Little India grows and matures atop neighbourhood’s deep roots
Despite gentrification, new generations continue to thrive on popular strip
Street level snapshot: A walk along Gerrard St. E. between Greenwood and Coxwell Aves. is a sensory bonanza. Brilliant textiles flutter like flags outside shops, the air carries drafts of spice and incense, and families of every shape, colour and size crowd the sidewalks, their chatter reflecting the linguistic Babel that is Toronto.
Gentrification and new cultural influences may be influencing the vibrant neighbourhood known as Little India — and the Gerrard India Bazaar shopping strip — but it’s still anchored by some of the same families who came in the 1960s. They began arriving when changes to immigration regulations prompted significant numbers of South Asians to seek out a new life in Canada.
Gurjit Chadha was among that wave, opening a restaurant on the strip. Today, his son Harjot Sabharwal co-owns the current incarnation of the MotiMahal Restaurant (motimahal.com).
Mumbai-raised Govind Mahtani arrived some 20 years later, via Hong Kong, and opened NuCreation, which sells traditional South Asian saris and wedding apparel. Back then, Little India was an even smaller enclave than the few short blocks it now encompasses.
“There was a cinema, a few stores and one or two restaurants. It has grown a lot.
“That’s a good thing, but it also means more competition,” he says.
It would be hard work, however, to compete with Mahtani’s second-floor bridal boutique, which houses stunningly beautiful pieces for both men and women, rich with embroidery and exquisite beadwork — much of it designed by two of his sons. Home decor hotspot: Rang Home Decor (ranghomedecor.com), run by Mahtani’s daughter, Trish, carries colour-drenched textiles for cushions, bedding and draperies, as well as furniture, accessories and jewelry sourced from across India.
Many of the pillow designs are done by Trish and custom designs are available.
She worked with her father for a year or so before branching out on her own 10 years ago, and says she’s always been interested in design.
“When I was kid, I used to love to make little pillows from leftover fabric. I liked working with my dad.
“But I saw there was no one in the area doing home decor, and I thought it would be great if I could bring that to the community,” says Trish.
Born in Hong Kong, she came to Canada when she was 9. Now 30something, she’s watched the neighbourhood change and grow. And she loves that.
“Toronto is such a multicultural city, and this street is good symbol of that.
“I’m a symbol of that too. And so is my store. It’s not typically South Asian — it’s a fusion of East and West — just like me.” Where to eat: You don’t go to MotiMahal for fancy-pants decor or crisp white tablecloths. Its interior, though clean and well-lit, is simple, with family-style booths, colour photos of menu items on the wall and a television running Bollywood movies.
The affordably priced food is, however, five-star.
Those unfamiliar with Indian cuisine might start with something relatively tame, such as channa bhatura, a dish of delicately-spiced chick- peas, with a side of potatoes, pickled vegetable and two huge hunks of fried bread. In the name of sound journalism, I was compelled to try the samosas, and bite-sized goat kebabs — also extremely delicious.
Owner Harjot Sabharwal says the secret is authenticity. “You will never get a masala made from a package here,” he says.
“It’s all authentic — we blend our spices for masalas, and we make our own pastry for samosas. It’s all done the old way, every single day.”
Sticking to traditional methods has garnered MotiMahal fans who make regular visits from as far away as Pittsburgh, New York and Montreal and — more locally — from Oakville, Brampton and Mississauga.
Open every day except Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., MotiMahal also does catering and takeout. Where to live: For the last five years, Mike Unsworth, a sales rep with Homeward Real Estate, has been selling homes in the area, where he also lives with his young family. In that time, average prices have risen from the mid $400’s to over $750,000.
There’s been an influx of families with children like his, says Unsworth, drawn by good schools, accessible public transit and the proximity to both the Beach and the Danforth neighbourhoods.
“We’re right smack in the middle,” says Unsworth. “So there are lots of options and attractions, like the jazz festival.”
Side streets contain mostly detached homes and semis, but multi-residential options are starting to appear. East Village Leslieville, for example, which comprises 31 units of stacked townhouses, will be ready for occupancy mid-2016. Where to play: Monarch Park, a five-hectare park near Danforth and Coxwell Aves., has an off-leash area for dogs, outdoor pool, wading pad for the little ones and a playground. In winter, there’s an outdoor rink. More from Vicky Sanderson at thestar.com/life/vicky_sandersons_on_the_house. Also the DIY editor for Reno and Decor magazine, Vicky is on Twitter: @vickysanderson or email vswriter@sympatico.ca.