour , sugar, salt. Yeast Offered: all the time Available: for dine-in Kerala Kitchen 9386 120th Street, unit 103, Surrey Tel: (604) 498-6919 Web:https://keralakitchen.ca/ Instagram @keralakitchensurrey 2nd Place People’s Choice: Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine Southern Thai Curry with Betel leaves Price: $20 Created by: Chef A Thares Description: Gang Graa-Ti Tai Bai-Cha-Plue – The flavourful Southern style curry with coconut milk, betel leaves and prawns served with rice noodles and fresh cilantro and ground peanut. Ingredients: Coconut milk, in-house made yellow curry paste, Chaplue leaves, Sweet chard, cilantro, palm sugar, Fish sauce, Prawns, Ground Peanut, Red pepper, green leaf, fine rice vermicelli, garlic fried and onion fried Offered: lunch and dinner Available: take out and delivery Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine 20395 Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge Tel:(604) 459-8000 Web:https://banchokdee.com/ Instagram @banchokdeethai and @BCDThai 3rd Place People’s Choice: Thai Ni Yom Restaurant Khao Soi Nhua Price: $24 Created by: the team Description: Authentic Northern Thailand, a rich northen Thai curry served with flat egg noodles, braising beef brisket and topped with pickles, shallots, lime cilantro and crispy noodles. Ingredients: Offered: dine-in Available: all the time Thai Ni Yom Restaurant 2953 West 4th avenue, unit 2, Vancouver Tel:(604) 736-5474 Web:https://www.thainiyom.ca/ Instagram @thainiyom.vancouver Our Media judges for this challenge were: Corey Lee, David Grange and Yuki No. Each media judge will have scored the creation with a maximum of 40 points as follows: Overall Taste 20 points, Originality and Uniqueness 10 points, Presentation and Appearance 10 points). The total number of points a pasta creation could earn is 120 points. Thank you to the chefs and restaurants that accepted my invitation and featured their curry on the menu for