Imagine savouring a delectable dish that fuses the elegance of a saree with the swag of street food. At these progressive Indian restaurants, tradition meets innovation in a delicious dance-off. And you’re invited to join the feast of flavours where every bite is a twist, every sip is a spin, and every meal is a standing ovation to culinary creativity. Here we welcome you to tie your apron of curiosity, wield your fork like a knight’s sword, and prepare to indulge in a masala-laden escapade.
Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh
43 Craig Road | Tel: 9654 4351
Ms. Maria and Mr. Singh may have first fallen in love in Bangkok, but their love story continues in Singapore — its first overseas outpost managed by The Proper Concepts Collective. Now in its second year of operations, the casual offshoot by acclaimed chef Gaggan Anand has done away with an a la carte menu in favour of degustation menus featuring a five-course lunch ($48) of its greatest hits, and eight-course dinner ($78) which presents new dishes imported from its Bangkok flagship.
Served alongside the revamped menus are fresh interiors and plateware, transporting diners right into the fictional couple’s home. Tables and seating arrangements are now more spaced out and comfortable, creating more pockets of privacy for those seeking a slice of romance. The highly affordable menu will whisk diners away on a culinary journey from India to Mexico, promising great gastronomic delights and a sick playlist of top rock hits.
For lunch, we started with snacks featuring all-time favourite Papdi Chat, inspired by the popular Indian street food made with crisp fried puri, sweet and sour chutneys, yoghurt and sev. The Golgappa With Vedita Shots lends deep-fried airy golgappa pillows a Japanese touch with Hokkaido white corn puree filling and topped with fresh uni. We enjoy it with a side of tequila-infused green verdita cocktail.
For a little Mexican influence, there’s guacamole topped with fresh ikura, which we fervently lap up with pieces of blue corn tortilla and papadum, and a moreish ceviche filled with succulent pieces of fresh seafood.
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The next few dishes are more Mexican-influenced in the form of Scallop Tostada with fresh greens, topped with squirts of salsa macha and basil aioli. That’s followed by a traditional Mole Madre and bright green Pipian sauce — a flavour overload of salty, sweet and spicy — made from various seeds and peppers, and consumed with a side of crackers and caramelised lotus root.
After that, we enjoyed a taste of South Asia with Pork Vindaloo Tacos, inspired by a curry dish in Goa, where slow-cooked pork collar is marinated in a vindaloo-based sauce comprising pineapple salsa.
The last savoury entrée was the Chicken Tikka Masala — possibly my favourite of the entire lunch — made of chunky pieces of chicken marinated in a tomato, cream-based curry. A side of fragrant basmati coconut rice and dahl made this pure heaven in the mouth. To end the meal, I enjoyed some cinnamon-coated churros and decadently delicious cardamom-flavoured dulce de leche and glutinous rice ice cream.
Wash your meal down with a line-up of fruit margaritas, with flavours such as the classic Lime, Kyoho Grape, or Mango. You can opt for a flight of three different flavours ($25++) or bottomless ($58++ for 1.5 hours).
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Revolver
56 Tras Street | Tel: 6223 2812
Nineties rock anthems blare in the background while we savour a saucy flavour-laden degustation dinner at Revolver. The interior is unapologetically masculine, with copper accents against metallic black and slate tones that compliment the chrome hues of the show-kitchen, where diners get to enjoy theatrics of open-fire grilling, meat carving, and edgy plating.
Executive chef Saurabh Udinia and his team purvey ever-changing tasting menus that feature dishes cooked over custom-built wood-fire and binchotan grills, and in a gleaming hand-beaten tandoor. Bringing together Indian cooking sensibilities with international flavours, this summer’s Bullet 10 menu is loaded with impeccable produce plumped by the sun.
Snacks include a Scallop Tartlet that sings with the flavours of pani puri, as well as succulent Chettinad pulled duck braised for 12 hours and served on steamed dhokla.
For vegetables, a crisp Japanese turnip is kissed by fire, yielding a lush, velvety flesh accented by the grassiness of artichokes and coriander seeds.
Then, we enjoy Revolver’s iconic Paneer, flown fresh several times a week from Delhi. For this iteration, it is served on a bed of tomato relish and topped with a cumin-spiked onion chutney.
For seafood, Spanish dorada (sea bream) is grilled till the skin is nicely charred, and then served over some spicy Kerala pepper fry, finished with toasted coconut.
The Australian rock lobster is a delight. It’s grilled till the meat is bouncy, then diced up and mixed with a traditional Goan recheado masala sauce. A side of Goan red rice makes it a full meal.
The signature Kulchette stole my heart. This winning version is stuffed with a generous amount of cheesy smoked Scamorza and topped with tandoor-roasted pulled quail.
To end the dizzying journey, chef Udinia celebrates the juicy deliciousness of lychee with a lime and lychee sorbet, coconut espuma and popping candy.
If you haven’t paid Revolver a visit, it’s high time you did. The meal really marries all the nostalgic flavours of Indian cuisine presented with a contemporary lens. Bullet 10 is available till Sept 30. Prices start from $119++ for a five-course lunch, to $229++ for the eight-course dinner. Alcohol pairings start from $75++ for three glasses of wine.
