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The wait is finally over. Yantra becomes the first (fine-dining) restaurant in Singapore to launch a 5-Course Vegan Indian Menu. You don’t just get to dig into fare that is ethical, the food is also simply outstanding. Having been around for 10 years, the award-winning restaurant has firmly stood the test of time and is well known for presenting North-Indian dishes in a new light. The menu at Yantra is carefully designed, and the spices are specially flown in from India.
Yantra has always been vegetarian-friendly, and now they’ve decided to jump onto the vegan-friendly bandwagon as well by launching their specially curated 5-Course Vegan Menu, which is now available at the restaurant upon prior reservation and for private events. We recently tried out the Vegan Menu and left with satiated tummies and indulged palettes.
Appetising Vegan Delights at Yantra
Rich in flavours, taste and visual appeal, the meal starts with an amuse bouche – Yantra’s signature Quinoa Chaat. This tangy, spicy chaat is Yantra’s Indian play on the super grain, complete with dried-mango chutney and chaat masala. The first bite brings on flavours of mint and dried-mango, which complement each other beautifully. Chew on and you’ll taste hints of mustard and other spices. The chaat is refreshing and appetising. Wash down the Quinoa Chaat with Peeli Mirch ka Shorba aka Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup, that is served alongside.
Moving on to the Starters, you’re served Tandoori Broccoli and Bhatti Avocado. The Broccoli is marinated in oil and dry spices and grilled to perfection. The end-result is delectable, making it one of my top picks of the meal. The Bhatti Avocado that accompanies the broccoli is brilliant. My tolerance for avocado has never gone beyond guacamole (no kidding, I just don’t like the fruit), until now. Not only did I tolerate it, I immensely enjoyed the chargrilled, spiced-up version of the wonder fruit. I wonder if I can get Yantra to reveal the secret!
For the next course, Asparagus Methi Chestnut takes center stage to show you the magic vegetables can conjure up. Asparagus and Chestnut aren’t ingredients you would usually find in an Indian kitchen, but the chef here has worked wonders with them. Beautifully plated, the AMC (as I call it) is white and green asparagus tempered in cumin and topped with a thick sauce of chopped chestnuts and fenugreek leaves in coconut cream. Everything pairs flawlessly, and the dish presents a melange of subtle coconut and fenugreek flavours with a dominating dash of cumin. The star dish of the night, albeit with some serious competition.
Mouth-watering Vegan Mains at Yantra
The main course that arrives next is a hearty spread of 3 main dishes served alongside Veg Pulao, Lachchha Parantha and Tandoori Roti. We started the mains by dipping some of those piping hot paranthas into the Hyderabadi Dal, which is a home-style, light and healthy dish of yellow lentils tempered simply with garlic and cumin seeds. It was this comforting feeling of simplicity that turned it into something special. Accompanying the Dal is the lean and green Bhendi Pyaz i.e. okra cooked with onions and dry spices. Just as I thought it couldn’t get any better, entered Kadhai Tofu, Yantra’s amazing vegan take on the popular North-Indian dish — Kadhai Paneer. The dish of wok-fried tofu and bell peppers, in a dry gravy of onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices, is colourful, flavourful and rounds off the mains perfectly.
Sinful, Indulgent Vegan Desserts at Yantra
Complete the meal on an indulgent note, with the Mango Sorbet and Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake with Walnut Brownie (from Yantra’s sister restaurant Brunetti). Those with a sweet tooth can delight as both the desserts are delicious, the portions are more than generous (it would probably take me 2-3 sittings to finish the brownie) and the desserts are not sickly sweet. Both desserts are not offered as part of Yantra’s a-la-carte menu, and have been introduced specially for the Vegan Menu. It is this thoughtfulness that makes Yantra exceptional.
Verdict
Overall, the food is simply great. As is to be expected of a fine dining restaurant of Yantra’s calibre, the food is not overly greasy or too heavy. I can honestly say that this is one of those rare meals, where you will be hard-pressed to find fault with anything. My standards for an Indian meal are pretty high and Yantra delivers a winning meal on all counts. Yantra’s 5-Course Vegan Menu is priced at S$68++ and is well worth every penny. As of now, the Vegan Menu is only available upon prior reservation (at least 48 hours’ notice is preferred). The Vegan Menu is also available for Private Events.
Yantra: 163 Tanglin Road, #01-28/33 Tanglin Mall, Singapore 247933. P: +65 6836 3088
Opening Hours: Lunch 12PM – 3PM (Daily); Dinner 6.30PM – 10PM (Weekdays) & 6.30PM – 10.30PM (Weekends). *Don’t forget to make a reservation in advance if you’d like to go for the 5-Course Vegan Menu
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of EatRoamLive, Pooja’s enthusiasm for food and travelling is palpable from the variety and intensity with which she writes. A traveller at heart and a big-time foodie who is vegan, EatRoamLive was incepted with her desire to create a resource aimed at making dining out fun, and not restrictive, for veg(etari)ans. Not just (solely) veg(etari)an restaurants, she marks out places that serve sumptuous food with enough meat-free options. A hands-on mum to 3 young kids, the former architect and interior designer has her hands full juggling her love for writing, travelling and home.