Vegetarian Fine Dining at Royal Vega, ITC Grand Chola Chennai

As the name goes, Royal Vega is a Fine Dining Vegetarian restaurant in ITC Grand Chola  From the minute you walk into the restaurant, you are transported to the Royal palace where you are the King/Queen.What sets this restaurant apart is that it features a collection of signature vegetarian dishes from across the country, all of which are based on “seasons” with ingredients sourced from specific regions…. Infact their menu is divided into sections based on the ingredients.. 

The only word that comes to my mind when I hear the name “Royal Vega” is Opulence, grandeur… The furniture, the cutlery, the cloches, even the napkin holders – each of them are exquisite. Heck, there are pieces that you will find difficult to carry – that is how heavy they are. 🙂 

For someone who is so used to going to restaurants where veg food is given the least attention, being in an all vegetarian place felt nice.. I had the company of friends who were all hard core non vegetarians 😀 Ironic, right? 

The dishes served here came with stories, right from where the ingredients originated to the relevance of the dish to the season it belonged to. We had Chef Varun Mohan giving us the insight into each of the dishes, the kitchen and the team that belonged to Royal Vega. What is common thread between them all- they are all vegetarians. How cool is that? A separate kitchen, separate set of utensils and this went all the way down to the spices and masalas used. There was no talk of borrowing a spoonful of this or that from another restaurant. 

The evening meal was planned based on the “seasons” and we had dishes made with the finest ingredients brought down from Delhi, Kashmir, Spain and various other corners of the globe. The evening began with the healthy Triphala Churna Powder [made with three different , a green chutney and along came the delicious Beetroot cutlet [I shamelessly asked for a 2nd one, that is how yummilcious it was]. I chose the mocktail made with watermelon and ginger, having about 3 through the meal. 

And that is food journey went on that evening. We were stumped with how rich and unique each of the dishes were. The way the big plate with the dishes was carried into the restaurant by the staff [holding it over his head as a sign of respect for the Food], making sure to explain each dish as it was served into the cups lined within our plates. There was a roti that had 101 pinches and they have a person in the kitchen who is an expert in making those. The Ker sangria kofta, peas curry, daal, the Kachori like dish, each one was a play on our taste buds. Many of the flavours were new and I knew each dish had a different flavour profile, they each had a distinct taste and texture. At the end of the meal, I had a smile on my face, did not feel stuffed or heavy… 

As you go along this food journey, you will no doubt be left wondering how these dishes were so different from the ones you have had in other places or even compared to the ones you cook at home. It is all to do with the ingredients I guess. Sometimes it is best not to question but to just enjoy. This is one such restaurant…

“Dining at this restaurant is more about the experience than the food”.. Many will find the place expensive, especially since it is a pure vegetarian place, but I sure feel it is worth it just for the way you are treated & the effort that goes into it all…