The same team behind Ma’am Saab, Charleston's first Pakistani restaurant, announced that they will be opening Malika, a new Pakistani Canteen-style restaurant located in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre at 1333 Theater Drive. Malika will open its doors later this summer, and will offer Pakistani street food.
“Street food is an essential part of everyday life in Pakistan,” said chef and co-owner Maryam Ghaznavi. “Whether it's a quick lunch with a friend, a mid-day tea and chaat date, or a quick snack to cool off after a summer shopping spree, we all turn to the ever creative, never disappointing foods sold by hard working vendors along the busy street sides. Malika, which refers to “Queen” in the Urdu language, is set to be a vivacious brand that will honor the street foods of Pakistan in all its glory!”
“Mount Pleasant is our family's home, and we don't have South Asian cuisine represented here,” said Raheel Gauba, co-owner of Malika and Ma'am Saab. “The best place in Mt. Pleasant to have Pakistani food has been at our dinner table, but that changes now. We're so excited to extend our dining room to our guests here in Mt. Pleasant. Playful and rebellious yet pure at heart, we hope guests fall in love with the ethos of Malika and our food made for sharing and connection.”
Gauba (left) and Ghaznavi (Credit: Ben Chrisman, Chrisman Studios)
Chef Ghaznavi will create dishes that she says will feature the authentic and complex flavors from the streets and canteens of Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and beyond. Guests can expect canteen classics like Daal Chawal (Curried Lentils with Basmati Rice) and Malai Tikka Roll, along with a selection of hot and cold drinks such as Kashmiri Chai and Nimbu Paani (home-made Pakistani lemonade).
In celebration of their announcement, you can win a limited edition Malika t-shirt by solving some trivia and fun tasks on their instagram- @malikacanteen.
Ma'am Saab remains open at Workshop through May 31st, and is slated to open doors to its future home in downtown Charleston at 251 Meeting Street later this summer.
