Prepare to have your palette expanded with the flavors of Northern India at the new Indian restaurant, Uttara Khand on Holland Street in Bradford.
All the way from Uttarakhand, India, owner Balwant Rathour came to Canada in 2003 bringing his home recipes of sweet and spicy authentic Indian cuisine with him.
Rathour has been in the restaurant industry for over 27 years and spent several of those years in Toronto where he worked under a work permit before obtaining his Canadian citizenship in 2011.
While residing in Toronto, Rathour briefly owned and operated the restaurants, Empire Grill Indian Cuisine before deciding to relocate his restaurant with the help of realtor Jodi Hoffman.
Hoffman felt an instant connection with Rathour and wanted to help her client find the perfect spot for his new Indian restaurant.
“He is the most amazing, genuine client I’ve ever had,” expresses Hoffman. “I pitched the idea of bringing him into Bradford and he liked it.”
The vacant building (which used to be The San Francesco Sandwich Shop) was an ideal location for Rathour to bring his many spices into the community while offering new dishes from the village where he grew up.
Uttarakhand (also known as ‘Land of the Gods’) is a state situated in the natural environment of the Himalayas where fruits, vegetables and wheat are a staple.
“We used to climb into the mountains and eat the fresh raspberries,” remembers Rathour who incorporated a famous Uttarakhand dish on his menu made with traditional raspberries in a rice pudding.
Many of the mouth-watering dishes on the Uttara Khand menu combine the flavors of true India with many of the home recipes Rathour grew up enjoying with his family.
“My grandfather used to do a lot of the cooking when we were kids,” recalls Rathour. “He used to cook for a long time on the charcoal. We ate lots of grains and dishes with high protein and calcium.”
Rathour’s knowledge of spices is extensive and his spice rack is bigger than most people’s refrigerator.
“I never stray on ingredients,” explains Rathour. “We make everything from scratch.”
The restaurant is in its soft opening phase at the moment, offering take out only with hopes to open fully for indoor service by mid to late August.
Manager Balwinder Kaur (originally from Punjab, India) and assistant chef Hardik Mehta ensure the utmost quality and presentation with every dish that is prepared – even just for take out.
“We can make any dish mild or spicy – whatever you prefer,” adds Kaur.
Visit their online menu for takeout and delivery here.
