Vatan

You'll be greeted by a bejeweled elephant at the entrance and transported by the village atmosphere complete with a banyan tree, amber lighting and prosaic murals. Vatan was among the very first dining rooms to focus exclusively on vegetarian cuisine and on the regional cuisine of Gujarat in northwest India. The prix-fixe meals have set menus for Jain, gluten and nut-free palates that take the guesswork out of ordering. The accommodating staff glides from one table to the next serving a parade of delightful dishes in the thali format. Guests will be dazzled by the aromas and textures: from batatavada (potato balls fried in a chickpea flour batter), a delicate selection of samosas, ful cobi (based on cauliflower and green peas), mirchi bhaji (fried hot peppers with chaat masala) and breads: papadam (lentil wafers), puri and roti.