Varq

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284 Cambridge Street, Wembley
Ph: (08) 6361 1160
www.varq.com.au

A Touch of Varq
AN edible gold or silver leaf used to adorn and decorate Indian sweets is known as a ‘varq’, and therefore, I could not think of a more appropriate name for this restaurant. Its meals are inspired by authentic dishes from Northern India. But this is not like any other Indian restaurant you may have been to. Chef Shyam Verma has adapted these dishes with his own style. You could say he’s added some decorations of his own, much like varq.
My first dish was an entrée of Tandoori King Prawns, marinated with carom seeds and spices. They were also served with a mint yoghurt. As you might expect, the prawns have a slight spiciness to them. To get a delicious and unique flavour, I’d recommend dipping the prawns into the mint sauce and washing it down with a glass of 2012 Mount Trio Sauvignon Blanc (Porongurup, WA).
For my main dish, I ordered the Chicken Breast, which was stuffed with spinach, apricot and chicken mousse and served with vegetables. This is a Varq signature dish, and has to have been my favourite dish of the day, and up with some of the best chicken breasts I’ve ever tasted. The chicken was soft and tender, and I loved the unique flavour that was created by the sauce drizzled on top. I would never have considered cooking the chicken on the bone, served with vegetables, but this combination worked so well. Plus it’s quite a decent serving, so if you’re extra hungry, I’d recommend it.
My colleague had the Rack of Lamb, which was served on top of a butternut pumpkin hummus with pickled onions on the side. I was surprised at how much the pickled onions enhanced the flavour. This dish works best when all elements are combined on your fork and enjoyed with a glass of 2006 Peel Estate Shiraz (Peel, WA). The burst of flavour was incredible. The best part about it is that it’s not your everyday rack of lamb. The use of Indian spices in the dishes makes them modern, yet still authentic.
“The way we present and accompany our dishes is unique,” says Shyam. “We don’t do what everyone else does. I want it to be different.”
He’s exactly right too. The final dish we tried was the Barramundi with rice salad. A dash of moilee mayonnaise decorates either side of the dish and must be tried with it. For those who don’t know, it tastes similar to a relish or pickled mustard sauce.
Like most of the dishes, there is a slight spice in the flavour. But again, the elements of the dish work so well together, especially with the mayonnaise and a glass of Mount Trio. The fish was tender and easy to cut and while barramundi might not be the fish of choice in India, this dish has been adapted to suit a WA palate. Both the lamb and the barramundi are
currently specials, but being popular dishes you should expect them on the menu soon.
Varq’s recently acquired liquor licence means you can enjoy these dishes with a selection of wine. But if you’d prefer you can also bring your own, as Varq is also BYO wine only.
There are plenty of vegetarian options on the menu as well. If you’re looking for an Indian experience that can truly be distinguished from any other, then you must check out Varq. Don’t expect traditional Indian meals, but rather modern meals that have been created with Indian spices and flair.
By Lauren Kelly
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