By Alex Hunt
A new restaurant has opened in Stratford in a flavourful fashion.
Curry Zone is one of the latest additions to downtown Stratford. The Indian restaurant is run by Vishal and Nirali Joshi. After moving from India and making a living in the United Kingdom for 20 years, Vishal Joshi, a former retail-store manager selling high-end watches, and Nirali Joshi, a former assistant accountant, began a new chapter as restaurant owners in Canada to be amongst their family.
“We started looking and looking and wanted to get a good spot, and this building came up at 38 Erie St.,” said Vishal Joshi, co-owner of Curry Zone. “We placed an offer and the property was already gone, and a few months down the line, the location came back up again and we immediately finalized it.
“People were spreading the word through social media and word of mouth. It truly is the best form of marketing when you get recommended by someone and this helps us a lot. Local support is extremely vital and we appreciate everyone that gives us a try.”
The restaurant officially opened July 7. Following a busy first day, the married couple said the initial few weeks were challenging.
“Since we opened, there was an initial struggle, but every day is brand new and there is always something surprising happening,” said co-owner Nirali Joshi. “It’s definitely been a learning curve, but things are falling into place now; we’re learning.
“On another note, we were and are always thinking about allergies because nowadays, people want to have curry and, due to the allergies, there are limitations. So, all of our curry dishes are gluten free and there are vegan and non-dairy options as well. We take these approaches very seriously.”
Vishal and Nirali Joshi also own a restaurant in Exeter and live a life of juggling management duties between the two locations with support from their family.
Vishal Joshi says the menu has a British influence on their Indian dishes with a focus on a sweeter taste rather than the traditional spicy flavors. The curry dishes feature authentic flavors from various Indian locations ensuring all guests are offered a curry style of their preference.
“This business is family owned, we care about how we prepare our food, the cooking times take longer because everything is made fresh,” said Vishal Joshi. “Fresh food always gives you better taste and a good taste takes time.”
The couple currently lives in Brampton but says they are enjoying the Stratford culture and its residents, and they plan to move to the Festival City at the end of the month with their two children.
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