The restaurant, named Thali – Flavours of India, serves south Indian and Hyderabadi cuisine such as biryani and a 20-dish ‘royal’ thali.
It was founded by husband-and-wife duo Shravantha and Anjan Lingalla, 39, who also run the Ilford-based takeaway Food Box Pro.
Shravantha, 35, was motivated to open the restaurant after her family, who live in Newbury Park, struggled to find food locally that was “authentic” to the Hyderabad region in south India.
She said: “I have two kids, and we all crave Hyderabadi food.
“We tried lots of restaurants here, but nothing satisfied the cravings.
“That is why we decided to start this place.”
The restaurant is bringing south Indian flavours to Gants Hill(Image: Asha Birdi)
She added that Gants Hill seemed like the ideal location to open Thali due to its significant south Indian community – but specified that the new restaurant is open to “everyone”.
The Sevenways Parade restaurant held its grand opening on Wednesday (October 15).
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The entrance to Thali could be seen adorned with yellow and white balloons when this paper visited on opening day.
Inside the restaurant, there is a dining area, hosting around 12 tables and brightly coloured walls.
Anjan described the cultural experience that he wants customers to have while eating at Thali.
He said: “Everyone who tries the food can connect with their tastebuds and the culture.
“Hyderabad is the place for food.
“We have so many regional foods, like sweets, biryani, different rice dishes, and snack items.”
Shravantha said she takes pride in Thali’s focus on fresh preparation.
“We do not have a freezer. All the food is freshly prepared every day.”
Thali’s in-person restaurant is open every day from 11am to 10.30pm, closing later on Sundays at 11pm, while its takeaway service operates daily from 12pm to 10pm.
