STRAITSKITCHEN

Grand Hyatt Singapore, Lobby Level, 10 Scotts Road, S(228211)

TEL: 6738 1234

Straitskitchen offers a taste of Singapore, with its spread of local favourites comprising Chinese, Indian, Malay and Peranakan dishes and desserts. With chicken rice as a perennial favourite, the Hainanesestyle steamed chicken here is juicy, and best paired with the tangy chilli sauce and minced ginger; the fragrant rice can also be had with roast duck. For more umami flavours, go for the mildly spicy beef rendang and the flavourful sayur lodeh, and don’t miss the freshly grilled satay (chicken, lamb or beef) and its heady mix of spices. Among the Indian tandoor selection, the fork-tender tandoori gosht kebab is a must try, while the rich murgh makhani is best savoured with naan or roti prata. Another local favourite is the wok-fried chilli crab, but its fleshy meat would have been better with a spicier sauce. When it comes to dessert, the ice kachang and chendol bring back a dose of childhood nostalgia. The open-plan restaurant is divided into a few sections, with round tables for big groups and cosy nooks for couples, which probably helps in keeping the noise levels down when the house is full.