A new contemporary Indian restaurant created by two Merseyside doctors is set to open at Liverpool’s Kings Dock.
Long-time friends, Meenal Abhyankar and Dhanya Kalathil, both 47, will “celebrate the depth, regionality and creativity of Indian food”, who have spent more than 20 years working as doctors in the area, with the project costing around £500,000,
The menu has been created in collaboration with two award-winning Indian chefs, Shipra Khanna and Anahita Dhondy. The menu is built around two distinct concepts – Indian Soul, which “celebrates the richness and diversity of regional Indian cuisine”, and Hakka Fire, “an exploration of Indo-Chinese cuisine inspired by Kolkata’s Tangra district”.
Abhyankar said: “We wanted to create something that feels true to the food we grew up with but also reflects the way people want to dine today. Working with chefs like Shipra and Anahita has allowed us to bring together authentic flavours with a more modern approach.”
The friends first met at the school gates with their children, quickly bonding over shared experiences of building lives in Liverpool and a mutual love for authentic Indian food and the flavours of home.
While continuing their medical careers, they began developing White Tiger during their time off. Despite their love for the city, they felt there was a “gap in the market” for Indian cuisine that reflected the breadth and complexity of dishes found across the subcontinent.
Co-founder Meenal said: “Dhanya and I have both built our lives and careers in Merseyside and feel incredibly grateful to the city region, but we always felt there was something missing when it came to Indian food. We wanted to create a space that truly reflects the variety, depth and elegance of the dishes we grew up with.”
A drinks menu will include handcrafted cocktails, premium wine and beer.
Author: George Shaw
Former BBC journalist and founder and CEO of an award-winning London advertising and PR company for 20 years, providing restaurant consultancy services. Spent a decade as the director of communications of the Asian Catering Federation in the UK and lead judge for its various restaurant and chef awards programmes. Now returned to journalism, specialising in food and travel and currently the Editor-in-Chief for Taste London, Taste Asia, the Good Curry Guide and CEO of International Culinary Guides.