Yorkton is experiencing a definite growth spurt and with that comes new opportunities and developments. On the slate of changes is a new dining option that promises to be unlike any other in the city.
"Love" East Indian Cuisine is set to officially open its doors on October 18 bringing a new taste sensation to Yorkton along with a dining experience the owners hope residents will embrace and enjoy.
Partnered with his brother, Inder Sharma says the pair already own and operate two successful restaurants in the Esterhazy area and they are looking forward to getting a Yorkton location off the ground.
"My brother's story is phenomenal, like a typical immigrant. He's very ambitious. He came here as a cook..." And he still cooks and enjoys bringing a piece of his home to others. In Esterhazy the pair owns George's Pizza as well as a family oriented Steakhouse. They started on a smaller scale but then seeing a need in the community they began to expand. Now, in addition to keeping their current locations, they have their sights set on Yorkton.
More than just a place to grab a bite, Sharma says Love will be the complete dining experience. The brothers have been working day and night renovating and putting the finishing touches on decor to get just the right feel. Walls are adorned with antique hand carved pieces shipped from India, many of which were previously homed in Indian palaces. A waterfall will greet customers upon entering Love and in addition to public dining, there is a formal, private dining room option with personalized service from the chef himself. "He will make anything you want," says Sharma.
The whole process of coming to Yorkton began in October of 2012. Sharma says it's been a divine path since then with everything falling into place as if it were all "meant to be."
Originally, the brothers were bidding on the old Tracy James location but when that deal fell through, the York House entered the picture and almost seamlessly everything came together.
"My brother believes in God unconditionally. I've never seen beliefs as strong in my life... he does not plan anything, it will happen if it's meant to happen.... I believe in God also but I also know it's about dollars and cents, you have to be practical."
That meant surveying a large number of Yorkton residents to see if they would welcome an East Indian restaurant to the city. Sharma says he believes the time is now and that people will love and even crave the new taste option.
Food will be authentically cooked in a tandoori clay oven and despite what some may think, it will be mild enough for all to enjoy - unless of course a little more heat is requested.
The menu will start out on a smaller scale, with only the tastiest of dishes says Sharma and then it will expand as customer demand does. All of the food will be prepared fresh and healthy he adds. "We are only using the highest quality ingredients... we won't compromise on quality...
"This is a place where families can come, people can have their meetings here (Love is equipped with a full service boardroom), kids can have their birthday parties, husbands and wives can come have a romantic dinner in one corner... we will have table cloths and it's a warm environment. You won't have to go to Regina to have that experience," he adds.
"We are so excited about this. It's a challenge, we are scared. It's a big investment and a lot of faith but I think we're going to do very well... The support so far has been tremendous and we hope people will just come to try us."
Love is set to open October 18 at 11 a.m. for lunch. A dinner menu is slated from 5 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Learn more at www.loveyorkton.com or by visiting the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LOVEYORKTON.
