The opening of Sukhdev Restaurant in Timmins felt like a serendipitous moment for the owners.
When Amanjot Kaur and Lovepreet Sahota were planning their wedding, a favourite restaurant in Sudbury came up as a catering option. They asked the team at the Sukhdev restaurant in Sudbury when there would be a Timmins location.
“They said, ‘We are looking for somebody,’ so that’s how we figured it out,” said Sahota.
The restaurant at 205 Pine St. S opened its doors on July 6 with a wide variety of Indian dishes like butter chicken, curries, and samosas. Sukhdev restaurant has locations in Sudbury, Espanola, Copper Cliff, and Little Current, with another location recently opened in Sault Ste. Marie. The menu is halal.
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It felt like fate for the couple who got married in March.
“We didn’t get time to think about it. It seemed to us like this was God had already made the plan and it’s going to be like that,” said Kaur. “Some things, you just need a little kick to open the door, and that’s what happened.”
That started the ball rolling for the young couple who moved to Timmins in 2018 as students.
“We thought we were going to struggle. When you come from another country, there are so many financial things and so many levels to cross,” said Kaur. “We are working very hard to get our permanent residency.”
Sahota said he feels Kaur has been the driving force in their venture.
“She made it happen, and to be honest, she put in more work than me,” he said.
Opening a location in Timmins made sense to the couple, as they and many other people from the Timmins area would travel to Sudbury to eat there.
They say it’s hard to pinpoint their most popular dishes as many customers try new things each time they visit, but classics like butter chicken, lamb, and beef curry are very popular.
“Our whole menu is doing very well,” said Kaur. “Especially our Canadian friends, some already know about the menu, and they like everything. And some are coming in and saying, ‘this time I will have this, and next time I will try that.”
That was part of what was appealing about offering a buffet service on weekends, and they’re always looking for new dishes to include.
“It’s going to be changed every month or every season,” said Sahota.
The customers in the restaurant come from all walks of life, and Kaur said the reactions have been very positive so far.
“They all love it, and most of our big orders are from the Canadian community,” she said.
While Kaur was a registered nurse in India, she said that food was always something she was interested in, and learning how her grandmother cooked when she was young stuck with her and inspired her to dream.
“I would always say, one day I’m going to open my restaurant,” she said.
Sukhdev Restaurant also provides catering services, ordering through delivery apps and in-house dining with details on the company’s website. To reach the Timmins location, call 705-531-0101.
