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Mohammed Azhar,
Pak Centre Halal Restaurant,
Scarborough, Ontario
By Gary Lipovetsky, President of MenuPalace.com
 There is much to be said for the family-owned restaurant. Whether it’s the years of familiarity that just seems to pour into every tasty dish, or the mere fact that tradition somehow plays a more pivotal role when it comes to kin: a good ol’ family restaurant just can’t seem to be beat. Such is the case with Mohammed Azhar and his parents, brothers and extended family members who’ve helped take Pak Centre Halal Restaurant from its humble beginnings to its new, modern heights.
MP: How did you get involved in the restaurant business?
MA: We actually started out in a small 10 x 10 stall in the Downsview Flea Market, selling our food in a stall. It was a great experience and we did really well, so after a couple of years we decided to do something different, and moved the business to a small take out restaurant on Midland Avenue in Scarborough. We gained a lot of loyal customers there and the great response pushed us to take the risk and open up Pak Centre Halal Restaurant. We’ve been open now for about a year and half.
MP: Pak Centre is adding a new banquet hall and construction is set for completion in February 2011. What does this mean for Pak Centre and what types of events will be held there?
MA: Well, we noticed that some of our customers would regularly host dinner parties with so many guests that we would have to book off most of the dining area. But with the addition of the banquet hall, we’ll be able to host parties while keeping the restaurant going for all of our other customers. The hall will have an additional 60 – 70 seats and we can expect to have birthdays, engagement parties, bridal showers, and student graduating parties there.
MP: What is the most popular dish on your menu?
MA: A lot of customers really like our Murgh Mumtaz, a stuffed chicken breast, oven baked, and topped with mango gravy. It has a different taste to it and it’s not deep-fried like many other typical Indian dishes. It is also a particular favourite for those who don’t like spicy food.
MP: Do you tone down the spices and flavours of your dishes for customers that are new to your style of cuisine?
MA: Well, most guests really enjoy the tastes of our cuisine and the milder dishes as well. For first timers we take requests to reduce the pepper at times, but the majority of our customers like their food nicely flavoured.
MP: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as a new restaurant?
MA: Being a family owned and operated restaurant, we’d tend to work a lot of demanding hours in the beginning, like 12-hour managerial shifts. And staff turnover was a bit of a problem too: staff members calling in sick and training new employees. But now we’re happy to say that we have a pretty good staff that we rely on heavily. About 15 – 20 good people.
MP: What do you love most about being in the hospitality industry?
MA: One of the things we like is the interaction we have with our customers. From the days of working at the Flea Market we really enjoyed knowing our customers by name. And now, in a bigger place, the way we try to continue doing that is to have a family member/staff on the floor at any given time. This way we can talk with the customers and make any necessary accommodations for them on the spot. Our customers really appreciate that.
MP: Your restaurant has a very unique décor, where did the influence for your design come from?
MA: We always knew we wanted something different, we didn’t want Pak Centre to be typical of most Pakistani restaurants. But at the same time we still wanted that classical style, with traditional colours and a modern touch. My mom especially loves flowers and plants, so you see a lot of that incorporated into the design.
MP: Do you get a lot of questions about the benefits of eating Halal?
MA: We don’t get as many questions about the benefits, but we do get questions about the authenticity of our halal menu from halal-conscious customers. We are 100% halal: we don’t serve alcohol, so there is no chance of alcohol contamination, which might be the case at other restaurants who serve halal items on the menu but are not fully halal.
MP: Where do you see Pak Centre in the next few years?
MA: Good question. Firstly, getting the banquet hall ready for February is our prime goal. We want to increase our catering side of the business, as we do get a lot of interest for wedding services. There are also some new concepts we have in mind for 2012 onward, so the future looks good. |