We recently were invited to a family dinner at Table by Rang Mahal, a relatively new restaurant set in the heart of Singapore's Central Business District. My cousin’s family lives in Singapore so we take turns inviting each other home or occasionally we head out to enjoy a meal together. My uncle and aunt had come over to Singapore for a holiday so it was a great opportunity to catch up with them as well.
Table is the modest and more casual cousin of Rang Mahal. My husband and I had been to Rang Mahal before (we love it) but never to Table. In fact, I hadn't even heard of it and was surprised when the name propped up in a conversation on choosing the restaurant. I did a quick check on google and it looked impressive (wasn't too crazy about the name though). So after everyone was agreeable for the venue and time, a reservation was made for a Sunday evening.
I was a little hesitant at first about taking my little ones. They do tend to get a little cranky as the evening progresses and one of my girls especially hates being strapped in the car seat. Lately, her most favourite thing to do in the world is to stand up (which she tries to do even in her sleep) so she shows contempt towards anything that prevents her from doing so. I didn't know how they would handle a double whammy! It took some reassuring from my husband to stop being a worry wart and take them along.
Table is located in the state-of-the-art luxury boutique hotel Naumi. We couldn't locate the parking lot so ended up parking two blocks away. The Naumi hotel has a modern and sophisticated façade. The first thought that popped into my mind was - great place for a staycation.
On entering the hotel, the restaurant has been designed right at where the lobby is usually located. It is spacious with a contemporary and chic décor befitting the offshoot of Indian fine dining stalwart Rang Mahal. The interiors has an open dining room concept. Shades of white, amber and grey give the space an inviting look and the numerous gleaming mirrors adorning the walls amplify the light and make the space look larger.
The swanky bar counter
The food menu is not extensive but features most of the crowd-pleasers that you would expect at any Indian restaurant. There is an assortment of Chaats, Kulzaas, Kebabs, Curries, Rice, Indian bread and Desserts. Also, there is a mix of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The description of the dishes was quite lackluster. I was thinking that I could do a way better job.
We ordered at least two portions of most of the dishes so there was enough to go around. Here is a line-up of the dishes that we ordered,
Strawberry Lassi
A fruity lassi is a fitting prelude to a hearty North-Indian meal. I chose the Strawberry Lassi while my husband went for the Mango version. The lassi was as good as lassi can get.
I don't have a picture of the Mango Lassi because by the time I could snap a picture, my husband had taken a huge gulp of it.
The food menu is not extensive but features most of the crowd-pleasers that you would expect at any Indian restaurant. There is an assortment of Chaats, Kulzaas, Kebabs, Curries, Rice, Indian bread and Desserts. Also, there is a mix of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The description of the dishes was quite lackluster. I was thinking that I could do a way better job.
We ordered at least two portions of most of the dishes so there was enough to go around. Here is a line-up of the dishes that we ordered,
Strawberry Lassi
A fruity lassi is a fitting prelude to a hearty North-Indian meal. I chose the Strawberry Lassi while my husband went for the Mango version. The lassi was as good as lassi can get.
I don't have a picture of the Mango Lassi because by the time I could snap a picture, my husband had taken a huge gulp of it.
Naumitini
This non-alcoholic drink is a concoction of pineapple, fresh lime and grapefruit juice with a dash of lychee. Sweet and refreshing with the predominant taste of pineapple and mild notes of lime and grapefruit.
Chilli Cheese Kulzza
This is listed under the 'Kulzza' section of the menu and is described as an Indian-inspired pizza. The waiter recommended it and I also noticed that it was indicated as a 'favourite' on the menu. The dish looked appetizing. It had flat bread stuffed with melted cheddar, topped with piquant chilli and coriander served alongside a fiery dip. It was absolutely delicious and everyone agreed that it was one of the best dishes of the evening.
A huge thumbs up.
Punjabi Samosa
A good samosa has golden crispy buttery pastry encasing a flavourful potato stuffing. This is exactly how the samosas at the restaurant were. I took a while before I got to mine and it was still crispy on the outside. Another good starter which did justice to the 'favourite' tag.
Tandoori Paneer Tikka
Paneer Tikka is one of my most favourite Indian starters. You have Indian cottage cheese chunks marinated in a spiced yoghurt masala and then grilled on the tandoor. What's not to love right?
I am always tempted to order paneer tikka at an Indian restaurant and even more so when it is touted as one of the 'favourites' on the menu. That being said, the biggest gripe I have with paneer tikka is that the flavour lies solely on the surface without infusing into the paneer so the rest of it tastes bland. The same could be said about the paneer tikka here even though the paneer itself was soft, creamy and well-made.
I am always tempted to order paneer tikka at an Indian restaurant and even more so when it is touted as one of the 'favourites' on the menu. That being said, the biggest gripe I have with paneer tikka is that the flavour lies solely on the surface without infusing into the paneer so the rest of it tastes bland. The same could be said about the paneer tikka here even though the paneer itself was soft, creamy and well-made.
