Curry Favours At Vansh Indian Restaurant

Samundari Toofan (Tandoori Prawns) - $24)


Traditional papadum in cigar shape


INTRODUCTION:

Stepping into the Vansh Indian Restaurant at the Singapore Indoor Stadium is like going into a swanky downtown club or bar.

Every chair is decorated with black sequinned cushions. The open-air kitchen sits squarely in the middle of the restaurant. The new-age decor is eclectic in comparison to the regal tones of sister restaurant Rang Mahal at the Pan Pacific.

And the presentation of food here is as unique as the decor of the restaurant. The traditional starter (or side-dish, depending on where you're at) papadum (deep-fried biscuits) is rolled into a large cigar shape and placed in a long-stemmed glass. Served with a selection of three in-house dips, the basic crunchiness has an added layer of sweetness, making for a very appetising start to lunch.

THE MENU:

The samundari toofan (tandoori prawns, $24) is a clear winner. A layer of basted herbed yoghurt gives way to firm white flesh within. The honey kulzza (leavened bread topped with honey and tomatoes, $9) is aromatic and crispy. Although listed as “fluffy bread” on the menu, it is paper-thin. A scattering of pine nuts on top gives the dish some crunch. We also had the chicken tikka masala (chicken tandoori curry, $18). Smooth, juicy chunks of chicken tandoori go beautifully with the tomato curry.

You must try the lamb biryani (mixed rice, $18), one of their specialties. Served in a small black pot, fragrant basmati rice is cooked to steaming perfection, and mixed with lamb chunks and sun-dried tomatoes. Cashew nuts add a crunchy texture to this wonderful dish. The lamb chunks were also extremely tender. The garlic naan (flatbread, $4) tasted great whether dipped in curry or eaten on its own.

Unfortunately, the kashmir rogan josh (lamb curry, $18) was a bit of a letdown. The curry was aromatic enough but the lamb
chunks this round were a bit too tough. Perhaps they needed to be cooked just a bit further.

CONCLUSION

Despite stories about Indian food being spicy - after all, nearly everything is curry - the meal was not overly spicy, even for a non-chilli eater like myself. Neither was it too oily. To keep things clean, Vansh stays away from using ghee (clarified butter) in its menu, and cooks its food in vegetable and olive oil instead. In fact, eight dishes on the menu have been endorsed by the Health Promotion Board as being “healthy choices”. We think that's a good thing for your body.

Price-wise, Vansh's items are placed in the mid-range. For lunch, expect to spend about $40 per person (without government taxes). You can also opt for the slightly cheaper set meal, which gives you a choice of mains along with two daily appetisers for just over $20 (before taxes).

But bear this in mind. For the quality of the food that you get to eat, the impeccable level of service and the classy ambience of the modern decor, we think what we spent was worth every cent.


Rating: 4/5


WHAT: Vansh Indian Restaurant
WEBSITE: http://www.vansh.com.sg/
WHERE: #01-04 Stadium Waterfront 2 Stadium Walk (Singapore Indoor Stadium, facing Kallang River)
WHEN: Noon - 2.30pm, 6 - 10pm
CALL: 6345 4466