The commitment given by Giftland Mall Proprietor Roy Beepat to infuse a cosmopolitan food culture into the country’s biggest shopping and entertainment facility would appear to be taking shape in the form of the appearance of several food franchises inside the complex.
Less than a year after it opened its doors to the public, the Giftland Mall, situated at Turkeyen, far from the maddening crowd that has become a hallmark of what is now a hopelessly congested capital, has become a favoured place for a meal and a ‘hangout.’ The vendors have done their homework and the Food Court is becoming an increasingly lively place.
These days, the surfeit of Chinese restaurants across the city, attest to the relentless local appetite for Asian cuisine. The PDV restaurant, the first facility of its kind to put in an appearance at the Mall is run by Lu Ca, a native of northern China. His presence in Guyana can be accounted for through a meeting with the President of the Giftland Mall some years ago during the construction phase of the facility. Lu Ca is an engineer and he had come to Guyana to help in the construction of the complex’s power plant. The materialization of the Mall’s first Chinese restaurant reflects the taking of a business opportunity that opened up whilst he was working here though Lu Ca concedes that once he became aware of the preponderance of cuisine from southern China served in local restaurants he set himself the challenge of offering dishes from the north.
The youthful Chinese proprietor who says that his focus is on providing “healthy Chinese food for Guyanese customers” says that apart from avoiding Mono Sodium Glutamate and soy sauce he imports soya bean oil, wine and other ingredients from China. Since opening in December he has attracted a modest but faithful local clientele.
The Roosters Grill is operated by a delightfully charming proprietrix, Mrs Nirupa Outar. No stranger to business she has put her four-year tenure as owner of Rupa’s Variety, a downtown store behind her, to pursue what she says is her current passion, offering customers a taste of her cooking. Grilled meats and fish is what Rooster’s Grill offers and Mrs Outar believes that the gradual local culinary shift to “healthy eating” has helped to popularize the offerings of the Rooster’s Grill. The facility was opened on July 6th, her birthday and, she says, she is mildly surprised that grilled foods have even secured a measure of popularity with children.
The mother of three who comes from a farming family that includes ten siblings says she thoroughly enjoys the atmosphere of the Mall. Years ago, her cooking made her the go-to family member on occasions of celebration, a circumstance that has caused her to slip smoothly into her present role. Business has grown to the point where she has a staff of nine though she still affords herself a working day that begins at 08:30 hrs and frequently extends itself up to 20:00.
When Stabroek Business visited the Giftland Mall Food Court last week Pankaj Sharma, the affable proprietor of the Taste of India restaurant was ‘fussing’ over the steady trickle of customers that were dropping in on his restaurant. There was a compelling aroma to the mix of Asian spices that greeted us as we approached the restaurant and Pankaj, an Indian national and a businessman who is familiar with Guyana was eager to ‘talk up’ the food on offer. The Taste of India is not his first business venture in Guyana. He had previously participated in GuyExpo, showing off the attractive range of Asian clothing. The launch of the new restaurant is an indication of thoughts of a more permanent entrepreneurial presence here.
Over ten minutes and between talking to us and keeping a watchful eye on the comings and goings of his customers the Delhi-born businessman talked about his determination to offer a fare of “authentic Indian cooking” to local customers. In India he had not been unfamiliar with the food industry. He had done a thriving trade in various brands of rice, spices, dhalls and other ingredients associated with Indian cuisine, supplying various public places including hotels. Of the three restaurants at the Mall that we visited last week, the Taste of India, opened for business just a few days earlier, was the busiest. Pankaj appeared particularly animated, showing off his Indian cook and ensuring that his customers left satisfied.
By the time we had exhausted our conversation with Pankaj night had fallen and some of the steady stream of patrons who find their way to the Giftland Mall were beginning to enthusiastically investigate the culinary offerings of the Food Court. The aim, the facility’s management says, is to offer visitors a cosmopolitan option wide enough and exciting enough to keep them coming.
