In The Mood For Indian

From classic curries to tapas-style tandoori and tikka fondues, we put some of the island’s hottest Indian eateries to the test.

Rang Mahal Level 3 Pan Pacific Singapore 7 Raffles Boulevard 6333 1788 | rangmahal.com.sg

The mood: Contemporary-chic with high ceilings, earth tones and touches of gold, the Rang Mahal dining room is sleek and sophisticated – and take a peek into the beautiful private room! Equally refined is the menu of contemporary takes on Indian classics by award-winning Chef Milind Sovani. The service is excellent, the staff knowledgeable and the wine list massive, which all makes for a great special-occasion spot!

The food: Everything here is delicious (as it should be, with prices this punchy!). Our favourite starters included the perfectly cooked and flavoured ajwaini tandoori black cod ($60) and the creative butter chicken bao ($42) – four soft, steamed buns filled with rich butter chicken. Next time, I’d love to come with a group and try the tandoori fondue – chicken kebabs and naan cubes that can be dipped in cheese sauce with tomato makhni.

While I loved the chicken tikka masala ($46), my favourite main was the fish Alleppey curry ($48) – fish fillets in spicy coconut curry; soak up the sauce with some tandoori roti ($9). If you want to try a bit of everything, I’d suggest ordering the “Gourmet Thali” ($108 per person; vegetarian and nonvegetarian versions available), which includes a soup, amuse bouche and a tasting platter with different curries, dhal, veg, rice and naan – the crispy okra is super addicting, and the dal ma dumpukh (black lentils slow-cooked for 48 hours) is also delish. Plus, there’s a dessert selection that includes sinfully good gulab jamun (doughnut-like balls in sugar syrup).