Lila Is the New Vancouver Restaurant That Puts Friendship on the Front Burner
Local legends Meeru Dhalwala and Shira Blustein have joined forces to open a new modern Indian concept on Main Street.
There is an inimitable warmth and ease that exists between true friends. It suffuses the space around them, enveloping those in their orbit with a soft glow. To sit across the table from Meeru Dhalwala and Shira Blustein over cups of hot chai is to share in this unique energy. Their 14-year friendship is the bedrock on which the idea for their restaurant Lila was founded. And its popularity right out of the gate is a testament to the breadth of their combined skill set, fusing Dhalwala’s award-winning culinary prowess honed at Vij’s and Rangoli with Blustein’s remarkable talent, as seen at The Acorn and The Arbor, for creating a front-of-house atmosphere that encourages guests to put away the cares of the world and linger over a beautiful meal.
Initially, the partnership between Blustein, a former punk-rock and still active musician, and Dhalwala, who has a background in human rights and economic development, seems incongruous. But the Venn diagram of their respective skills and interests intersects quite clearly. “We both prioritize art and creativity. Shira and I come to this collaboration not with the ego of this industry and a feeling that we must do what’s prescribed,” Dhalwala reflects. “We made our own desires and met in our own places, defined by how it suits us.”
Defying the innumerable delays of a conventional restaurant opening, Lila came to fruition in a remarkably compressed timeline. Synchronicity was key. Blustein’s lease for The Arbor was expiring after eight years. At the same time, Dhalwala had reached an inflection point in her 30-year career as a chef after receiving Restaurant Canada’s prestigious Culinary Award of Excellence.
“Thanks to the trust that we built over the years in our friendship, we literally came up with this idea three months before we opened,” Dhalwala says. “We may be, on record, the fastest restaurant conceived and built from scratch.” With eight restaurant openings between them, the seasoned veterans tapped into their collective experience. “That quickness does come from trust and respect,” Blustein adds. “Those are such overused words, but when trust and respect runs this deep, there is less to get in the way of the creative process.”
In Sanskrit, Lila loosely means “divine play.” And few things are more blissful than an evening spent on one of the best hidden patios in Vancouver. Tucked away from Main Street’s bustle, the oasis is a transportive space that serenely cocoons you from the worries of your day. Blustein and her husband, Scott Lewis, carried this verdancy indoors, festooning the ceiling with plants in a cozy room awash with greens and greys. And Lila herself, the lovingly appointed restaurant mascot taken from an Aubrey Beardsley illustration, presides over the room as part of a hand-painted mural created by Lewis, with a little personal touch from each of their two daughters. “I love this space dearly,” Blustein affirms.
“When it comes to building a team, collaboration is my number one thing. Making a restaurant approachable incorporates a little bit of everybody’s personality. We’re bringing in a vibe that makes people want to be here, drink a glass of wine, and feel at ease. Our common goal is to give each of our guests the best possible experience.”
Adorning one wall, a polyptych of Nan Goldin’s Picnic on the Esplanade captures the delightful abandon the duo nurtures at Lila. “Our food isn’t modern Indian cuisine—it’s Meeru Indian cuisine,” Dhalwala says with a radiant smile. “Our menu is simple and perfect. It’s 12 to 14 dishes meant for sharing, and that’s what I’m loving.”