Nirvana The Flavours of India Restaurant

Nirvana Restaurant ~ Mississauga Ontario Canada

Nirvana The Flavours of India is a fine dining restaurant near Hurontario and Britannia in north Mississauga featuring authentic Indian cuisine in a gallery-like setting. It's as much feast for the eyes as feast for the palate.

"I'm from India, and I wanted to bring a bit of the culture and heritage to go with the food, to show Canadians that India is a very diversified country," says Sukhi Ghumman, who, with his wife, Harpreet Ghumman, launched Nirvana in January 2004, and filled it with art from across India.

"Nirvana means ultimate satisfaction," he explains. "My son came up with name, and my wife did the decor."

Under vaulted ceilings, the airy 220-seat dining area and bar feature original oil paintings and hand-carved rosewood sculptures of maharajahs and deities, and glass cabinets gleam with hand painted marble vases and figurines.

In the bar, a series of paintings show soldiers in uniforms of Indian regiments. An antique bagh (wall hanging) commands the end wall of the 40-seat private room. "That bagh is over 50 years old," says Ghumman. "It's all hand stitched with silk threads, and took 4-5 months to create. Yet after all this time, the colours are still rich."

The full service bar is constructed of rosewood and granite, a theme carried to the bar tables. Throughout, rosewood armchairs are upholstered with fabric from India. "I wanted to make the chairs very comfortable, so that customers would be happy to stay and eat a leisurely meal," he says.
.

.

Nirvana is the Ghummans first venture into the restaurant business. "I'm a financial planner, and have been operating my own financial planning business since 1973. I liked to take lots of friends and clients out for meals, but I found only a few places that served authentic Indian food, with the true flavours of India," he says. "Then a friend in India said that we should open a new concept restaurant, serving authentic Indian food."

"Originally, I just wanted to be an investor, but, with a stroke of luck, after a few months, I had to run it myself."
They chose the location because, says Ghumman, "It's very central. There's plenty of parking, and it's close to the airport and major highways, and to Mississauga's downtown. Nirvana could have been located in Toronto, but since I live and work in Mississauga, I wanted to be close to home."

Nirvana's clientele is a fairly even mix of Asian and non Asian. "The Asians say the food here tastes like home, but with a better flavour, and that it reminds them of the food at the best restaurants in India. They say it's very authentic, and never oily or greasy. The non Asians say our food is not spicy at all, and that it's very tasty," Ghumman says, adding that the chef cooks for an average Canadian palate. "It's spicy, but not too spicy," he says.

Ghumman credits Vishwanath Gord, Nirvana 's chef, as a major factor in the restaurant's success. "Vishwanath is one of a kind," he says. "He's so honest, and hardworking and dedicated. I trust him more than I trust myself. He's been with me from the beginning, and if he wasn't with me, I wouldn't have the success we've had. His character and discipline are first rate. He stays as long as necessary to take care of our customers. And his cooking is very consistent -- consistently good!"

Chef Gord is originally from Kashipur, in India's northwest, and his type of food is similar to Muglai food typical of that region, Ghumman explains. "Vishwanath has been cooking since he was 12 years old, and though he's had no formal training, he's worked in some of the top restaurants in India, and has trained several chefs himself," he says.

Nirvana offers an extensive menu, with Chef Gord's signature dishes that include Shrimp Sherdi (grilled marinated jumbo prawns), Tandoori Pomphret (marinated, slow cooked whole fish), Chicken Parwana (barbecued, sauced chicken with herbs), Roomali Roti (an incredibly thin, soft roti) and Gosht Dum Biryani, the special lamb-rice dish he's adapted for the home cook. "For this biryani," says Gord, "I layer the rice and lamb in an iron pot for steaming, which helps to really develop the flavours, then I cover it with dough." Rogan Josh and Jeera Chawalstand alone, or can be eaten at the same meal, but together, these two combine to make his signature Gosht Dum Biryani.

See More Mississauga Restaurants here

Go to Mississauga and Streetsville pictures and info pages

Go to Ontario Canada pages
.