Mumbai welcomes a new vegetarian haven backed by a Michelin-starred chef

I recently watched The Menu, and amid its twists and turns, it was chef Julian Slowik’s perspective on the essence of food that stayed with me. In the film, chef Slowik urges his diners to not eat but to savour the flavourful symphonies plated before them. And that’s what food is—culinary art that is meant to be savoured. Out of the reel life and into real life, chef Rahul Rana exemplifies this sentiment through his visionary 14-course vegetarian menu at the newly opened Avatara in Santacruz.

Now, 14 courses might seem like a lot, but according to chef Rana, it’s hardly that much in Dubai. He adds, “The restaurant in Dubai includes a 16-course meal, and some guests opt for a second serving of the entire menu!” Taking his word for it, I eased into the experience, feeling confident enough to sit through 14 (small) portions of flavourful magic.

The menu, inspired by Sanskrit themes, is intriguing. For instance, the first course, Naivedhya is inspired by the holy offering made to God. Similar to the offering served up to Lord Krishna, the dish is a makhan malai-centred creation comprising a bonbon filled with rose and almond panchamrit, topped with makhan malai, popping mishri (sugar), and an edible flower that makes the dish almost too pretty to eat. This sweet, one-bite course set the stage for a truly memorable experience. 

Avatara has taken reinvention and reinterpretation of vegetarian cuisine quite seriously. One of the most fascinating parts of the menu is the lack of basic, familiar ingredients like paneer and mushroom. “In India, vegetarian food often conjures images of thalis, and if you order à la carte, then paneer and mushroom dominate the choices.” The lack of exploration of other vegetarian ingredients has led to a limited perception of what vegetarian cuisine can truly offer, and Avatara has set out to change this notion. In fact, chef Rana has also done away with garlic and onion, two ingredients that are believed to lend max flavour to vegetarian dishes. But believe us, you will hardly know it’s missing.

The trick, chef Rana shares, is to use less familiar but immensely flavourful ingredients. For instance, the panch phoran masala, which is used in a dish called sandhita, a warm pickled salad comprising toasted broccolini and panch phoran carrots. Complementing this spiced preparation was a soulful serving of makhani gravy along with candied walnuts, a small treat for those with a lighter spice tolerance. 

The menu also plays with textures and temperatures. Think well-balanced creamy and crispy curations—showcasing chef Rana's expertise as an executive pastry chef—and a combination of hot and cold plates. Karuvelvilas is the perfect example of that. It features one of the most dreaded vegetables, karela, in the most innovative way possible. The rich flavour of the karela ghee roast is married with a tangy raw mango sambar sorbet, sandwiched between dosa batter crisps, offering a delightful balance of flavours and textures. 

Following closely behind was Shikhalu, another fun flavour-meets-texture curation where corn was the hero element. The base is a savoury ghevar served with creamy corn and tomato shorba topped with grilled baby corn. Whether you like corn or not, you will definitely reminisce about this dish. My dinner companion will agree to that!

Highlighting the lack of Indian desserts, which often lean towards mithai, chef Rana served two very intriguing curations. The first—Ksira, is a coconut kheer and kulfi-filled appam served with a bonbon made of aamras, was perfect for a not-so-sweet sweet treat, unlike the second, Madhuram, which was a tad too sweet for us. It was a reinterpretation of the famed bal mithai from Kumaon, comprising a chocolate rosette filled with the mithai. It was served with a non-alcoholic rose made from rhododendron flowers, which helped balance the sweetness of the dessert.

Keeping tradition in mind, the meal came to a close with Parna, a paan-flavoured bonbon that mimics the paan tradition in Indian cuisine. 

With a focus on innovative ingredients and new approaches, Avatara offers a culinary journey that transcends expectations. By incorporating lesser-known ingredients and reimagining traditional dishes, the restaurant showcases the diverse potential of vegetarian fine dining, inviting guests to approach vegetarian cuisine with an open mind for a truly indulgent culinary experience.

Address: 7th Floor, Krishna Curve Building, Junction Of Linking Road, & Juhu Tara Rd, opp. Juhu Garden, Santacruz West, Mumbai, 400054

All images courtesy of Avatara. 

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