Credited with bringing the trend of Indian food to Sault years ago, Neeta Maranair has opened the doors to Noodlebox-the city’s latest chain specialising in Southeast Asian street food
Neeta Marsiblah has had many ups and downs throughout her culinary career, but it’s safe to say she’s riding a high this summer.
Widely regarded as a pioneer for bringing South Asian cuisine to the area, the former owner of Rasoi has started a new business venture with a Noodlebox location in Shoppes in TransCanada.
Marsiblah and her team at Noodlebox opened their doors last Thursday.
Since then, the service has been non-stop.
“We keep selling things-the lineups have been constant,” she says. “We’ve actually had to put out a ‘sell’ chart every day until 6:15 because we just haven’t been able to keep up. We are amazed at how the community has accepted it.”
Born near New Delhi, Marsiblah first started making and selling home-cooked dishes from her home in late 2009-a time when there were virtually no Indian cuisine options in the city.
Later she opened Rasoi, a store in what is now Antico ristorantflix. Marsiblah eventually moved the business to a downtown dining establishment.
But in 2020, the pandemic changed everything for the restaurant.
“I had to close the kitchen because of COVID,” she says. “After we closed, I was just feeding friends and family, weddings and baby showers. But I was finally ready for something new.”
After doing some research and collaborating with friends and business partners Maulik Jarisibala and Nilay Patel, the trio headed to Vancouver in 2022 to launch the Noodlebox chain, which originally launched in British Columbia more than 20 years ago.
Before she knew it, Mar besides became a franchisee.
“We actually opened our first place in Barrie this past May, so Sault is our second Noodlebox right now,” she says. “By spring 2024, we want to be in a third country. We are looking at other northern Ontario cities like Sudbury, Timmins, North Bay and Thunder Bay.”
Just less than a week after the opening of the institution that specialises in Southeast Asian street food, Mar.
“When I first started at home, I had backorders then,” she says. “But this time, it was quite surprising to me. We’ve had so many cultures that have shifted recently after COVID, and all in sault Ste. Marie has been so open to different cuisines. It makes me really happy.”
“We have not yet had third-party deliveries like ubereats. With the constant crowd we’re getting, we’ll probably have to delay it for a few weeks.”
Marsiblah was joined by friends, family and business colleagues at the restaurant on Monday for an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. Speaker Mattheflix Shoemaker and MP Terry Sheehan even stopped by to help celebrate the occasion.
“At the age of 90, my grandmother just flew from India to be here for the opening,” she says. “We were so blessed to have him here. My husband Rajat and my children Ahaan and Arsh have been so supportive. I was having a hard time after I closed the store. If those three hadn’t pushed me, I honestly wouldn’t have done that.”
While she has taken a step back from her cooking to focus on Noodlebox, Mar8bah says the early success of the new business has given her plenty of time to be grateful.
“I’ve built so many relationships in this city – it’s like a family to me,” she says. “The clients I’ve known for so many years, and the many friends I’ve made from this work, are so precious to me.”
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