A restaurant like Tandoori Tikka Lounge could only happen in a place like Halton Hills as a group of fast friends and neighbours have cobbled together various flavours of Asia.
Georgetown residents Laxman Mandal, Ephraim Roger Sampson and his wife Nida, Bhupendra Chaudry and Sameer Ahmadi have formed Tandoori Tikka Lounge, one of the town’s latest eateries.
Hungry patrons can find the restaurant at 232A Guelph St. in the former location of the Thai Gourmet, which is moving to a new spot.
Don’t be fooled by the name Tandoori Tikka Lounge - the menu doesn’t just contain Indian dishes. There's a blend of many different styles of food from the continent.
Nepalese food introduces the taste of the Himalayas to Georgetown, Afghan recipes bring Central Asia, while Hakka and Chinese eats provide coastal flavours.
“These are the authentic tastes. You feel like you are in Nepal, you are in India – Delhi or Darjeeling,” co-owner Mandal, himself of Nepalese origin, said. He and his friends want to spread the message of their “delicious food, the nutritional value it carries and the taste that gives us our identity.”
The Nepalese identity is perhaps best expressed through the restaurant’s momos, a type of dumpling that's native to the country. Bamboo containers keep steamed, fried, tandoori-style and chilli momos hot for all to enjoy.
The Nepalese take on spring rolls contains noodles - a less common variety of stuffing for the very handy dish. Customers can order this, Indian street foods like pani puri and main courses like chicken Madras, Afghan kebabs and Chinese chop suey, among many others.
But the food is only one part of the attraction. The decor of the restaurant is meant to create a relaxed atmosphere, lending credence to the “lounge” aspect of its name.
Adding to the atmosphere, co-owner Sameer Ahmadi – a musician – will be providing relaxing, easy listening music for guests to enjoy. His style is, he says, “old and modern Bollywood songs,” but he plans to provide Persian music as well.
“On the weekends especially, I want to do live performances,” Ahmadi told HaltonHillsToday.
He will be accompanied by actual dancers. According to Mandal, jazz and folk music are in the works alongside Asian sounds.
Guests may also see Ahmadi and his talents in the bookable 100-person banquet hall in the downstairs area of the business.
For further details on Tandoori Tikka Lounge, visit its website.
