Blue Sapphire Adds To Booming Bedford Restaurant Scene
BEDFORD — If you consider yourself a connoisseur of foreign cuisine, the Bedford Highway is a place you must go. Restaurants, often established by immigrants and newcomers, have given this stretch of pavement a rich, international taste.
One of the newest Indian restaurants to hit the Halifax area, Blue Sapphire, has just opened its doors at 1475 Bedford Highway.
Perusing its menu, you might find yourself getting hungry as you flip through photos of Chicken Tikka, Butter Chicken, Lamb Curry, and Peas Pulao.
Zishan Yusuf, one of the four owners of Blue Sapphire, says his passion for food came as a child back in India. It was passed on by his mother, who is also a doctor.
“It started as a hobby and became my passion,” stated Yusuf.
Yusuf and his partners only arrived in Halifax from Toronto a few months ago. They chose to leave Canada’s unofficial capital because of how crowded the restaurant scene is. In Halifax, they found a city that is growing and has incredible business potential.
“Here we have more chances to grow faster and grow bigger. Because in Toronto, it’s too much competition and too much everything. Here [in Halifax] the city is growing,” explained Yusuf.
“We thought it’s hard to find halal food in Halifax. So, we thought we’re going to open something that serves what we like to eat. So that’s the plan. We’re just brainstorming and finally we came up with this idea.”
The way Yusuf describes it, the decision to come to Halifax, and the opening of Blue Sapphire, all happened in rapid motion.
“Honestly speaking, I didn’t research anything because opening a restaurant is my idea. I just shared the idea [with my partners] and they said ‘we are with you.’ So, basically, they jumped in the boat, and we just kept traveling.”
“We then decided what we’re going do, where we’re going to open. We don’t know any area we don’t know anything about Halifax… and then we opened a restaurant.”
Blue Sapphire has technically been open for about a month, but Yusuf and his partners are planning a grand opening closer to Christmas Day, around December 20. For Yusuf, owning a restaurant is a dream come true after spending much of his career on the management side of food and hospitality.
“I used to manage a restaurant. I finished my hotel management [degree] so I know how to cook, how to manage, how to run a store,” he said. “So that was my plan; when I finished college, I decided I have to open a restaurant one day.
“Finally, I think like my dream was coming true.”
Derek Montague is a Huddle reporter in Halifax. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].