Chef Meeru Dhalwala’s New Chapter

When Shanik opened its doors in South Lake Union in 2012, Seattle food lovers rejoiced. No longer did fans of modern Indian cuisine have to trek to Vancouver to iconic Vij’s for a taste of chef Meeru Dhalwala’s bold flavors and creative dishes. Shanik quickly made waves, landing in the semifinals for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in the United States—a remarkable feat for any newcomer, let alone one venturing into a new city and a new culinary landscape.

Though Shanik closed in 2015, the memories—and Dhalwala’s Seattle connections—have endured.

Those relationships, paired with the creative freedom she experienced here, made a lasting impression. Shanik allowed her to experiment with local sourcing and seasonal cooking in new ways. Lamb came from Oregon farms; vegetables from Washington’s farmers’ markets. “I stayed very much in touch with my instincts,” she says. “I’m not a follower. I’m confident in what I’m creating, and I feel like in society, we need people like that.”

Nearly a decade later, Dhalwala is writing a new chapter with Lila, her recently opened restaurant on Main Street in Vancouver, BC. After decades of running Vij’s—an institution in its own right—she felt the need to return to something more intimate and hands-on. “I wanted to go back to the drawing board and recreate things with my own hands,” she says. Lila, with its 40 indoor seats and hidden garden patio filled with herbs and flowers, reflects that vision.

The restaurant’s name, like Shanik before it (which was named after Dhalwala’s daughter), carries deep meaning. In Sanskrit, Lila means “divine and playful feminine energy.” “That’s what the name reflects about what I’m doing,” she says.

As with her previous ventures, the menu blends tradition with innovation. Whole Indian spices, ground in house, remain the anchor, but they’re paired with seasonal British Columbia ingredients sourced from a dedicated organic farmer. “On Thursdays, my farmer brings me everything she has, and that’s what I cook with the following week,” she says. Seafood comes from Organic Ocean, chosen for its traceability and sustainable practices.

For Dhalwala, sustainability and social responsibility are inseparable from cooking. “My work is very closely linked to who I am as a human being,” she explains. “I can’t separate the two.” That commitment shapes not only her sourcing but also her approach to pricing. She hopes Lila will prove it’s possible to serve beautifully sourced, hand-crafted food, pay staff fairly, and keep dining accessible.

For Dhalwala, Shanik represents an important chapter in her 30-year culinary career—one that helped shape her approach to food, community, and sustainability. While her focus is now on making Lila thrive, the legacy of her Seattle experience continues to influence her work and inspire her creativity.

Follow Lila on Instagram for more updates, like the restaurant’s latest menu, which now includes locally sourced lamb curry featuring Chef Meeru’s garam masala and special 3 hour layered onion saute.