Rang Mahal
A meal at Rang Mahal starts off ordinarily with some crisp sesame-studded papadums served with tangy chutneys. But then, just when you think this is just a regular Indian restaurant with nothing special up its tandoor oven, Chef Mukesh – who’s been sending out chicken tikka masalas and freshly-made appams since 2019 – hits you with his star dishes. Rang Mahal has also distinguished itself with a spot in the 2021 edition of the Michelin Guide.
With its high ceilings and menu spanning different states, Rang Mahal is every Indophile’s dream. Mukesh himself is from Delhi, and with his team of five sous-chefs, is able to take even the most clueless of diners on a culinary journey. Some of his dishes, like the avocado kebabs ($36), are playfully inventive, but it’s the tricked-up classics – and the breads, oh my god, the breads! – that shine here. Think massive garam masala-spiced lamb cutlets ($48) that are expertly chargrilled to arrive extremely tender to your table. Or puffed-up and pillowy kulchas infused with spice and cheese ($15). And then there’s bharwan mirch ($40): stuffed panko-crusted chillies, swimming resplendently in a lovely green kaffir lime curry and served with a crispy, chewy appam.
India has the culinary diversity of a rainbow, so if you’re not acquainted with some of the dishes, the eager-to-please staff will be happy to clue you in. But, familiar or not, one thing is true: the colours and flavours are vivid, almost surreal. Fun amuse-bouches arrive between courses to cleanse your palate and prepare you for the next tangy-savoury-smoky-spicy symphony. This is all washed down with the restaurant’s decent line-up of singlemalt whiskeys – or a deliciously rich mango lassi ($15), if you wish.
Of course, no meal is complete without a sweet ending, and the lychee kulfi ($22) is a really fun take on a traditional Indian dessert. This not-overly-sweet homemade milk frostie is served enveloped in billowing liquid nitrogen, and unveiled with a theatrical Bollywood flourish. Well played, Mukesh, well played.
Level 3, Pan Pacific Hotel 6333 1788 | rangmahal.com.sg