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Food & Drink

Tikka talk

After seven years of delays, Lahore Tikka House (1365 Gerrard E, at Highfield, 416-406-1668, lahoretikkahouse.com) in Little India has finally moved into its new digs next door.

The interlocked container trucks that replaced the original late-night Pakistani resto rolled away last week, replaced by a huge sari-tented patio on the building’s east side.

The new space is much like the old and looks like it’s still under construction, a riot of color lit by strings of Christmas lights hung from bare ceiling joists overhead. Tables and chairs are plastic.

“The first floor’s nearly 80 per cent finished,” says the House’s Alnoor Sayani. “It just needs a little decorating.”

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Now that the trucks are gone for good, the second floor dining room and third floor rooftop deck should open later this summer. There’s even a waterfall out front in the works.

“That’s the intention, anyway. We’re still waiting on the last permits. We’re only going to use the front part of the rooftop but it will be sound-proofed at the back so it doesn’t bother the neighbours.”

Why has the renovation taken so long? Seven years?!?

“We’ve had a lot of zoning issues and had to go all the way to the OMB to get everything approved. It wasn’t complaints from homeowners, but from other merchants along the street. They’re very jealous of our success.”

And the secret to that success?

“When you go to a normal restaurant that’s had a lot of money spent on it, it doesn’t change for years and years. We’re always changing and there’s a tremendous energy. We’re not into fancy pot lights and all that.”

Now that this House is almost complete, has he ever thought of opening a second restaurant?

“We’ve just bought a property at Eglinton and Kennedy near the subway station, so maybe down the road. But I want to get this one done first.”

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