AVATARA opens its doors to diners today.
With Trèsind Studio (recently named 4th best restaurant on the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants list) moving to a new location at the Nakheel Mall Rooftop, a new restaurant from the Passion F&B team will be taking up residence in the space.
An exclusively curated vegetarian degustation experience, dubbed ‘a reincarnation of soulful Indian food’, now awaits at the newly opened AVATARA. Located at VOCO Hotel, the venue draws inspiration from the earth, elevating humble seasonal ingredients that are pure, clean and entirely natural. And at the helm? Culinary maestro Chef Rahul Rana, who has a rich background in curating vegetarian and patisserie concepts. The menu at AVATARA showcases a modern avatar of the techniques, philosophy and story of soulful Indian food owing to the fact that, originally, Indian cuisine was predominantly vegetarian.
The idea is not only to challenge the limited perception around vegetarian cuisine, but also curate a unique dining experience that showcases its endless possibilities. Serving as the restaurant’s mascot, the peacock symbolises the diversity of culture and cuisine of India, its expanding feathers representing innovation in traditional vegetarian food. AVATARA has a capacity of only 24, making for a highly personalised dining experience. Two seatings – 6:30pm and 9pm – are on offer every night from Tuesday to Sunday, with the experience priced at AED 375 per person.
Hailing from Rishikesh in the north of India, Rana was raised at the foothills of the Himalayas and grew up developing an innate understanding of different cultures and cuisines silence the city has always been a tourist destination. “Cooking is like meditation for me. I have possibly inherited this from my grandfather, who was a chef for the Maharajas. I believe that taste is everything. A good meal has the power to rejuvenate and change perceptions,” he says. “With AVATARA, we attempt to bring about change in the way people look at vegetarian food.” Incidentally, Rana grew up in a predominantly vegetarian community, which only added to his intrigue towards food and exploring culinary innovation. Today, his focus is to evoke strong emotions with every bite.\
DSCVR: AVATARA, VOCO Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Trade Centre, Dubai (058 143 2867). @avatara.ae
