Oakville is marking the opening of a brand new, authentic Indian restaurant started by a local family of South Asian immigrants. Once-known as Nonna's Oven, 3420 Rebecca Street. has transformed into Mehfill Indian Cuisine.
Bhavya Dham, the owner of Mehfill Oakville, comes from a family who owns a chain of restaurants in India. Having relocated to Canada in April 2022 with his wife and two young children, he aspired to extend his passion for Indian cuisine in Oakville.
"The passion lies in serving people with good, authentic, flavourful food from my home country," Dham said.
The restaurant officially opened its doors two months ago on Nov. 26, 2023, initially operating as a take-out-only venue while awaiting their liquor license. Just before Christmas, Dham received the license and was able to open up as a fully functioning restaurant.
During the year leading up to the grand opening, Dham worked as a truck driver, saving all the money he could to help make his dream become a reality.
According to Dham, Oakville residents often had to travel to Brampton or Mississauga for authentic Indian cuisine due to the prevailing South Asian culture in those areas.
Recognizing a void to fill, Dham explained, "As immigrants, we are here to bring the authenticity of our cuisine to the people. It just makes sense to move closer to them so they don't have to travel far to experience authentic Indian food."
Mehfill Indian Cuisine features a menu of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian tandoor dishes, including signature items like Tandoori Momo Chicken, Chicken Seekh Kebab, Hussaini Paneer Tikka, and Tandoori Paneer Tikka.
Dham's strategy to stand out in Halton's growing market of Indian cuisines is to emphasize high-quality Curry and Samosas, eliminating the need for customers to venture outside the region to have them fresh.
The restaurant currently employs approximately five staff members, comprising part-time student workers and full-time staff with years of industry experience.
"The response has been positive," shared Dham. "Although visibility from the road is amazing, not enough people are aware of our presence just yet."