Vatan is probably my favorite vegetarian Indian restaurant in the city. Recognizable by its front with an elephant as an ornament, its is an interesting place. Although it has no windows, they successfully recreated a space that would make you think, as you enter, that you travelled to India, having dinner outside thanks to the fake tree in the middle of the main dining room and not bothered by the fact that you only have artificial light.

Their concept is great: all you can eat vegetarian with first, a set of small dishes (called thali) where you cannot pick the spiciness (besides the fried hot pepper, it was fairly mild) and then main dishes, also in small quantity, but with the choice of spiciness, from mild to spicy. The meal would then end with desserts. Again, all you can eat and for just $39. Drinks are not included but I recommend their mango lassi and sweet lemon drink.

With our drinks, they also brought some far far crackers that are always a crowd pleaser.

Here is what we had:

Appetizer thali:

Chana masala - garbanzo beans cooked with onions and coriander
Khaman - wheat flour cakes
Muthia - steamed flour with spinach
Mirchi Bhajia - fried hot pepper with garam masala
Batatavada - fried potato balls in a chickpea flour batter
Ragda patis - potato cutlet in white bean sauce
Sev puri - crispy bread filled with potatoes, chickpeas, yogurt and chutney (one of my favorites)
Samosa (no need to introduce)

Entrees thali:

Toor dal - lentils cooked with spices
Bhaji - sautéed spinach and corn
Ful-Cobi - cauliflower and green peas sautéed in a savory sauce
Batakanu Sak - potatoes cooked in a mild gravy
Chole - chickpeas cooked with garam masala
Kheer - rice pudding with dried fruit (I know what you may think: is it dessert? Not yet but they serve it with entrees, maybe so it soothes your mouth if you get spicy food)

With the entrees came:

Pulao, khichdi and khadi at Vatan in NYC

Pulao - boiled rice with peas
Khichdi - lentils mixed with rice and vegetables
Khadi - soup with yogurt and chickpea flour in spices (I did not eat it as a soup but more mixed with the rice)

There were also breads, puri, a fried puffed up bread that is a must have and roti, as well as papadam (crispy lentil waffers).

Last was dessert and, although they are in small quantities, you can get several like ice cream (kulfi), gulab jamun (one of my favorite Indian desserts) and then some masala chai (tea).

So, we left full and walked a bit after dinner, glad that we went there. Vatan is a great place with a good deal for prix-rice and, being a non-vegetarian, I am still raving about this!

Enjoy (I did)!

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Vatan - 409 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016

Vegetarian dinner at Vatan in NYC

Jean-Philippe Gerbi