The sudden closure of Newcastle restaurant subo in September shocked food lovers across the city and beyond.
A sign was taped to the restaurant's front door which read: 'Possession of premises has been taken by the owner, please contact agent'.
The Newcastle Herald contacted Castle Property Hamilton, however, a spokesperson for the real estate agency said they were unable to comment on the matter.
Earlier this month people started to talk about a new restaurant opening at 551D Hunter Street, their curiosity piqued by tradesmen coming and going at the site.
This week Calamari Kitchen & Bar officially opened to the public.
It's Rahul and Unnati Kirtikar's first restaurant.
The couple say they "fell in love with the vibe and restaurant scene of Newcastle" while holidaying at Bar Beach last year. When Rahul, a chef, successfully applied for a job at Mercure Newcastle on Steel Street just weeks later, the couple had no hesitation in making the move north from Sydney.
"And then, within two months, I was surprised to stumble upon a 'for lease' sign [on Hunter Street} and called up the agent and one thing led to another," he told the Newcastle Herald.
Rahul is owner and head chef at Calamari Kitchen & Bar. He was taught to cook by his father, who was also a chef, and moved to Australia from India a year ago.
"I was in India, cheffing in various hotels and upmarket restaurants, and was a consultant for more than 30 hospitality projects up until we moved to Sydney in March 2023," he said.
"I love all sorts of cuisines; we eat multiple cuisines at home, be it pan Asian or even French, but roots are roots and home-style coastal cuisine is the way to go for me.
"We searched and searched for good Indian food in Australia and only a few have made my palate feel comfortable: also, there is a lot more to offer then the regular stereotyped Indian cuisine which has been highly diluted through time.
"I would like to slowly bring back the lost recipes."
He describes the menu at Calamari Kitchen & Bar as "elevated modern Indian with a coastal influence". Seafood takes pride of place and Goan flavours feature throughout, but there are plenty of chicken, beef and vegetarian options too.
Variety is, after all, the spice of life.
Read more: The owners of Newcastle's only hatted restaurant hope their legacy will live on
Read more: Kay Roberts was one of subo's first customers, now she owns it
Read more: Newcastle's subo is in good hands
