 Fine dining Indian restaurant breaks with tradition in Hong Kong
An Indian restaurant opened recently in Hong Kong that steers clear of the carpeted walls, vindaloo and beer tradition that has made Indian eateries so popular in the past. VEDA, a stylish and chic restaurant in Central is pitched at more the discerning local diner and is attracting rave reviews.
Only a few well-known Indian dishes pop up on VEDA's menu, with authentic home-style provincial foods the order of the day.
"I felt most of the Indian food represented in Hong Kong is typically north Indian food and there's so much more which can be explored," said Sarika Jhunjhnuwala, VEDA's owner and creative force. The menu is also healthier, represented in a wide choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. "It reflects today's trend for lighter, healthier, quality food,'' VEDA general manager Franck Crouvezier said.
The person responsible for creating VEDA's menu is executive chef Rajiv Singh Gulshan, a highly experienced professional with a passion for collecting original recipes from his travels all over India. His years of experience with India's leading Oberoi Hotel Group and as a teacher of Indian cooking at the internationally renowned Oberoi School of Management have given him an outstanding knowledge of the traditional and modern approaches to Indian cuisine.
One of Gulshan's signature dishes is pomfret rechade, goan chili marinated whole fish on cabbage and coconut foogath.
General manager Crouvezier said superb wines complimented VEDA's fine dining experience. "VEDA's exotic cuisine and contemporary wine list has introduced the culinary world to a new playground for the wine and food matching game," he said. "Even the most discerning connoisseur will be tantalised by the marriage of such superb wines with the regional, authentic flavours of India.
But it's not just VEDA's food which is different - the surroundings provide diners with a fascinating marriage between traditional Indian and modern design. A mirrored staircase with a distinctive honeycomb design that leads diners from the street level bar to the first-floor restaurant typifies that. Once on the first floor, diners are confronted by oversized tandoori ovens that are visible through a plate glass wall and long communal Indian-style tables that Crouvezier calls a "culinary theatre"
VEDA's look has been created by Darryl W. Goveas, of Pure Creative Asia, whose clients include Christian Dior, Loewe, Christian Lacroix and Celine. Goveas has given VEDA its stylish contemporary look by utilising original Indian ornamentation comprising rich and exotic colours, handmade mirrors and custom-made fabrics and furniture that hark back to traditional Indian interiors. VEDA is located on Arbuthnot Rd, Central.
|
|
