Clay Oven

Clay Oven is a polarizing name in Winnipeg. I usually shy away from the franchised restaurants as they are usually associated with safe, boring and overpriced cuisine. I quickly became aware of Clay Oven when I first came to Winnipeg and was intrigued by its robust menu and prominent advertisements. Talking with some Winnipegers revealed subpar and mediocre reviews of Clay Oven. In fact looking at Urbanspoon revealed a litany of problems. Thus it was ironic when a fellow Edmontonian friend of mine raved about Clay Oven and its authentic Indian and Hakka cuisine.

On a free Friday night, a few of my fellow displaced Edmontonian residents made the trek downtown to Clay Oven. Immediately I was impressed by the venue. Located beside the baseball diamond, Clay Oven sprawled over the entire top floor of the building.

The menu was robust and featured the Indian delicacies that one would expect from a Indian restaurant. What makes Clay Oven a little unique is the inclusion of Hakka cuisine. Hakka dishes describe an Indian adaption of traditional Chinese dishes and originated from a small Chinese community that lived in Kolkata.

Clay Oven starts with three types of sauces and chilis. To the top is a sweet chutney chili, to the middle is a sharp red chili sauce, and to the bottom is a Jalapeno infused chili sauce.

The Palak Paneer here was excellent. Paneer mixed to the brim with chopped spinach and finished with creamy yogurt. This dish was a fantastic combination of creamy spinach accentuated with the soft spongy curds.

A whole order of Tandoori Chicken greeted us next. The chicken was nicely prepared and had the sweet and tangy tandoori flavour infused into the meat. It paired nicely with the Indian yogurt. Perhaps a bit dry to our liking.

Star of the night was the Manchurian Chicken, a Hakka delight. The breast meat was incredibly moist and tender and paired delightfully with the sweet, sour, tangy and salty sauce. It definitely reminded me of a hybrid of Indian spices with Chinese cooking techniques. Highly recommended!

Overall, I am a bit puzzled by all the poor reviews. Clay Oven offers a great representation of traditional Indian cuisine and unique Hakka dishes. Definitely recommended for a fun night out.