Make Huron Home - Curry Corner

By Mark Nonkes

Margi and Abhishek Shrestha are sharing their love for delicious food and warm hospitality with visitors to their restaurant in Exeter. The couple, in their 30s, are the owners of the thriving Curry Corner in Exeter. Opened in December 2022, Curry Corner serves a traditional northern Indian cuisine.

 

“When we opened, I asked customers if it’s okay to use the regular spices that we use in India. They agreed and loved it. We kept our food the way we have it in India without modifications. We wanted it to taste authentic,” Margi says.

 

The restaurant features a broad menu that includes the popular butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, goat and lamb curry, along with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and nut-free options. Spice levels can be tailored to each individual.

 

“The response has been really good so far,” says 38-year-old Abhishek. “The community has been really good to us; we have a lot of loyal customers.”

 

Abhishek arrived in Canada in 2014 as an international post-secondary student, completing a diploma in business management from Humber College in Toronto.“I wanted to be an entrepreneur from the time I came to Canada,” Abhishek says. He says that part-time jobs in both Mexican and Indian restaurants in Toronto, and then eventually restaurant supervisory and management positions, helped him get the skills to start his own business.

 

Margi, who remained in India when Abhishek moved to the country as a student, joined him with their son in Canada in 2017. She, too, soon found work in an urban restaurant.

 

“We came to see the beach in Grand Bend and as we were passing through Exeter we saw a for lease sign in the window,” Abhishek recounts.

 

When Abhishek and Margi learned there was no other nearby Indian restaurant, they realized the opportunity to add to the community’s culinary palette. After viewing the building, a former sushi restaurant on the south end of Exeter, they began pursuing their dream. Abhishek now serves as Curry Corner’s manager while Margi leads the kitchen.

 

Margi says the secret to the cooking is all about understanding the spices and how they create flavour. Pinches of salt, chili, turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger and dried fenugreek leaves are routinely added. “It’s all a game of spices,” Margi says.

 

After sampling several dishes, it’s safe to report that whether you're a connoisseur of Indian cuisine or a newcomer eager to explore new flavors, Curry Corner’s menu tantalizes the taste buds and warms the soul.

 

Curry Corner is open seven days a week with dine-in and take-out options, along with offering catering for various sized events. The business can be found at 472 Main Street South in Exeter.