Melt Cafe @ Mandarin Oriental Singapore - Explore The Flavours of India

Melt Cafe at Mandarin Oriental Singapore will be drawing your attention to a special showcase of Indian cuisine by Indian Specialty Chef Santosh Kumar from 16 to 31 May 2016. And not just the food itself, I was welcomed by a beautiful lady dressed in Sari, with Indian music to waltz me in.

Mutton Biryani 4/5

What caught my eyes at the Indian cuisine section was their Mutton Biryani. Like a King indeed, the mutton biryani is cooked with a whole lamb, which has been roasted for hours. Apart from the tender mutton, I love the aromatic spiced basmasti rice, punctuated with sweetness lent from raisins, dried apricot etc. There was also a lot of textures to it, thanks to the crunchy carrots and green peas.

Tandoori Jhinga King Prawns 3.8/5

A few notable items which I particularly like. The Tandoori Jhinga King Prawns marinated with spices and carom seeds is definitely one of them, something different from the usual tandoori fish or chicken. Fresh and succulent, the spices and carom seeds really whetted my appetite.

Lamb Foie Gras 3.8/5

Lamb paired with Foie Gras is not something that I would expect, given that both ingredients inherited a rather strong and acquired flavour. However, perhaps given the right proportion, this petite item turned out to be quite palate pleasing, rather than giving me a flavour assault. The patty was moist, and not gamey. The marriage of these two is almost like that of beef patty and bacon.

Potato Stuffed with Cottage Cheese and Vegetable 3.8/5

One of my favourite snacks of the evening was this unassuming looking Potato Stuffed with Cottage Cheese and Vegetable. The potato was roasted to the right tenderness, and I really like the comforting sweetness of the stuffing.

Vegetable Curries and Flat Bread, Yogurt and Chutney 3.5/5

There is a range of vegetable curries, which you can pair with an assortment of naan flat breads with flavours such as garlic, butter, olive and cheese. To mellow the fiery and creamy curries, you may want to visit their special 'Indian snack bar' for some homemade chutneys and yogurt.

Rasmalai Cottage Cheese Balls in Cream, Dumpling with Light Syrup, Apricot Pudding

To complete the entire Indian dining experience, there are 3 Indian flavoured desserts. They are Rasmalai Cottage Cheese Balls in Cream, Dumpling with Light Syrup, Apricot Pudding. My favourite is the apricot pudding. It was sweet and sour, and aromatic with cardamom.

Sushi and Sashimi 3.5/5

Herbal Prawn 3/5

Other international cuisines are available - Japanese, Asian, cold sections and desserts.

Cheese and Accompaniments 3.8/5

Apart from the Indian cuisine, another highlight for me is their cheese platter and crepes station.

Crepes with Ice Cream 4.5/5

The crepes was soft and fluffy, and was delicious even on its own. No matter how filled you are, their ice creams are a must-try. Their chocolate ice cream was rich, velvety and edged with bitterness, while the strawberry sorbet was tangy and refreshing. Their yogurt ice cream is also not-to-be missed.

 Explore The Flavours of India is available for lunch and dinner at Melt Cafe from 16 to 31 May 2016,

Lunch
Mon-Sat: $62
Sun Brunch:
$98 (inclusive of free flow of juices and soft drinks)
$158 (inclusive of free flow of champagne, wines, beer, juices and soft drinks)

Dinner
Sun-Wed: $78
Thu-Sat: $88 (inclusive of barbecue selections)


Melt Cafe
Mandarin Oriental Singapore
5 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039797
Tel: +65 68853500
Facebook
Website
Nearest: Promenade (CC Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Breakfast: 630am - 1030am
Lunch: 12pm - 230pm
Brunch: 12pm - 3pm (Sun)
Dinner: 630pm - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit B. Take the Marina Square Link to Marina Square. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes.[Map]

Tiffin Room @ Raffles Hotel Singapore

Christmas is coming, and each hotelier has its own way of celebrating this joyous occasion with its guests. If you would like to experience a cross cultural Christmas experience, dining at Tiffin Room at our iconic Raffles hotel this year may be a good option. For this festive month of December, Chef de Cuisine Kuldeep Negi has created a special buffet menu for lunch and dinner featuring some of the restaurant’s North Indian signatures.

