New ‘Fusion food’ restaurant opens in historic Blackburn building

SAMA is based on Kings Court, King Street in the former location of the East Lancs Deaf Society. 

The restaurant will serve pulled-beef burgers, grills, platters and kobeda kebabs as well as other house specialities.

It will also feature a range of mocktails and signature desserts.

Manager Aziza Writer said the team had been working hard ahead of welcoming diners to the restaurant for the first time.

She said: “The renovations were completed during the lockdown. This is a historic building and we wanted to keep within the theme of the building.

“We have attempted to create to create something quite unique for the town and for this area.

“We opened for take-outs only earlier this spring but have yet to welcome diners inside. So far the response has been really good.”

The interior of the restaurant area has been renovated and includes distinctive features such as a corner bookcase and fireplace. 

Kings Court was constructed in 1804 and has had a number of users in the past 200 years. A café run as a social enterprise has been run at the premises in the past.

The building is presently used as an events and office space with the ground floor now the SAMA restaurant.

Whilst the food is authentically Asian, Aziza said they offered a variety of cuisines that would appeal to a wide range of people.

Aziza said: “The food is a mix of everything. We have Mexican, Turkish and Indian and we would best describe it as Fusion food.

“We use the finest quality meats and healthy food. It is about offering something different and quite unique to the people of Lancashire.”

The venue will also host small parties and weddings for up to 80 people as restrictions are lifted this week.