Now it’s the herbivore’s turn to have fun

There’s no denying that as far as the city’s restaurants were concerned, it has always been a carnivore’s world. But while vegetarians have always been sidelined in the city’s food scene, the times are certainly changing for the better and it’s no longer just paneer and potato on the menu. Several upcoming restaurants are recognising the need for more vegetarian options and are going for a culinary makeover to cater to the vegetarian gourmand’s palate. Here are some options for those who want more adventure than just dal chawal.

‘American food’ and ‘vegetarian’ may not sound so good in a sentence, but on a plate, it’s a matter of how creative you can get. BKC’s newly launched organic-specialty restaurant The American Joint is giving classic American staples a desi twist. While the all-time favourite French fries get a revamp with ‘Tikkatastic’ – regular fries soaked in creamy tikka gravy and a generous garnish of mozzarella cheese, the Mean Green Banana is a refreshing addition with raw banana chips served in South American herb sauce. A number of such innovative touches to the all-American menu has made this joint a welcome addition to the city’s vegetarian options.

However, it is not the only one making vegetarian food more exciting. 38 Bangkok Street is taking experimentation to a new level with ingredients such as lotus stem, glass noodles, Japanese wine, water chestnuts, broccoli and zucchini to add appeal to the vegetarian plate. The restaurant’s owner Gaurav Berai tells us about the idea behind his venture and says, “Earlier, there was this perception that vegetarian food was just ghaas-phoos, but that’s changing now. Vegetarianism has been gaining momentum in the past few years. Today, there are chefs who want to change how vegetarian food is seen and Mumbai is one of the best places for it since Mumbaikars, have always been ready for experimenting with their appetite. To make sure even meat-lovers like it, we use mock meats in our menu. And while the concept may sound strange, our diners have been lapping it up.”

Nishek Jain’s Twenty-Nine in Kemps Corner, which is an ode to the twenty-nine states of India, started the restaurant in an attempt to dish out authentic regional cuisines from across the country. It was during his trip to Bihar that he got a chance to sample some delectable litti-chokka. After failing to find a sample of the dish in Mumbai, Nishek ventured across the country to understand local vegetarian cuisines. And armed with a collection of authentic recipes, he decided to open Twenty Nine. “I didn’t want to be a Soam or Swati Snacks where I serve singled out Maharastrian and Gujarati cuisine and call it ‘regional’ without options from the other states,” he tells us.

And while one may assume that the clientele includes predominantly vegetarian communities such as the Gujaratis, Jains and Marwaris, Nishek tells us otherwise. “I have a loyal Parsi and Bohri customer base too. Even in a hardcore non-vegetarian family, people prefer eating vegetarian food for at least two days in a week,” says Nishek about his customer-base. What makes it authentic, says Nishek is that he sources even his ingredients from the regions to where the cuisine belongs. While onions for his pyaaz ki kachori come from Rajasthan, the herbs for bharvan khumb (made from mushrooms that are distinct to certain regions) are sourced right from Kumaon Valley.

American Diner’s Manan Mehta believes that the perception about vegetarian food being substandard too is changing. He says, “There was always a perception that meat is luxurious and tastier.” While ‘pure-veg’ restaurants are a common sight across the city, the lack of quality fine-dining options for vegetarians has always been the biggest problem, feels Manan. “I think that can change if you whip up quality vegetarian food. There are not enough restaurants that cater to palates beyond your staple vegetarian dishes. Vegetarian food needn’t be boring — it can be fun, healthy and as tasty as non-vegetarian food. Chefs have been constantly experimenting with flavour profiles to give diners something new. And what’s giving this trend a boost is the fact that people are consciously opting for vegetarianism today.”

If this trend has vegetarians lapping up regional cuisines or global favourites, it also often entails these folks cajoling non-vegetarians to give up their meat for a meal, adding more to the fold. Gaurav recalls, “I’ve had instances when my guests have been disappointed with no meat or seafood on the menu. A few are reserved about eating their greens. We have tried to convince them to give our recommendations a shot. And thankfully it has worked out every time.”