A NEW restaurant is to open in Eastleigh in a bid to offer residents “something different”.

The Steak and Spice on Leigh Road will officially open its doors to the public on January 8, creating ten new jobs.

Owned by Siddek Shere, 23, from Bassett, it aims to give residents the chance to have a steak and Indian food under the same roof.

But among the main dishes on the menu there will not be just curry, chicken tikka masala or beef steak but also crocodile, kangaroo and ostrich steak.

Mr Shere said: “ There’s nothing like that in the borough. We wanted to bring something different to the town centre. Steak and Indian food are some of the most popular in the country and we wanted to give residents the chance to have both in the same place. We are not just a steak house and we are not just an Indian restaurant.”

The menu will also offer different vegan and vegetarian dishes.

“We want to cater for everyone so everybody can come out together and eat whatever they like”, Mr Shere added.

He also said most of the produce will be sourced locally.

Mr Shere, who was born in Bangladesh and moved with his family to Southampton when he was one-year-old said the restaurant will be family run.

“ We want clients to experience a family feeling. We want the restaurant to become a hub for the community”, he said.

Mr Shere, who previously studied Mathematics at Portsmouth University, said he decided to open his first restaurant in Eastleigh after having been inspired by his father Sattar.

“ My father was the first to open a restaurant with an open plan kitchen in Southampton. He opened the Mystery in Thornhill in 1988 and he has inspired me in many ways. This is why I am in this industry”, he said.

Now Mr Shere’s first restaurant will officially open its doors to the public on January 8.

The restaurant will be open every day from 5pm to 11pm and also from noon to 2.30pm on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Mr Shere said that live music events will also be organised once a week.