Adding to Andheri West’s already-vibrant food scene, Vedge’s all-veg menu boasts more than just idli, dosa, pav bhaji and the likes
It’s easy to locate Vedge even from Fun Republic’s entrance as the restaurant is positioned across it with a big signboard ahead of its glass-panelled entrance and facade. Inside, its dingy industrial look is reminiscent of new cafes and eateries at Lower Parel. But the difference and light here are brought by Edison bulbs and a few colourful tiles. The seating takes away from the intimate feel of its ambiance, but makes it apt for families and college kids. Having reached at rush hour, coolers were our first order.
Kokum Magic
While we couldn’t find the hint of rose in Kokum Magic that the staff had told us of, our tastebuds were happy to discover the gola masala and perfect balance of sweetness and sourness. Orange Blossom was just as refreshing with freshly squeezed maltas, mint leaves, lots of pulp and small pieces of orange with the rind. The menu, a mix of cuisines: Indian, Oriental, Italian and Mexican with several dif ferentsounding dishes, tempted us into a multi-course meal. Hence, despite the coolers, we ordered soups.
The Roasted Tomato Tortilla Soup had tiny cubes and ultra-thin slices of bell pepper, nacho strips, beans, and floating on top more nachos with molten mozzarella. The soup was tangy and medium spicy, just like their Tom Yum with mushrooms and zucchini. Each spoonful leaves a distinct aftertaste– we’re told it’s the lemongrass and galangal.
The Gusto style platter
The Cottage Cheese Flatbread tasted of a not-so wow mixture of paneer bhurji, corriander and spices, and the Gusto Style Platter–serving flatbreads sliced like pizzas with individual toppings of cheese, garlic, herbs and burnt olives with sun-dried tomatoes–lacked the gusto. Of the sauces, the cheese one was nice and smooth. The zing of kacchi kairi added to the Open Cheese Enchiladas was a good idea, but a bite, which reveals bell peppers, reminds one of nachos with beans. Bell peppers also found their way to the saffron-flavoured Sicilian Risotto and the basil-fragrant, but sweet and oily Burnt Chilli Basil Noodles.
They don’t claim to serve authentic food, but a better variety of veggies would help. Some dishes including the peppery Thai Corn Cheese Cake and purple Chukandar ki Galoutis, didn’t taste as good as they looked. And then we were in for a surprise–Madras Crispy Veggies. It filled our mouths with a burst of wonderful textures and flavours lent by burnt onion and bell peppers, fried curry leaves and crunchy bhajia granules, green chillies, lemon zest and dessicated coconut (with its welcome pungency). The crispy veggies were given a lovely chivda twist. Our dessert Mangalorean Gadbad, really left us with feelings of gadbad. So we concluded that Vedge’s offerings are just like England’s weather, you may be faced with the rain or get to bask in the sunshine. Should that stop you from visiting England?
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