Sam to hurry from a curry

Andrew Mathieson
GEELONG’S curry king has left the building.
The pink facade on owner Sudershan Mehta’s – better known to his years of loyal customers as Sam – Geelong West premises will never be the same.
The unique Samraat Indian restaurant is closing its doors on Sunday – finally.
Or so Sam hopes.
Last goodbyes were supposed to be held last Sunday but were postponed another week until the transfer of documents to the new owners were finalised.
“We were very, very busy on Sunday,” Sam hesitantly admits.
“I was saying farewell but I had to apologise that it wasn’t our last night.
“We’ve been here a long time and people have known us for a long time.
“We had just two weeks (notice) to let people know, which was never enough.”
The 48yearold has been longing for a “welldeserved break” and will return to his homeland for a holiday at the end of the year.
After the best part of 20 years in business, Sam can lay claim to be the longestserving Indian restaurateur in the city.
There was little doubt in his mind what he’d do months after arriving in Geelong direct from New Delhi in May, 1987.
He initially started the Samraat as a takeaway store in Newtown at the bottom end of Pakington Street.
Back then the public’s tastebuds were not so sophisticated but Sam still decided to take a chance.
“We’ve always liked Pakington Street because it was always busy,” Sam says.
“But back in that time it wasn’t very popular – there wasn’t many other food outlets here. I think there were only one or two others at the time.”
More than five years later Samraat shifted and opened a dinein restaurant in the heart of Geelong West.
Sam can now take some credit for an upsurge in local Indian restaurants in recent years.
But the Samraat is different.
Most cook with clay tandoori ovens. Sam, on the other hand, keeps to traditional homecooking methods.
“I learnt it that way, got inspired by mum cooking and it’s the authentic way to cook,” he recollects.
“It takes a bit longer but I feel it’s the right way to cook to get the right flavour.”
Sam and his wife Sumita’s day starts three hours before opening hours and finishes close to midnight.
Conceivably, they surround themselves with food all the time.
Makhani, masala, korma, all of them exude through their veins.
But, still, Sam can never get enough.
“We also like Chinese, Italian, Thai but Indian is our favourite – doesn’t matter if we’ve cooked it or not,” Sam grins.
“I never get sick of Indian – I’ve always enjoyed my own cooking and we always cook something different off the menu.”
Sam will walk away with a range of emotions.
There is a great sense of pride and satisfaction but tinged with sadness.
It’s the friends made along the way that Sam will remember most.
He knows at least 100, maybe 200, of his customers by name.
“I was talking to some people (last) Sunday night that said they used to go to the takeaway shop – I didn’t know that,” Sam tells.
“They have been getting food from us for the last 20 years and that’s special.
“It will be a strange feeling when we shut this restaurant and we’re finished up here.
“I don’t know what we’ll do next week.”