D'Bell @ North Canal Road

Indian cuisine does not always come in big pots and pans, or heavily greased with butter. D'Bell at North Canal Road serves modern Indian inspired dishes meant to be shared, even over your favourite cocktails, if you preferred. Cook without butter, light but rich on the palate, you can now enjoy Indian dishes without filling the guilt.

Papadum Cones 4/5

First we had Papadum Cones ($5.80) which is crispy papadums shaped into cones and filled with a refreshing vegetable relish to tease our appetite. I could taste the cumin in almost every bite just the way I like it to be and it was extremely crispy.

D'Bell Kofta Kebab 4.2/5

Next served on the table was the D'Bell Kofta Kebab ($18), beef croquette filled with cheddar cheese, prunes and dusted with semolina. The prunes teased out the taste of the beef which was quite an interesting combination. With the cheese in between and the mini naan at the side, it sort of reminded me of a burger? Beef, cheese and bread? Richer in taste among the starters, it is best to have it last. It would also serve a good companion to wines and cocktails.

Tandoori Fish Nazaka 3.8/5

The Tandorri Fish Nazaka ($22) comes in cubes of butterfish cooked over a charcoal flame. It is not heavily seasoned which is exactly how I like it. However the texture was not as tender and moist as I would like it to be.

Masala Aloo Tikki 4.5/5

The Masala Aloo Tikki ($10) instead of being overshadowed by its meaty counterparts, the crispy potato cake filled with green peas masala and coated with tamarind fruit chutney and minty yogurt sauce delighted me the most. The combustion of flavours and textures really took me by surprise. Bits of savoury, sweetness, sour is extremely yummy, not to forget the crispy topping.

Chilli Cheese Naan 4/5 and Kashmiri Naan 4.5/5

For the mains, of course we must have the quintessential naans to go with the different curries and Dal. We have the Chilli Cheese Naan ($8) and Kashmiri Naan ($8) which were freshly baked from the tandoor. Both type of naans were soft and fluffy but I much prefer Kashmiri with the curries. I simply love the combination of sweet and savory. I felt the curry did not really go well with chilli cheese naan. It was kind of overwhelming and did not do the curries justice with both flavours fighting against each other.

Goan Prawn Masala 4/5

Chicken Tikka Masala 4.2/5

Mutton Rogan Josh 4.5/5

For the curries, we had the Goan Prawn Masala ($22), Chicken Tikka Masala ($18) and Mutton Rogan Josh ($20). The prawns were succulent, the chicken was tender and the mutton simply melted in the mouth. They were all very well executed and flavourful. Perfect match for the delightful naans.

Amritsari Dal 4.2/5

The Amritasari Dal ($12) which is simmered overnight on charcoal flame in authentic village style was grainy and chunky. Along with the curries and dal, we were served 3 different dips. The Fruit Chutney, Mint and Pickles have their own distinct taste and characters. The sweetness of the fruit chutney complemented the chilli naan very well. The pickles cut the creaminess of the curries by adding some tanginess to it. It was so good that I even asked for a second helping.

Mango Kulfi 4/5

For a sweet closure, we had the Mango Kulfi ($7.50), a Indian ice cream prepared with Alphonso mango. Not quite sure how to describe it but the consensus was it tasted like a frozen mango lassi. A very enjoyable dessert to cleanse the palate after all the curries and spices.

Overall, I did not go home with a heavy stomach but with a pleasant taste and spices lingering in my mouth. The 2 storey Indian restaurant besides the dining area on the ground floor,  has a bar on the 2nd floor which is very conducive for corporate events or even private celebrations. If you are looking for somewhere to chill, you may want to give this a try.

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. 


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D'Bell
43 North Canal Road
Singapore 059299
Tel: +65 65364046
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DBellSingapore
Website: http://www.dbell.sg/
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 11pm
Fri: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 12midnight
Sat: 6pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards the traffic junction of North Bridge Road and North Canal Road. Cross the road and turn right onto North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Ujong @ Raffles Hotel

Ujong at Raffles Hotel Singapore is opened by Shen Tan who is better known as "Madam Tan" in the social media communities. The chef behind the now defunct Wok & Barrel has made a come back with her modernize Singapore cuisine taking over Empire Cafe at Raffles Hotel. Besides her signature dishes from Wok & Barrel, Shen Tan has also created a couple new creations for the new restaurant.

Nasi Lemak Beef Rendang 4/5

Not to be missed is the famous Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang ($19.90) accompanied with achar, ikan billis and fried egg. Shen Tan used to run a nasi lemak stall at Maxwell market before opening wok & barrel. It is glad to know that we can still eat her famous nasi lemak at Ujong. The nasi lemak set also comes with a choice of curry chicken, lamb curry, five spice roast pork, crispy fried chicken, crispy pork, chicken wings and banana leaf wrapped grilled fish with otak rempah.

Fish Curry Laksa 3.8/5

I have the opportunity to try the Fish Curry Laksa ($23.90) back then at Wok & Barrel and it was very memorable for me. Hence I requested for the dish again at Ujong. However they have made some adjustment to the dish at Ujong. The fish laksa pasta which comes with fried fish, cucumber and tomatoes is now more lemak with a richer curry laksa gravy that is being reduced to coat the laksa beehoon. If my memory does not fail me, the previous version was more tangy with the distinct fish curry flavour.

Har Zi Meen 4/5

One of the new creations in the menu is the Har Zi Meen ($17.90) or also known as Prawn Flavoured Noodles. The very springy noodles is tossed in an Indomie inspired dressing of kicap manis, onion and garlic that comes with a choice of crispy pork or chicken. The presentation may look kind of boring but you will be surprised by the rich burst of flavours that comes with each mouthful of the noodles.

Puloh Hitam Pudding 4.2/5

Lastly to wrap up the dinner, I had my favourite puloh hitam dessert. However the traditional dessert at Ujong is given a new live with its deconstructed approach in the Puloh Hitam Pudding ($15.90) with gula melaka butterscotch served with coconut ice cream. I like the new interpretation with the taste and flavours being kept very similar and close to the traditional puloh hitam dessert.

It is definitely a welcome return for Shen Tan at Ujong with his modern interpretation of Singapore cuisine. I think she has brought Singapore cuisine to a new level. While I could understand the price point of the dishes, it could still be a long winding road before the locals can accept paying the amount for hawker fare dishes where they can get something similar and cheaper elsewhere.


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Ujong
Raffles Hotel
Raffles Hotel Arcade
328 North Bridge Road
#01-10
Singapore 188719
Tel: +65 66356502
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ujong-at-Raffles-Hotel/253477278156832
Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (CC Line), City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 8am - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Cut across Raffles City Shopping Centre to Bras Basah Road. At the junction of Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road, cross the road to Raffles Hotel. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk southwards towards Victoria Road along Bras Basah Road. Continue southwards to North Bridge Road. At the junction of Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road, cross the junction to Raffles Hotel. Journey time about 7 minutes. [Map]