COCONUTS HOT SPOT — If there’s one thing that’s a wee bit lacking in the landscape of Singapore’s bar scene (yes, there is such a thing as too many Korean and Japanese pubs), it’s Indian tapas.
Flying Monkey, the new joint along Bussorah Street, aims to fill up that corner of the market. The restaurant and bar promises super authentic dishes of the contemporary pan-Indian variety served tapas style, accompanied by unique cocktails with Indian flavors.
Don’t let the industrial chic decor fool you — there’s nothing pompous about the food that Flying Monkey serves. Its menu has the benefit of being cooked up by chefs with both strong traditional backgrounds as well as five-star restaurant experience, meaning the dishes are bona fide Indian cuisine with modern approaches.
Signature highlights include the delicate Tulsi Cod marinated with basil ($15); the intense Galouti Kebab ($14) made of melt-in-the-mouth minced meat; and the fall-off-the-bone Nalli Gosht ($26) of slow-cooked lamb shank bathed in lush peanut-cashew curry.
Standing equally in importance with the food is Flying Monkey’s array of cocktails with Indian twists. Take, for example, The Flying Monkey ($18) that’s whiskey infused with King’s Ginger liqueur, or the Yo Yo Mani ($18) — a concoction with coconut rum, coconut water and cream, five-spice Kerala rice syrup and more rum. Of course, respectable Indian eateries wouldn’t be complete without lassi, and the Goa Mamma Lassi packs a punch with rum, vodka, mango, passion fruit, milk and yogurt.
“I feel there is a lack of fun Indian concept restaurants here in Singapore,” enthused Flying Monkey owner Summit Singla.
“Fine dining is fine but there is too much effort placed on artistic plating. I want to serve food fresh and off-the-grill; rustic more than fancy.”
Flying Monkey is at 67 Bussorah St, 6291-0695. Daily noon-2:30pm, 5:30pm-11pm.
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