Red Snapper 3.5/5, Spinach 3.5/5, Butter Chicken 3/5, Murgh Dum Biryani 4/5

Seldom that I will head straight to the mains instead of the starters, but I was magnetised by the array of curries and the golden bryani rice. I started off with a bit of each – fish curry, meat, greens, rice and yogurt. The Basmati Rice says a lot about quality. Perfectly cooked, each grain was close, yet separated from one another at the same time. Perhaps it is the rose water that it has been cooked it, it embedded a fragrance which elevates the overall taste of the basmati rice. The Red Snapper curry was milder than I imagined it would be, and relatively light on the palette. That discarded my worry of leaving this place ‘heavier’ than I should be. I particularly like the Spinach. It wasn’t oily, compared to what I have tried elsewhere. Despite being mashed, it still tasted ‘green’!.

There is also a vegetarian section, which is just as tasty as its counterpart. Apart from the Spinach, you should also try the Dal Makhani, a curry made with Black Lentils Cooked Overnight with Tomatoes, Butter and Cream. I saw quite a few going back for a few more servings.

Palak Ki Tikki 4/5

From their vegetarian section, don't miss out their deep-fried Spinach Patties. It has a very enjoyable chewy texture and robust flavour.

Roasted Stuffed Christmas Turkey 3.8/5

A Christmas spread wont be completed without live carving stations. Tonight the stars were the Roasted Stuffed Christmas Turkey and Glazed Christmas Ham. The turkey meat was juicy and tender. Its stuffing was served at the side. I had my fair share of roasted butternut and brussels sprouts, which were great accompaniments to the meat.

Keema Mattar 3.8/5

In between we had 2 Pass Around Dishes. I quite like the sweetness in the minced Lamb Curry, and eating it with the piping hot naan was comforting.

Khumb-e-Malai 3.8/5

The Grilled Mushroom filled with Cheese, Onion, Garlic and Cream Cheese was very juicy, something that I didn’t expect coming from Indian cuisine.

Tummy half filled, I visited the cold section. That was when I spotted an array of colourful chutneys. I have always love Indian Chutneys. Sweet and tangy, they complement savoury dishes really well. I tried a couple of them as I went for my second round of mains. I so regretted not taking them in my first round!

Bread and Butter Pudding with Brandy 4/5 

For desserts, I was quite impressed with its western desserts. I love its mini Bread and Butter Pudding with Brandy. The brandy sauce was so yummy that I almost drown my pudding in it. I adores its homemade Rum and Raisin ice cream. It was infused with cardamom, and hence it has a more complex flavour. It tastes as delicious as it smells.

Wines from India is also available if you would like to make it a real complete experience. Simple spread but the flavours are robust and intense enough to satiate my appetite. With its antiquated and charming surrounding, it does set everyone in the mood for Christmas!

North Indian Curry Buffet Lunch & Dinner with Live Festive Carving Station
Date: 1 December to 24 December 2015
Price
Lunch: $65++ per Adult, $35++ per Child
Dinner: $75++ per Adult, $40++ per Child

Photograph and written by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


Tiffin Room
Raffles Hotel Singapore
1 Beach Road
Singapore 189673
Tel: +65 64121190
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch: 12pm - 2pm
Dinner: 7pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Cut through Raffles City Shopping Centre. Walk to Bras Basah Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit F. Walk to Beach Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Food Panda Delivery - Indian Curry House

Food delivery has gotten even easier and convenient with the Food Panda App that is easily available on the smart phone. The Food Panda Home Delivery App can be easily download from the Apple App Store, Google Play and Windows Store

It was a raining day and we were too lazy to cook. Hence I went to the Food Panda App for rescue. Upon launching the application and keying in the postal code of our place, the application listed down the restaurants that are opened for delivery. After browsing through the restaurants list, I decided to try some Northern Indian cuisine from Indian Curry House. It will be perfect for the cold raining weather.

Navigation of the restaurant's menu is easy with photos and description of the dishes. After adding the food order, the basket will display a summary detail of the items, total amount as well as the expected delivery time.

Last but not least, proceed to checkout to make payment with a choice of Cash On Delivery or Online Payment.

I wasn't expecting a panda greeting me when I received my delivery. It came in a very cute delivery plastic bag with my food neatly packed and secured. The greatest part is my food arrived warm.

Check out the spread of food I have ordered from Indian Curry House. The Chicken Biryani, Butter Chicken, Baingan Bharta are packed in plastic containers while the Butter Naan is wrapped in aluminium foil.

Butter Naan

Butter Chicken, Baingan Bharta

The warm Butter Naan was really good and fluffy. The naan goes excellently with the Butter Chicken and Baingan Bharta packed with aromatic spices.

