Opening a restaurant in a pandemic is risky, but these brothers did it — twice

Opening a restaurant is a risky move at the best of times. 

The odds are stacked against you, with 60 per cent of restaurants failing in the first year, and 80 per cent crumbling within four years, according to recent U.S. statistics published bymaking it to Year 4, according to Full Service Restaurant magazine.

Knowing this might make launching a restaurant in the middle of a pandemic seem especially foolhardy. Still, it's something that Guna Sekar and his brother Balamurali Balasubramani have done — twice.

First was N.L. Spice Box, opened in Mount Pearl last winter.

"There are 10 or 12 Indian restaurants in St. John's, but nobody was doing South Indian food, so we saw an opportunity," Sekar said.

South Indian food shares similarities with Northern Indian food but there are significant differences.

"We do dosas [a thin crêpe that ferments overnight], instead of naan bread. We offer more vegetarian options, and our curries don't have dairy. The main difference to me is the heat level. The South Indian flavour profile is much spicier."

Shortly after the grand opening of N.L. Spice Box in the winter of 2021, the brothers had to contend with their first lockdown, which shuttered restaurants.

"Our first year with N.L. Spice Box was tough, but we kept the restaurant going despite rising food costs, and we adhered to health and safety guidelines, trained staff, and kept them safe," Sekar says.

Then the brothers opened their second venture — Madras Café — in November.

They felt ready for the challenge because they were already familiar with operating on next to nothing.

"If we can keep a restaurant afloat during COVID, then opening a second business with a different focus seemed doable to us," Sekar said.

Located on Duckworth Street, Madras Café has a unique breakfast menu, full-bodied, perfectly balanced coffee, and warm and welcoming service.

"There are so many coffee shops, we needed to stand out, so we decided to do fusion," says Sekar. "I know how to make breakfast because I ran a breakfast and juice restaurant in Toronto. We have some typical breakfast flavours with hints of South India in the pastries and sandwiches.  The space was already set up for a coffee, but we knew little about it, so we were so lucky to find Hsu."

Hsu Yi Hang is the head barista.

He moved to St. John's with his partner and discovered the space on a walk downtown. While the unique flavours are attracting customers, Hsu's service combined with his perfectly made coffees are helping Madras find a loyal customer base. 

"Hsu has helped us out immensely. He was a barista for five years in Australia, so his knowledge and experience frees us up to work on the menu and build relationships with our customers," Sekar said.

When Madras Café opened, the Omicron variant hadn't begun its Canada-wide spread, and the wave has thrown the business for a loop.

"We really weren't expecting another lockdown. There's no government aid for new businesses, and this month has been impossibly slow," he said.

Sekar is dedicated to working seven days a week to make the business work, and he's not bothered by the commitment.

"I have to be here all the time. I know that, but it doesn't mean it can't be fun. Kitchens can be tense places, but the vibe here is a party. We're always playing music, getting into a flow. Our employees come in ready to dance."

The staff at Madras Café also pivoted to takeout this last month to try to make the best of the lockdown, but Sekar said services like Skip the Dishes and Door Dash won't negotiate on their 20 per cent fee.

"We talked to Goods to Go, and they are only charging us 10 per cent. They understand our challenge and have tried to help us out. I'd encourage customers to order through them since they're meeting small restaurants in the middle," he said.

Despite the pivots and the challenges of Omicron, Sekar is optimistic.

"We hope that we'll be able to offer South Indian teas here. Maybe make an experience out of it. There are so many things we'd like to build here," he said.

"Right now, we're just hanging in, but if we can get loyal customers who continue to order food, then we'll be alright. We want to be part of this community."

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