Vanakam India for quality Indian cuisine

 

It was 2019 when my friends and I savoured some popular North and South Indian dishes at Vanakam India opened in Taman Eko Botani, so I was delighted to accept an invitation to dine at their next outlet in Johor, opened in Taman Mount Austin.

 

Facade of Vanakam India at Taman Mount Austin

I was pleased that my Japanese friend, Yoshiko, who fondly recalled our dining experience at Vanakam India in Taman Eko Botani, was with me at their Taman Mount Austin restaurant for another taste of quality Indian cuisine.

 

The moment we stepped through the front door, our eyes were riveted to the mural painted on the back wall of the restaurant.

 

It was a sketch of the portrait of a lovely lady with her palms pressed together and raised to her lips to express, Vanakam, a greeting in Tamil which simply means, Hello!

 

Refreshing cool drinks: Passion
fruit Mojito [Left], Blue Lagoon
Lemonade [Right] with
Mango Lassi in the back row

As I turned the pages of the menu to look at the lists of dishes that ranged from starters, rice and gravies to dessert and drinks, I smiled when I saw a replica of this sketch on the back cover of the menu.

 

Since my previous dining experience at Vanakam India, I learnt that their team of chefs were handpicked from India, each for their skills in preparing North and South Indian specialties.

 

They insist that dishes must be prepared with fresh ingredients and masala or blend of spices, are ground from own recipes to create authentic cuisine at Vanakam India.

 

The very thought of own recipes and fresh ingredients was making my mouth water in happy anticipation of tasting the popular dishes in this restaurant.

 

While waiting for the appetizer, we enjoyed refreshing cool drinks dubbed Blue Lagoon Lemonade, Passionfruit Mojito and a familiar Mango Lassi.

 

Freshly made and served warm: [Clockwise]
Chicken Butter Masala, Kasmiri Pulao, Palak
Paneer, Hyderabadi Dum Biryani Chicken 65,
Bindi Kurkure and Cheese Garlic Naan

I liked the crispy appetizer of Bindi Kurkure. These are thinly sliced okra or ladies’ fingers coated in a thin layer of batter made with chickpea flour and spices, then deep-fried.

 

When two popular choices of rice were recommended, I did not hesitate to say, “Yes, please.”

 

The rice items were Kasmiri Pulao, long-grained flavoured basmati rice fragrant with a mix of spices, onions and dried fruits like raisins, and Hyderabadi Dum Biryani topped with Chicken 65, served with a side of curry gravy and raita.

 

Sizzling and spluttering Prawns
served on a hotplate

There were also freshly baked Cheese and Garlic Naan bread that tasted just right drowned in popular gravies of Chicken Butter Masala and Palak Paneer, bit of cottage cheese in minced spinach.

 

Listed under the section called, Chef Special Sizzlers, items served on a sizzling hotplate of gravy included choices of Chicken, Fish, Mutton, Crab, Prawns or Vegetables.

 

Our choice was Sizzling Prawns Masala, peeled prawns in a sizzling hotplate of rich sauce made with coconut milk, spices, onions and coriander.

 

Once again, it was our Japanese friend who decided that it was time to order glasses of water all around to help clear our palates before we tasted the next item.

 

A steaming hot and spicy bowl of
Nandu Rasam, Crab Spicy Soup

Then we were ready for a taste of the popular Nandu Rasam or Crab Spicy Soup.

 

This steaming bowl of soup, brewed with ginger, garlic, black pepper, tomatoes, mint, coriander among other spices, was served with pieces of a whole flower crab.

 

While Yoshiko felt that the soup was just too spicy for her taste, this Rasam was both familiar and comforting to me.

 

A serving of Rasmalai

When I read the final phrase in the description listed under Nandu Rasam on the menu that said, Good for cough and cold, it made me smile because rasam is a trusted traditional remedy in the Indian community.

 

I liked that Vanakam India provided a brief description of each item in the menu that will help diners better understand the ingredients in the dishes before they placed their order.

 

Having enjoyed such a hearty meal, we sat back and looked forward to the recommended dessert items to savour with a brew of hot Masala Tea.

 

I know that the menu listed popular Indian sweets like Gulab Jamun and Kesari, but I wanted to taste another dessert that was popular among diners.

 

Can you see the cardamom floating
on this hot brew of Masala Tea?

This turned out to be Rasmalai, a dessert that originated from Bengal.

 

Served in a glass bowl, this dessert is made of soft and spongy cheese dumplings cooked in syrup and then soaked in creamy cardamom-saffron milk.  

 

The delicious fragrance of cardamom continues to prevail as we sip hot Masala Tea. Just a friendly word of warning: Enjoy the flavour and fragrance of cardamom but do not chew it.

 

With Deepavali just around the corner, I am already planning ahead for another agreeable meal at Vanakam India. When I asked, I was delighted to learn that all the Vanakam India restaurants will be open as usual during the coming festive season.

 

Vanakam India at Taman Mount Austin is at No. 39, Jalan Mutiara Mas 2A, Taman Mount Austin, 81100 Johor Baru, Johor. [No pork or lard are used in the kitchen.]

 

Open daily from 11.30am to 10.00pm.

For reservations, Tel: +6014 923 1330

 

Besides serving authentic Indian cuisine at their Taman Eko Botanic and Taman Mount Austin restaurants in Johor and from another restaurant in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, Vanakam India also provides catering services for private events.

 

Email to: contact@vanakamindia.my for catering enquiries and for more info, visit website: vanakamindia.my