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If you've been anticipating the opening of Indian bistro Shalimar, you are in luck—the restaurant is now open!

According to Talwar, the name "Shalimar" was chosen to connect the restaurant to the family's roots, as "Shalimar Indian Bistro" is derived from the names of such renowned Indian places as Shalimar Bagh and Shalimar Gardens.

"My dad had a restaurant in India, but this is our first restaurant in Canada," explains Talwar. "It's run by your family, my dad is in the kitchen, my brother is doing something, [everyone is involved]."

The bistro, which is occupying the old Clinton's on Main location, is another chic and stylish addition to Brampton's ever-evolving Indian food scene, offering such classics as samosas, shahi paneer, murgh achari tikka and more. The resto even offers a few off-the-beaten path items to appeal to Brampton's diverse culture of diners, such as fish and chips, Greek salad and Caesar salad. The menu also features a few Hakka items.

The restaurant will offer diners a lunch buffet and a traditional sit-down dine-in experience, so it'll be perfect for a casual weekday bite or a more relaxed evening meal. Shalimar is also fully licensed, so you can enjoy some wine or beer with your hearty dishes.

As for why Talwar and her family selected Brampton as the site of their resto, she says the choice was obvious given the diversity of the community.

"It's a good location for an Indian restaurant, we can attract all kinds of people here. It's the right place for our diners."

To celebrate the soft launch, the restaurant is offering a buy 1, get 1 free buffet deal from Friday to Sunday and extended happy hours. Kids under 12 can also enjoy a free lunch.