If you’re in the mood for some good old Indian food, replete with spices, flavor and color, we have got you covered. Here is a list of top Indian restaurants to get your tandoori, curry and naan fix.
Mustard
There’s no shortage of decent Indian eateries along Race Course Road, and this restaurant specializing in Bengali and Punjabi cuisine is one of its brightest stars. Occupying a modest space in the shadow of its bigger and better known neighbors, eating here is a truly delightful experience. Service, while good, plays second fiddle to the mouthwatering food. You’d do well to order yourself the rich and spicy coconut prawn curry, a moreish dal tadka and kosha mansho (sauteed mutton curry). The best mid-priced Indian establishment in town. 32 Race Course Rd.
Rang Mahal
Breaking with the heavy, Mughal-inspired decor commonly found in many fine dining Indian places, this stalwart, around since 1971, is all about high ceilings, clean lines and minimalist decor. Even the presentation of the regional (North, South, coastal and other) dishes is delicate rather than hearty. Try the tandoori lamb chops, served on a hot stone, and tandoori salmon tikka. Vegetarians won’t feel left out with balanced, but flavor-packed dishes like the smoked eggplant bharta, paneer tikka and the palak paneer. There’s a brief list of mostly French wines, too, curated specificallyfor Indian flavours. 3/F Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Blvd. Make a reservation via Chope here.
Saha
Modern Indian restaurant Saha moved from Duxton Hill to the National Gallery, offering an inventive approach to a hard-to-change cuisine. Abhijit Saha’s restaurant takes time-honored regional Indian dishes and recasts them in interesting, light and sometimes deconstructed ways for both vegetarians and ominvores alike. Try their take on the Kerala vegetable stew, which comes espuma-style, with citrus pudding and garlic crumbs, or just get one of their tasting menus and let the kitchen take you on a familiar, but entirely new ride. #01-03 National Gallery Singapore, 1 St. Andrew’s Rd. Make a reservation via Chope here.
Shahi Maharani
Around for years and with a steady following for both lunch and dinner, Shahi Maharani is a regal and reliable North Indian experience tucked in a quiet corner of Raffles City Shopping Centre. Doting service, lavish Mughal-style decor and live Indian band aside, the menu does solid tikkas and curries, some coastal and Bengali staples, fresh and warm naans and some exciting signatures like the spicy Soft Shell Crab Mirchiwalla. And even carnivores should try their vegetarian selection, including the kamal kakri (lotus root) kofta. #03-21B Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd. Make a reservation via Chope here.
Tandoor
Lavish and relatively affordable, this Indian stalwart’s forte is North Indian and tandoori staples, but they do a good job on regional and coastal dishes, too, such as the Malabari fish curry and the crab masala, made with coconut milk, curry leaves and mustard seeds. Changing with the times—but not too much—they also do a funky paneer-pea tikka, where they stuff cottage cheese with spiced peas, Philly cream cheese and all kinds of herbs and spices. #B1/F Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre, 11 Cavenagh Rd. Make a reservation via Chope here.
