Chat Masala

Chat Masala

Address: 158 Upper East Coast Rd, Singapore 455254
Budget: SGD $20 - 30 per head
Opening Hours: Daily 12 - 2pm, 6 - 9.30pm

Website: None but you can order via foodpanda for deliveries here

Located in a little quiet corner along upper east coast road, its easy to overlook this place amidst the hustle and bustle of the usual city vibes.  In fact, the exterior is nothing to shout about and the parking space is beyond limited. I counted perhaps available space in the front end at perhaps 5 vehicles and that includes the space of other shops in the same vicinity.  Still, that is perhaps where its charm comes in. Being a hidden little gem for north indian food lovers.

The interiors are a simple affair with nice wall paintings which you can actually purchase if it speaks to you. Seating capacity is roughly around 30-40 pax on a busy day with some seats on the outside of the restaurant. The vibe is one of simplicity and homeliness and the staff were all very friendly and nice as well.

Papadum

Our meal started off with a simple serving for papadum which i believe is given free as a starter as it did not appear in the bill. It was warm, crunchy and and very aromatic with a dip which i am unfortunately unable to describe. The dip is greenish and came across citrusy which made this very appetizing.

Dahi Aloo Chaat

This is yogurt with some fried crispy stuff and apple sauce i think? Its sweet tasting and helps to open your appetite to the rest of the meal that is coming.

Mutton Briyani and Chapati

Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is my latest favorite item in the world. The spices, the chicken, the incredible aroma once done right is difficult to hate. This rendition has a wonderful creamy texture unlike other places which tend to be more chunky and its absolutely delicious with naan or chapati.

Mutton Briyani

Mixing it up

The star of the day is the mutton briyani which i've tried before on a take out from our kind hosts. When it was served, you can see only the rice and this, he explains, is because the briyani is made via a more traditional method of cooking the briyani and mutton in layers. The mutton curry is simmered beneath the rice and layer upon layer of rice, mutton, rice, mutton is placed before being cooked. This, he explains, is to allow the juices to permeate the different layers of rice so that its fragrant and it is without a doubt, extremely well done. A warning though, this is very spicy for the uninitiated and because its mutton, some people might not like the taste of mutton. For everyone else, this is fantastic.

Raita

This is probably boondi raita as it comes with fried droplets of batter. Its another version of dahi and is ordered because this writer is sweating buckets from the spiciness of the briyani. And this neutralizes and makes the entire dish that much easier to eat while adding another dimension of tastiness to the already splendid mutton briyani.

Mango Kulfi

Kulfi is something like traditional indian ice cream. Milk is stirred and condensed to a certain point and added with flavors before being frozen and that is it! For all its simplicity, this dish was very very strong in flavor and your enjoyment will differ. Still, with all the spicy stuff prior, this is a life saver and i thoroughly enjoyed it.

This very filling and satisfying foray into North Indian food cost $82.83 for 4 people and is a little on the pricey side no doubt. However, hearing from our hosts on how authentic and nicely made this version is compared to elsewhere really opened my eye to how preparation methods can bring about the subtle yet powerful differences in the food we eat.

Verdict: This is a place i'll be coming back often for sure. If for nothing else, just the briyani is enough for me to reminiscence and salivate for another meal there. Editors choice