Vansh (Kallang)

Vansh is an Indian Restaurant that combines the traditional Indian food with modern dining concepts. With a neon-green open kitchen in the centre that has glass surrounding it, there are even bar seats where you can watch your food being prepared up close. If you're worried about getting "smoked" or smelling like you've just stepped out of a BBQ party, don't worry as the real cooking is done in the regular kitchen nearby. If bar seats are not your fancy, you can choose to have the indoor couches or the al fresco seats. Dimly lit, it's a great place to chill, but not quite for photo-taking. (as you can see from my pictures)

We dropped in without a reservation on Christmas Eve. Luckily we were pretty early and the place was quite empty when we got there. The wierd thing was that it got filled with family-types close to 9pm.

The staff were mostly native Indian and were very polite. I liked the ambience very much. It was cosy and still had an Indian flavour to it.

There was quite a selection of food and we took some time to decide. We were also given complimentary rolls (I don't know what they are called) and a variety of dips as starters. We certainly enjoyed trying all the dips.

Food Ordered:

Honey Kulzza $9 This was a a pizza like bread covered with honey, tomatoes, coriander and onion seeds. I liked it very much. It wasn't overly sweet. This alone could be a meal for a small-eater as it was enough for the two of us to share.

Tandoori Mushroom $13 These are fresh button mushrooms covered in herbed cheese marinade. Honestly? They did look quite ugly on the plate. But once they are in your mouth, it's very nice. Despite looking very dry, the button mushroom is still juicy and chewy, which gives it a different texture from its outer covering.

Chicken Tikka Masala $18 Recommended by the staff, this consists of tandoori marinated chicken cooked with capsicum in a flavourful tomato masala. MMmM I'm still thinking of this one... it was spicy but not the kind to make your hair stand. The chicken was still tender. The masala was perfect for us to dip our naans in.

Plain (X1) and Butter naans (X1) $4 each The naans were thick and fluffy, served nicely in a basket. Actually the plain one was enough for the two of us. But we had so much masala left we ordered the garlic one too! The Butter one was more oily than the plain one (obviously) and I think I would have rather stuck to the plain one.

Virgin Colada $9 My companion had no complaints about this drink. It was just a little overly sourish but there was a strong coconut flavour which appealed.

Tulsi Sherbet $9 A mix of basil, lemon, ginger and spices all blended to give a delightfully sourish drink. I'd say this drink was a good accompaniment to the food. I wouldn't order this if I weren't eating though.

Good service throughout our time there. When I dropped the naan on my lap the staff was alert enough to hurry over quickly and offer me another napkin. We were also given little party sets since it was Christmas Eve.

So good service, good food and good ambience. All for $78, inclusive of service charge and GST. I wouldn't say it was expensive, but it is above average. I would have given it 5-stars if it were more convenient. But the waterfront location made it quite romantic to have a leisurely walk after dinner. Worth a try definitely.