Yantra's Bengali's Feast
"Bengali is one of the underrated ccuisines in India, " says Chef Pinaki Ray, of Yantra. "When you talk about Indian food, people tend to talk about North Indian food: butter masala, Dal makhani, and naan. Bengali cuisine, on the other hand, is very rich and very varied. There's lots of fresh fish, lean mutton.” He details about how the creators of the cuisine, mostly Begali widows, developed the cuisine, which caters also to a vegetarian diet, alongside mutton cooked the traditional Bengali way, the liberal use of mustard paste, and Bengali sweets. This was something he wanted to bring forth at Yantra, where alongside the popular North Indian dishes, he is set to introduce his culture to the Singapore public. “We make the sweets in house.” He explains, beaming with pride.
Chef Ray, who joined Yantra this year in March, has a career spanning 17 years, including names such as JW Marriott South Beach and Marina Bay Sands, but this is the first time he was able to helm a restaurant that focused on North Indian food. " Everywhere else, I was mostly cooking European style cuisine, and sometimes perhaps simple Indian food. This is an oppportunity for me as an Indian chef to showcase my range and skills as an Indian chef. Yantra has always been famous for pushing the envelope, and that's why I want to bring in some Bengali cuisine." Reception towards his menu has been great so far, with people raving about the combination of fish cooked perfectly with mustard paste as an example.
Yantra will be showcasing more promotions in the next few months, starting with a menu that's meant to celebrate Durga Puja, a Bengali festival which will be held on Thursday 22 October and end on 26 October.Till the, the team at Yantra are welcome for you and your families to join them down at Yantra to taste their lunch menu.