Butter Naan
Butter Naan usually tastes quite generic whichever Indian restaurant you go to. But the butter naan here was strikingly different. It had a unique texture which we all loved. It served as a great vehicle to mop up our orders of Indian gravy with. I would go as far as to say that it is one of the better butter naans I have had in Singapore until now.
Butter Naan usually tastes quite generic whichever Indian restaurant you go to. But the butter naan here was strikingly different. It had a unique texture which we all loved. It served as a great vehicle to mop up our orders of Indian gravy with. I would go as far as to say that it is one of the better butter naans I have had in Singapore until now.
Paneer Makhni
This gravy is marked as a 'favourite' on the menu. You have Indian cottage cheese/paneer in a tomato-cashew gravy. The gravy was subtly spiced, rich and a good accompaniment to the yummy butter naan. A little mild but tasty nonetheless.
Gobi Matter
Since we had ordered a gravy, we wanted another dry side dish to go with the naans. Gobi Matter has a medley of cauliflower, peas ginger & coriander. Decent but nothing to write home about.
Vegetable Biryani
There weren't many varieties of rice dishes to choose from on the menu so we went with the Vegetable Biryani. The biryani arrived piping hot. It consisted of an assortment of vegetables cooked with curried basmati rice, perfumed with whole spices and garnished with fried onions and coriander. Maybe not the best biryani I have ever had but still quite good.
Rasmalai
I am quite fond of Rasmalai which is a popular Bengali sweet consisting of cheese dumplings reduced in a cardamom flavoured milk. The Rasmalai is also denoted with a 'favourite' symbol on the menu so I expected it to be good. Well, I was not disappointed. The cheese dumplings were light and soft and the dessert had just the right amount of sweetness. The infusion of cardamom in the milk and sprinkling of chopped pistachios took it up a notch.
Gulab Jamun
Gulab Jamun must be one of the most popular and recognized Indian sweet. It has milk solid-based dumplings soaked in a saffron-infused sugar syrup. At Table, the jamun was soft, the syrup had a lovely flavour and the almond slivers were a nice finishing touch but the dessert was overall too sweet for my liking.
Bringing Style and Substance to the Table...
Table by Rang Mahal is a bistro-style restaurant with a wonderful ambience that extends a holistic dining experience. You can expect an innovative and healthy spin on timeless Indian dishes served in style and panache. However, take note that the quality and presentation of the food does not match the high standards of Rang Mahal. The restaurant caters to an International audience so most of the dishes are mellow and lack the punch that you commonly associate with Indian food. But having said that, I would readily recommend the Cheese Kulzza, Punjabi Samosa, Butter Naan and Rasmalai. The prices are mid-range and much more affordable than Rang Mahal so no need to break the bank. In addition to the a la carte menu, the restaurant offers a buffet breakfast at $25++ and an executive lunch set at $18++ (featuring both vegetarian & non-vegetarian options) which sounds like a great deal to me. The staff are friendly, courteous and the service is efficient. High chairs were provided for my 8-month old daughters and although they couldn't sample anything off the menu, they seemed to be at ease and even enjoy themselves. The restaurant wasn't crowded so we adults had a pleasant evening. On the whole, a convivial dining experience which is bound to make me return.
I would recommend this restaurant for couples, families, informal get-togethers & business lunches.
My rating for this restaurant is
Bringing Style and Substance to the Table...
Table by Rang Mahal is a bistro-style restaurant with a wonderful ambience that extends a holistic dining experience. You can expect an innovative and healthy spin on timeless Indian dishes served in style and panache. However, take note that the quality and presentation of the food does not match the high standards of Rang Mahal. The restaurant caters to an International audience so most of the dishes are mellow and lack the punch that you commonly associate with Indian food. But having said that, I would readily recommend the Cheese Kulzza, Punjabi Samosa, Butter Naan and Rasmalai. The prices are mid-range and much more affordable than Rang Mahal so no need to break the bank. In addition to the a la carte menu, the restaurant offers a buffet breakfast at $25++ and an executive lunch set at $18++ (featuring both vegetarian & non-vegetarian options) which sounds like a great deal to me. The staff are friendly, courteous and the service is efficient. High chairs were provided for my 8-month old daughters and although they couldn't sample anything off the menu, they seemed to be at ease and even enjoy themselves. The restaurant wasn't crowded so we adults had a pleasant evening. On the whole, a convivial dining experience which is bound to make me return.
I would recommend this restaurant for couples, families, informal get-togethers & business lunches.
My rating for this restaurant is
Table by Rang Mahal
Naumi Hotel
41 Seah Street
Singapore 188396
Nearest MRT: City Hall or Bras Basah
T: +65 6403 6005
F: +65 6403 6010
E: table@rangmahal.com.sg
Operation Hours:
Breakfast
7am to 10.30am (Mondays to Fridays)
7am to 11am (Weekends & Public Holidays)
All-day dining
11am to 10.30pm
Cheers,
Megha
Note: This is not a sponsored post or invited review
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