Shahi Maharani

A grand doyenne of Singapore’s Indian fine dining scene, Shahi Maharani is the place to go for an introduction to North Indian cuisine. Befitting the lavish meals you’ll have here, the restaurant has an opulent interior that will bring to mind royal dining rooms of bygone eras.

To start off, I went with a popular street food bite that I hadn’t had in years. The papdi chaat ($16) is a light and fresh appetiser that’s served cold. Commonly referred to as Indian nachos, it’s made with fried flour crackers topped with tomatoes, onions and potatoes. The final touch is a lashing of yoghurt and a refreshing mint and tamarind sauce – a perfect light starter for the more hearty mains to come.

Tandoori is undoubtedly the star of the show at Shahi Maharani, so we ordered the tandoori mixed grill ($45). The dish is served rather dramatically – sizzling hot with plumes of steam rising from the massive platter – and showcases tandoori grilled chicken, barramundi fillets, tiger prawns and minced lamb kebabs. While the chicken is a classic, and an excellent example of the dish, the tandoori prawns were the highlight of the platter and packed a nice bit of heat.

No Indian feast is complete without curry, so we made sure to order another specialty – rogan josh ($34). Creamy and subtly spicy, it’s a comforting dish that’s an absolute delight to have with a pillowy soft garlic naan ($8). To keep things from getting too meat-heavy, we ordered a side of palak paneer ($28) as well. The savoury spinach sauce with tender morsels of cottage cheese was a nice change of pace.

Finally, we ordered the ras malai ($12). Creamy and with just the right amount of sweetness, it brought things to a fittingly sweet close.

252 North Bridge Road, #03-21B 6235 8840 | shahimaharani.com