A NEW family restaurant is bringing the authentic taste of India to Bolton town centre.

The K-Lounge restaurant has launched in Mawdsley Street and is offering a traditional curry experience with a twist or two.

The restaurant and bar venture is the brainchild of cousins Vignesh and Amit Patel, who grew up in Bolton enjoying the taste of India from Kanu Patel —Amit’s dad and Vignesh’s uncle — and dreamed of opening their own curry house.

It has now been realised and the cousins have pumped £80,000 into the underground unit which used to house Carbon Bar and before that Bergeracs.

The restaurant is also offering a speciality indo-chinese menu.

The family-theme is enhanced as Kanu himself is operating in the kitchen — overseeing the lunchtime menu, with experienced South Indian chef Matthew Simon in charge of the evening food.

Vignesh Patel, who also owns the two Little Italy outlets in Blackburn Road and Wigan Road, said he is thrilled to have realised his boyhood dream.

He said: “When we were growing up we just loved eating food made by Uncle K (Kanu), we were fascinated by it and always talked of one day opening our own restaurant.

“We have called it K-lounge in his honour — the food he used to make us and the food we are bringing to the people of Bolton is made from the heart.”

The Patels emphasise that K-lounge is more than just a curry house, with an extensive bar area serving beers, soft drinks and cocktails to guests in the restaurant and in an outdoor seating area in Mawdsley Street.

Mr Patel said: “We had some good times when this place was Bergeracs and we wanted to create somewhere where people can have a bit of a party as well.”

He added: “We can see that there is a big improvement taking place in Bolton Town Centre, with developments like the Market Place, the cinema and the transport interchange, so we wanted to be a part of that.”

K-Lounge is currently opening from Tuesday to Sunday and accepting group bookings, for more information contact 01204 774321 or follow K-Lounge on facebook.