Indian Cuisine
I tried the Sambusa, which is an African inspired crispy samosas with spiced curry beef filling. Somewhat like our SG version of samosas but XL version, this was pretty nostalgic as I haven’t had one in ages and I remember getting it as breakfast from my canteen back in school.
Paneer Tikka ($18) is a famous Indian appetizer where pieces of Indian cottage cheeses are marinated with curd and spices before being grilled until charred in a traditional tandoor oven. On the first mouth, it resembles 'tau kwa' with its soft mouthfeel and the way it breaks apart with each bite. I enjoyed the smoky element which was a result of the grilling and it does help to cut through the flavour a little given how jelak I was by the time I was having this.
The Kongunadu Kozhi Kuzhambu ($19), is good old chicken curry with freshly roasted spices. With the viscosity slightly denser and thicker than the usual ones served at your neighbourhood prata stall, this makes them the perfect vessel to coat their Garlic Naan ($6) and Tandoori Paratha ($7). Doughy and flavourful, yet not overly thick and heavy, the flavours of the naan settles nicely on your taste buds, complementing the taste of the curry. I would have devoured a couple more naan if I weren't already this full by the end of the meal.
Chicken Dum Biryani ($21) is an old school classic Indian food that's no stranger to all. The aromatic basmati rice has thoroughly absorbed all flavours of the spices that were thrown in, making you heady with all the aroma coming at you. The chicken was bursting with flavour as well, and I particularly enjoyed pairing it with the Varutharaicha Kari Kuzhambu ($23) which is mutton curry, in layman terms. I was glad the tender mutton was not at all gamey and was served in small chunks, making it easier to enjoy while looking glam, given how this is a restaurant setting. The potent array of herbs, aromatics and spices involved in this 2 pairing is just heavenly, and I can assure you that you'll have a jolly good meal here.
An amazing array of food offered here, the chef shared with us that the dishes here are largely inspired by the street food of India, but done in a contemporary style.
Here we have the Tandoori Smoked Salmon, which albeit soft and tender, was a little high on the sodium. Squeeze the lemon slice on the side for a tangy taste to cut through all the sodium!
Started off with the Monstrous MB Papad ($8), which was definitely eye catching given its size. The crust was thin and crispy, with various diced vegetable showered upon it, making this a light snack where everyone can easily enjoy while still leaving enough space for the subsequent dishes.
Never thought shots could be done this way 🤣 The Pani Puri Shots ($7) were essentially delicate crispy puffs filled with potato, fried flour, served with red sweet sauce and a green mint shot that spots a lighter viscosity than the former. All you gotta do is pour a splash of the red sauce followed by the entire green shot into the puff, and pop it into your mouth. As you bite into the crispy puff with the mixture swirling around, you should experience an explosion of flavours ✨
Unlike its name, Martini Pao Bhaji ($9) is not an alcoholic dish. It’s so named cause of the martini glass it was served in, under the chef’s creative direction. Taking on an Italian element, Garlic Bread was used instead of the typical pao seen along the streets of India, which was a great move because they certainly went well together.
Dessert was fascinating! The Sharaabi Ladoo is made of gram flour and soaked in vodka before being flambé right in front of our eyes. The flour taste though, can be a little strong, slightly overpowering the vodka, but the latter's scent was unmistakable.
my favourite dish of the night. The mushroom was bursting with umami, having soaked up all the sauce in the bowl and was incredibly flavourful! I enjoyed the sauce so much, I paired my naan with it to get a wholesome balance of textures to the meal.
Doughy and flavourful, the flavours of this Brown Garlic, Chili Flakes and Mozzarella Cheese Naan settles nicely on your taste buds! For a better experience, order a curry to go along with it and you'd find yourself having a very enjoyable meal.
Not forgetting curry, the Daab Chingri, which comprises of shrimps cooked in mustard coconut sauce nestled within a tender coconut shell. While this dish was labelled as curry, it was unlike any curry dish you have ever tried. Spotting the same viscosity as curry, this boasts a much stronger coconut flavour instead and they were really generous with the shrimps, as I found ~5 in this coconut shell.
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