executive & pastry chef MIN THAPA | sous chef BIJUR SINGH | tandoori chef JOSE ALEJO
R
RESTAURANT
ABOUT US
The classic and traditionally authentic Nepalese and Indian cuisine is presented in a tasteful way,
harboring the essences of freshest and choicest ingredients and best spices available.
The tastefully adapted Nepalese and Indian cuisine in a contemporary rustic setting:
Vajra is a modern yet simple rendering of age-old classic cuisine from the sub-continent;
heralded for their rich cultural heritage and piquancy.
ALL PRE PAID PICK UP AND DELIVERY ORDERS - A LA CARTE AND FAMILY MEAL NOW CAN BE PLACED VIA OUR OWN ONLINE ORDERING PLATFORM. JUST CLICK ON ORDER ONLINE.
YOU CAN ALSO PLACE ORDER VIA PHONE CALL AT 1-773-697-4211 BETWEEN 5 PM TILL 9 PM EVERY DAY.
THE PREPAID DELIVERY ORDERS CAN ALSO BE PLACED VIA VARIOUS DELIVERY PLATFORMS WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH - CAVIAR. DOORDASH. GRUBHUB. UBER EATS AND POSTMATES.
EXECUTIVE CHEF TEAM MEMBERS
executive chef | MIN B. THAPA
sous chef | CHEF BIJUR SINGH
TANDOORI CHEF | JOSE ALEJO
PRESS | ACCOLADES
MICHELIN GUIDE
This good-looking stage is a refreshing and welcome respite from the heavy-hitting Devon Avenue spots. Named for the mythical weapon of the Hindu God of Thunder, the dining room is hugely appealing, thanks to an array of windows draped with billowing fabric, intricately carved artwork, and a spectrum of purple hues.
Born in Nepal, Executive Chef Min B. Thapa is no stranger to Chicago's culinary scene. His cooking is replete with wonderful, rich flavors and unique methods, as might be sampled in the crispy pakoras, samosas, and flaky parathas, all of which arrive with a medley of zesty chutneys. Mains, like perfectly tart and boldly spiced lamb vindaalu or marinated tandoori goat chops, reach sumptuous new heights when accompanied by soft jasmine rice.
TIME OUT CHICAGO
Executive Chef Min Thapa’s ambrosial Nepali menu is pure sensory delight, matched by theatrical cocktails and some of the city’s finest service.
Our senses were abuzz the moment we walked through the door. Head bartender Juanjo Pulgarin presided over the narrow bar, streaming colorful house-made syrups into shakers and coaxing smoke into a wine decanter filled with whiskey and soju. The latter cocktail—dubbed the Spiny Babbler’s Nest—would be cascaded into my rocks glass minutes later, its lazily snaking smoke turning heads nearby. The drink’s campfire-sweet aroma disguised the ambling burn of szechuan-infused demerara syrup. My sister’s thirst-quenching Fields of Elysium tasted like a melted pisco-spiked lime freeze pop, mingling tropical-sweet kiwi purée and elderflower liqueur.
INFATUATION CHICAGO
Checking out a new restaurant is a lot like going on a first date. You start sizing up the potential right away: Will it be a one-time hookup? A three month-er until you find a better option? It depends on what you’re looking for, and small details like if they’re wearing an ankle bracelet. But if you’re in the market for a new favorite Indian restaurant, Vajra in West Town could be the one.
At least that’s what you’ll start to think when you walk in. Not just because it looks nice and smells good, though both of these things are true. It’s because Vajra just has great energy. It’s busy and upbeat, and everyone seems to be having a good time. All of that’s definitely promising, but the main reason to see a future with this place is because of the delicious food.
CHICAGO SOCIAL
It took me a long time to stray from my go-to Indian order of chicken tikka masala. It wasn’t that I disliked other dishes, but rather that I knew what I craved, and the order saved me from puzzling over the unknown.
But only a fool would limit themselves this way at Vajra, where executive chef Min Thapa has assembled an imaginative assortment of Indian and Nepalese fare that makes straying all too easy. Pungent, cumin-laced duck chhoela ($13), sweet lobster malabar curry ($34) and rich Denver venison ($34) roasted in the tandoor oven infuse familiar classics with high-end ingredients in mouthwatering ways.
The Nepal-born Thapa, who spent years helming Mt. Everest in Evanston before making waves as the opening chef at Cumin in 2010, credits success to his focus on freshly prepared organic ingredients, and techniques he developed over a lifetime in the kitchens that began with a gig as a dishwasher at a hotel in India.
HUNGRY HOUND / ABC7
Several new Indian restaurants have opened in the city recently... all of them far from Rogers Park, where many of the old-line, traditional curry houses are. At one of them - in West Town - I was particularly intrigued by the South Indian influenced curry, so I asked the kitchen to show me how it's made.
You can tell pretty quickly Vajra isn't like any of the Indian restaurants on Devon Avenue. There are no sizzling platters of tandoori chicken being rushed around the dining room, and the space tends to be more austere. The restaurant offers both Nepalese and Indian fare - a rarity in West Town.