Nirvana is Corner Brook’s newest and only Indian restaurant. The owners were not sure how much the people of Corner Brook would like authentic Indian food, but they have been pleasantly surprised.

Originally from India, Manas and Mousumi Mukhopadhyay moved to the west coast of Newfoundland in 2016 and immediately fell in love with the place. They thought it was strange, however, that there was no Indian restaurant.

“I’ve worked around the world in many places, and Corner Brook is my favourite,” Mukhopadhyay says, “but I thought, How is it possible that there is no Indian restaurant?”

The idea of opening an Indian restaurant became solidified in their minds when they started having local friends and families over for dinner. Many of their guests would enjoy Mrs. Mukhopadhyay’s home cooking, which she learned to prepare in her native country of India.

“My wife can cook many things,” he says, “but she knows Indian food the best. We know Indian food. So we thought we would do what we know. There are people here who have never tried Indian food, but when they [tried] it, they said, Now we know what we were missing.”

While unfamiliar to some in the area, Mukhopadhyay is quick to point out that “Indian food is already a brand. It’s a fairly mainstream food. It’s not just ethnic. In Ottawa, there are hundreds of restaurants that are Indian.” It’s a fair point to be made. Curries are one of the most popular dishes throughout the world.

One other benefit that Mukhopadhyay sees in Indian food, is that it is a healthy option for eating out. He says, “It’s a healthier-than-most fast food. Most of our ingredients we in bring from India. You can get a bottled sauce from a grocery store, but it wouldn’t give you the right flavour. We get the spices authentic from India.”

As he says, “It’s not just Indian food by name, but also by taste and quality. It’s about the herbs and spices that are being used, which makes it a good, healthy food option.”

Nirvana is doing an array of curries and kormas, both with meat or vegetarian. The most popular dishes are Butter Chicken, Chicken Vindaloo, Chicken Korma, and Chicken Curry Masala, which makes chicken the winner, but chickens the loser.

For more detailed information, you can access their website at nirvanam.ca.