A new restaurant which offers buffet options has had its grand opening in Blackburn.

Nawaab Cuisine has taken up the spot of the former Shahi Qila venue in Shear Bank Road.

The restaurant will serve buffets on Fridays and the weekend and an à la carte menu for the rest of the week.

The banqueting halls which catered for weddings and special events will be open as normal throughout the week.

The Shahi Qila was the first Punjabi buffet restaurant to open in Blackburn offering all-you-can-eat meals for less than £10 when it launched 20 years ago.

The venue was used for numerous events and functions but closed following Covid.

Nawaab Cuisine is not affiliated with the My Nawaab brand which is based in Stockport Road but manager Sher Khan said it employs chefs who have worked at some of the most famous restaurants in the city.

He said: “We are looking forward to welcoming guests from across the region.

“We chose Blackburn as there are few buffet restaurants in the town. We think there is still a demand for buffet restaurants.

“Our chefs have worked at some of the leading restaurants in Manchester and we are hoping to bring a taste of Pakistani and Indian cuisine to the town. They have a lot of experience.

“We know people from the town travel to Manchester for the ultimate buffet experience. Now they won’t need to.”

The menu features traditional curries, a wide range of vegetarian options as well as signature dishes such as barbecue platters. 

A buffet will set you back £18.95, with children charged £9.95.

There is no charge for under four-year-olds. Prices in Manchester for buffets are around the £25 mark. 

The Nawab Cuisine takes up the spot of the former Shahi QilaSher said: “We have a range of Peshawari style dishes such as the Peshawri Chapli Kebab, Namak Mandi Tikka or Shinwari Karahi. We are catering for both Punjabi or Gujerati cuisines.

“We think that people will be impressed with the food and the variety and hope to attract, couples, families and larger groups.”

The Saliheen Scouts who are based at Masjid E Saliheen in Didsbury Street were invited to the grand opening and took part in the ribbon cutting.

The scouts provide adventures and opportunities for children from Blackburn and the wider area. A total of 35 children attended the opening along with scout leaders and their families.