Not seen in the picture is the chicken pieces and a hard boiled egg underneath the pile of fluffy basmati rice. This is definitely one delicious Northern Indian feast. The Food Panda App has made home food delivery is a one simple and seamlessly easy.


Food Panda 
Website: https://www.foodpanda.sg/
Download at Apple App Store, Google Play and Windows Store

Indian Curry House
Sixth Avenue Centre
805 Bukit Timah Road
#01-03
Singapore 279883
Tel: +65 64636289
Website: http://www.indiancurryhouse.com.sg

Spice Sutra Restaurant & Cafe @ Upper Thomson Road

I still remember my first encounter with Spice Sutra a few years back. After reading good reviews about the restaurant on Hungrygowhere.com, my partner and I decide to check out the place. However we made a last minute U-turn at the restaurant's doorstep as there were hardly any customers. Thanks to Charlene from www.missuschewy.com asking me along for a food tasting session at Spice Sutra, I am able to judge for myself whether the reviews are truth.

Spice Sutra serves Northern Indian cuisine and it has an extensive menu of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian starters and mains. In addition, you can also have Naan & Roti, Rice & Briyani, Kebab Roll, Soup and Dessert on their menu.

Mix Grill Hotplate 4/5

The Mix Grill Hotplate ($31.90) came with an assortment of the chef's selection of meats marinated with oriental spices and grilled. A good starter where you get to try bits of everything that the restaurant offers.

Samosa Chaat 4.5/5

The Samosa Chaat ($5.90) is a best try. This is like an open faced version of the Samosa we usually have. It has chick peas, boiled potatoes, yogurt, ketchup, chopped onions, lime squeeze and spicy garnish. Don't be deceived by the greenish sauce, that is the highlight of this dish.

Butter Naan and Garlic Naan 4.2/5

Spice Sutra offers 6 types of Naan on their menu. We had the Butter Naan ($3.50) and Garlic Naan ($3.90) served in a nice basket and sliced into smaller pieces. The Naans were fluffy and not oily.

Butter Chicken 4/5

To go with the Naan, we went for the Butter Chicken ($15.90) so that we can dip it into the gravy and scoop the tender boneless tandoori chicken.

Mutton Masala 4.5/5

We also ordered the Mutton Masala ($15.90) which was very good. The mutton cubes cooked in spicy gravy was very soft and tender.

Prawn Biryani 4.5/5

The Prawn Biryani ($15.90) was the surprise for the night. The Basmati rice absorbed the aromatic flavours from the spices and retained the moisture making the rice very fragrant. Spice Sutra definitely is a place where spices and taste matters most.

Gajjar Haluwa 4/5

After all the savoury food, we decided to try the carrot dessert on the menu. It is a warm dessert with sweeten carrot strips. The taste and texture was rather unique to me, kind of like eating fruit cake.


[CLOSED]
Spice Sutra Restaurant & Cafe
Thomson Imperial Court
200 Upper Thomson Road
#01-03
Singapore 574424
Website: http://spicesutra.com/ss/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpiceSutra
Nearest MRT: Marymount (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch: 11am - 230pm (Wed-Sun)
Dinner: 6pm - 1030pm (Daily)
Closed on Mon & Tue for Lunch

Direction:
1) Alight at Marymount MRT station. Take Exit A. Cut through Shunfu estate and walk towards Thomson Community Club. Thomson Imperial Court building is just beside Thomson Community Club along Upper Thomson Road. Journey time about 10 minutes.

Prata Planet @ Clementi Ave 4

Is there good prata at the West? Next time if you are at Clementi, you probably would like to check out Prata Planet across the street at Clementi Central. Prata Planet is an Indian cafe located at the void deck of block 320 at Clementi Ave 4.

Cheese and Mushroom Prata 4.2/5

Prata Planet offers a huge varieties of Prata. Actually it is not something new or unique. Many prata places are offering them to give a modern twist to the traditional prata to satisty the palate of the new generation. Anyway, I tried the Cheese and Mushroom Prata. The Prata was fluffy and not oily. It was filled with melting cheese and button mushrooms.

Chicken Biryani 4/5

Beside Prata, the restaurant also sells Mutton Soup, Thosai and Biryani. I also tried the Chicken Biryani which I thought was pretty decent. Long thin grain rice was used for the Biryani rice. The curry was not too spicy and the chicken was very tender.


Prata Planet
Blk 320 Clementi Ave 4
#01-37
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take exit B. Head Northwest on Commonwealth Ave West towards Clementi Ave 4.  Cross at traffic junction. Walk to block 320. Journey time about 3 minutes.