Jinga Nasha â jumbo shrimp marinated withIndian spice, herbs, white wine cooked in thetandoor and tossed in garlic, white wine and herbs.(Photos: Garfield Robinson

Food, Lifestyle, Local Food, Local Lifestyle, Thursday Food, Tuesday Style

May 9, 2018

Stirring The Pot @ VR’s Mantra

Counting Down To The 20th Staging Of The Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards, Thursday, May 31, 2018

Co-principal of VR’s Mantra Vijay Sadarangani is a happy man. He has reconnected with his passion:Food! Like many after graduating from university, he sought a job that paid well rather than allowing his heart to lead. That changed three years ago, however, when he opened Sky Bar and Grill. “I was able to add Indian cuisine to my menu options as I found a chef who had the same passion as me to provide a taste of Indian as had in India,” he shares with Thursday Food. His passion for food is infectious and in between forkfuls of Kesar Paneer Tikka we delight in our journey stirring the street food pots of India. “You are getting the real taste of Indian food,” our culinary guide adds. “Our food is not customised to meet the taste buds of any one individual but to give the natural taste of food. We only use meats and produce that is grown in Jamaica. I believe that the meat purchased in a box will not do justice to the taste I want to bring on your table, as in India I don’t remember ever having food at any of my favourite food joints that served boxed meat or frozen vegetables.

“I have a few farmer friends in Jamaica who actually grow a few herbs for me and I have a few that I grow at my house so that my restaurant can provide the natural taste of India.

“We make all our Indian breads without eggs, we only use snapper fillet to make our fish dishes, we make our yogurt and all our sauces in-house thanks to the number of Indian grocery stores on the island and the availability of so many herbs and spices in our markets.”

There is so much to discover… “Indian cuisine is not just one type of food. If you go north, south, east, west or central India every region has its own cuisine. What I offer at my restaurant is a taste of foods from all different regions. Every now and then we do specials at the restaurant with themed nights from different regions of India.” There have been three themed nights thus far and all have been great successes.

In a space that occupies 1,046 sq ft and sufficient seating for 58, has a natural breeze and a jaw-dropping view (the only one that affords a view of the airport and the bay), a great team of wait staff and chefs and good food, we leave the final word to Sadarangani… “The best Indian food in India is not had at any fancy restaurant but on the actual streets of India or small food joints. That’s the taste that we have worked on to bring to the table right here in Jamaica at our restaurant.”

What’s your verdict? We look forward to hearing from you…

VR’s Mantra

19 Queen’s Drive, Montego Bay

Tel: (876) 616-2362/3

e-mail: mantrajamaica@gmail.com

Opening Hours: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm

Kesar Paneer Tikka — cubes of cottagecheese marinated in saffron and yogurtwith mint chutney

Dil Kush Chicken Tikka — chicken breaststuffed with cheese and sweet peppertossed in a red orange cheesy sauce

Vegetable Shish Kabobs — freshgarden vegetables finely chopped andwrapped on skewers and grilled.

VR’s Mantra co-owner Vijay Sadarangani presents the raan — think: a Sunday roastleg of lamb, but with goat — that takes three days to prepare. Preparation includessteaming ahead of baking in the tandoor oven.

Raan with soup made from the stock. Rice,a mediterranean salad and garlic, onion andtomato masala (Photos: Garfield Robinson)

Vegetable Bhunna — garden-fresh vegetables reducedTurn to VR’s on Page 4 in a medium-spicy gravy on a low flame

Chicken Lazeez — boneless chicken breast cubes cooked in a gravy made up of onion,ginger, and garlic and topped with cheddar cheese

Butter andgarlic naan

DessertMatka Malai Kulfi made the old-school way — from the sweetshops in India — fresh milk boiled down to a thick pulp, sweetenedand frozen in a matka.

Food Awards judge Maurice Sloleyadds onion rings to his Kesar PaneerTikka.

Jason Hendricks, brand manager, spirits,Heineken, helps himself to the JingaNasha (jumbo shrimps cooked in thetandoor and tossed in a sauce made upof wine, garlic and Indian herbs.

VR’s Mantra owners Vigjay Sadarangani (standing) and Rajesh Kirpalani (seventh left) with Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards judges and sponsors (from left) MauriceSloley; Josina Jackson; Novia McDonald-Whyte, Table Talk Food Awards Chair; Shelly-Ann Curran; Annaliesa Lindsay; Adolph Raynor; Natalie Chin, head of advertising,marketing and communication at JOL; Jodi Henriques; Mala Morrison; Lyshon Davis, LASCO iCool brand manager; Jason Hendricks, brand manager, spirits, Heineken; HoraceRoache, Frigidaire merchandise and sales officer; Rochelle Cameron; and Pauline Edie. (Photos: Garfield Robinson)

Food Awards judges Annaliesa Lindsay and AdolphRaynor share notes on the vegetable shish kababs.

Jason Hendricks, brand manager, spirits, Heineken, and Food Awards judge AnnaliesaLindsay raise a toast to ‘Johnnie’ as fellow judges look on.

Food Awards judge Mala Morrisontries soup made from the stock of theraan.

VR’s Mantra co-owner Rajesh Kripalani serves Natalie Chin (left),Observer head of advertising, marketing, and communications, theraan while Food Awards judge Jodi Henriques awaits her turn.

LASCO iCool brand manager Lyshon Davis enjoys thegarlic naan

The stars of the kitchen, chefs Khushal Singh (left) and Chandrabir Singh (right)with Nicola Howell, restaurant manager; and wait staff (from second left) DarciaWilson, Diedria Brown and Ahkeem Nelson.

Johnnie Walker Black special with blueCuraçao, pineapple and lime juice

Stirring The Pot @ VR’s Mantra

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