New Melton Indian restaurant to open in former pub building
Soi Indian Restaurant will serve food seven days a week in the Greenslade building formerly occupied by the Bricklayers Arms.
The property, which dates back more than 150 years, has provided owner Atul Dawda with a real challenge to convert it for modern day use over the last two years.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe told the Melton Times: “It’s been a real struggle but I’m really pleased with how the building looks now.
“I was left with just four walls to work with because it is such an old property.
“We had to put a new ceiling in and overall we must have spent more than £300,000 on it.”
The name, Soi, is an abbreviated word for ‘spice of India’, which Atul says is too commonplace with Indian restaurants to use again.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHe also owns a restaurant called Spice of India, at Syston, and formerly owned another at Oadby before selling that to his brother.
The new Melton restaurant has two cocktail bars and a function room, as well as the main dining areas.
It will be open from 5pm to 11pm Mondays to Thursdays, 5am to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and all day on Sundays, with a banquet feast buffet served.
“Over the years, most food served in Indian restaurants is Bengali but our restautant will be serving proper Indian food which people actually eat in India,” said Atul, who is a single father with a 10-year-old daughter.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“Our menu will have dishes which I don’t think people will be able to get anywhere else in the area.”
Two chefs have already been employed but vacancies are still waiting to be filled for some of the 10 staff required.
Go online to www.facebook.com/meltonmowbraytown/ to register an interest in a job at the restaurant.
Dignataries are being invited to an opening night at Soi before Atul hopes to open for business on November 26.