Residents who enjoy eating at Olfactory Hue Catering & Bistro should spend the next month getting their fill of the menu.
Owner Daysha Amster announced on Facebook Monday that the restaurant, located at 226 E. Main St., will be closing on Feb. 28.
Nearby business partners and customers who have come to know Amster over the five years she has run the business in downtown Niles expressed sadness at the news.
Pizza Transit owner Sarah Brittin responded to the post saying that Amster’s passion for cooking has been something she truly admired.
“I’ve sincerely loved being neighbors! It’s been so great to have a restaurant buddy to turn to,” Brittin said.
While the doors to the restaurant will close, Amster will keep the catering side of the company operating, meaning that the gooey macaroni that has earned the title ‘Daysha’s Famous Macaroni’ will still be available.
The decision was not an easy one, Amster said. But with her lease having ended on Dec. 31, she saw an opportunity to take a break from the business and spend more time with her two young children and family.
Amster had not always planned on opening a restaurant. After studying world cuisine at the Art Institute of Seattle and graduating in 2005, she returned to her hometown Niles — where she cooked, but only to sell a couple of items here and there at the French Market.
Then she met Scott Roberts, who, after trying her food, said she should open up a restaurant in his building downtown.
“I said ‘you are crazy,’” Amster said.
But after giving it some thought, Amster decided that opening a restaurant would allow her to offer Niles shoppers more than fried food and burgers.
Amster prides her restaurant on making everything from scratch and using locally sourced, organic ingredients. Customers have responded favorably.
Customers voted multiple menu items from Olfactory Hue Catering & Bistro as the Leader Publications’ “Best of the Best” in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The restaurant won the best in lunch, Michiana restaurant, dessert, vegetarian and burgers.
In 2014, the restaurant also received an award for the C2 Your Health’s healthiest business.
Amster is proud of these accolades, but more proud of being able to provide a place for Niles residents to enjoy a delicious meal.
“Just that people came and enjoyed a meal and laughed makes me happy,” Amster said.
Other food items like her Vietnamese and Thai dishes would sell out within hours.
In addition to catering, running the restaurant and a supper club, Amster said she began to feel a little “spread thin.”
When she was not preparing meals, she said she was also in the kitchen washing dishes, cooking and then operating as the office manager.
Another challenge was bringing more people to the downtown. While Amster said that the financial aspects of the business were not part of her decision, she did say there were difficult months, when she did not see as many customers as she would have liked.
When asked if she had parting words, Amster said she encourages people to support their downtown businesses.
“Eat local,” she said. “Support these people. We have poured our heart and soul [into the downtown]. When we leave, people are still going to be down here every day. We cannot be down here without customers.”
Since opening Olfactory Hue Catering & Bistro, Amster said she is proud to see just how far the downtown area has come.
“We have accomplished so much,” Amster said.
In the coming weeks, Amster encouraged those with a gift card to try and use it before the restaurant closes. If they cannot make it to the store in time, Jim Morris of Paris Soda Co. has offered to honor gift cards at his restaurant.
In addition to running her catering business, Amster said she has accepted a role as a part-time choreographer at Ring Lardner Middle School.
Olfactory Hue Catering & Bistro will continue to operate from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday until Feb. 28. Amster invited customers to visit and let her know what they enjoyed about the restaurant.
“Please come,” she said. “[We] are all for staying busy for as long as we can.”