Keema lamb with pesharawi and cheese naan
In a rare mood for Indian, D and I went to the Tiffin Room at Raffles Hotel. They serve a North Indian buffet which means that you can sample a little taste of many dishes. Although Little India might offer a more authentic experience, Indian is one cuisine which always seems more enjoyable with a large group of people, allowing you to sample a little taste of many dishes – I think you get the idea.
Raffles Hotel really is a Singapore treasure. The entire hotel is steeped in history and just walking in through the main entrance almost transports you to a different era.
The buffet has a selection of salads to start with, but really, that’s not why you go to eat Indian, is it ? Well, at least not me. I headed straight for the curries – of which there were 8 vegetarian and 8 non-vegetarian. I started with a plate full of the vegetarian curries to start with, but they were so delicious and filling that I only had space for a taste of the prawn curry. I love the many bold colours of Indian food, which I think enhances the overall experience of eating it. It also never ceases to amaze me how they can make one dish (curry) in such a large array of different and individual flavours. My favourite was the spinach and paneer cheese curry – vibrantly green and deliciously creamy with such a complex mix of spices and herbs.
While we were eating, a waiter came around a few times with a plate of the chef’s specialities. Unfortunately both were lamb, which I don’t eat, and always wish I did, especially that night, because there were two spectacular (confirmed by D) dishes – one was a keema lamb – a minced lamb dish that was so finely minced and silky that it was almost a sauce. The second was lamb that had been marinated overnight in rum, and then slowly spit roasted until ridiculously tender.
Curries + papadums + pilau rice + freshly made naan = happy food coma. Indian craving satiated. For now.
Tiffin Room
Raffles Hotel
1 Beach Road
Tel: +65 6337 1886
Buffet dinner served daily 7pm – 10pm
Food is my happy place 
May 10th, 2011 at 12:23 am
Sounds like a fabulous place. That cheese naan looks awesome.
May 10th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
It was an Indian version of cheese on toast and it was delicious !
May 11th, 2011 at 1:58 pm
I never tried an Indian buffet yet! I hope I can find one so I can eat all the naan I want drenched in butter chicken sauce : )
May 11th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
It was HEAVEN Ray ! Really hit the spot but had serious post Indian food coma after…