Restaurant Review: Mustard, The Bengali and Punjabi Culinary Jewel of Little India, Singapore
PUBLISHED October 3rd, 2012 08:56 am | UPDATED February 9th, 2020 07:40 pm
We understand that sometimes the plethora of restaurants in Little India can be hard to navigate. Well, our secret is a small Indian spot that is there to help you cut through all the ‘this and that’ of the quarter, the restaurant that is my absolute go-to when it’s curry time. And that restaurant is Mustard.
Visiting Singapore and looking for a place to stay in Little India? Check out our review of The Great Madras, located in the centre of the neighbourhood.
Mustard is the first and only Bengali and Punjabi restaurant in Singapore, and therefore stands quite apart from the rest, which is by and large South Indian of some sort. On every occasion I’ve eaten there, I’m thrilled at the fact I am there yet again, enjoying delicious, flavoursome cuisine from the Eastern and Northern States.
Literally everything is bursting with the flavour of spices – coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, green chillies, turmeric and mustard but while giving lots of depth to the dishes, it’s not about being overbearing; more enhancing the key feature of the dish – whether it be fish, meat or vegetable.
Things are off to a great start from the minute you savour the popadoms – made fresh and crispy and not at all greasy, the Raita (cucumber dip) is something else altogether, quite unlike any other I have ever had in my eating adventures. It’s fragrant as anything and has a wonderful almost spread-like texture. No bright green, runny stuff here.
Also a note on the lassis here – in particular the Alphonso mango lassi. Honestly this is one of the best lassis I’ve had – it’s not too sweet, nor heavy. Just absolutely spot on, meaning that you might even be tempted to drink two in a sitting.
The best strategy at Mustard, or with any place serving Indian cuisine I find, is to go with three or four (or more!) people and order a few dishes that take your fancy.
And that’s precisely what we did….
Now let’s get cracking and work our way through the dishes.
Starting at the top, an absolute must try here is the Keema Matar ($14.90), which is essentially minced mutton and peas in a light gravy. Mildly spicy, it’s so delicious and more-ish, I always find this one hard to share!
To the right of that is Aloo Jhuri Bhaja ar Cholar ($13.90), a nice choice for fellow dal lovers and an interesting and delicious rendition. Split Bengalgram, five spices and diced coconut plus thankfully no layer of ghee – the downfall of many a dal – will have you spooning more and more of this onto your plate as if there’s no tomorrow.
Just underneath and on the curry trail, the Dol Maach ($14.90) here borders on divine. This fish dish using carp, is surprisingly soft and the sauce – a slightly sweet blend of flavours from the yogurt, cinnamon, spices and raisins – will definitely have you mopping up last morsels with your naan bread.
Speaking of naan, it is delicious! but if you fancy mopping with something a little bit different, you can try out the stuffed Kulchas (from $5.90)– a flat bread made with flour and mashed potatoes, stuffed with spices and onion, chicken or paneer – yum!
Lastly but certainly not least, sitting in the middle is the Baingan Ka Bharta ($13.90)– a dish which I can never get enough of! Egg plant roasted in a clay oven, mashed and then sautéed with onions and tomatoes, this dish is impossibly soft and has a lovely subtle smokey flavour having been perfectly charred.
The above are just some of my favourites but honestly, there are so many Nomad-worthy dishes on the extensive menu which means you can keep coming back, try new things, love them as much as the next because of the quality and consistency, and never get bored. Although some might find it a little on the pricey side, you certainly get what you pay for. And so, against the backdrop of all the eating options, it is for these reasons that whenever in Little India, I follow my nose (and stomach) to Mustard.
Mustard restaurant is located at 32 Race Course Road, Little India, 218552.
