LIKE an uncultured layman browsing through an art gallery, I was completely clueless about North Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine when I stepped into Aangan. So like a guided tour, Aangan’s top chef introduced each of the buffet dishes to me with elaborate details on its origins and ingredients. It all ended up in a heap of jargon in my head eventually, but I’m still determined to understand the authentic food in a slightly more practical way.

To be frank, Indian cuisine does not top my list of favourite foods. As I’m not a fan of the strange herbs and spices usually blended into most of its dishes, I only took sample-sized portions of the various foods from the lunch buffet.

The buffet line up was split into vegetarian dishes on the right, and meat dishes to the left. The vegetarian section consists of potato, baby corn, beans, and cheese dishes. Aloo Tikki and Aloo Jeera were the most conventional of the lot, tasting like the familiar hash brown and wedges respectively.

However, I found the whitish Shahi Paneer most delightful. Despite being made out of cottage cheese, its flavour was mild yet tasty, thus suitable for those who dislike the strong smell of cheese-based dishes.

Buffet lunch at Aangan

Another eye opening dish was Papri Chaat. Prepared with toppings and various Chutneys (sauces) on a bite-sized cracker, I ungracefully placed the entire piece in my mouth (I was told it was the best way to experience it). The mixed flavours burst into life as I chewed upon it, and although I don’t remember its individual ingredients, it was splendid on the whole.

I decided to take a break from all the overwhelming tastes with a sip from my cup of plain chilled Lassi. As I’m not a fan of yogurt to being with, the sour drink was just too much to add to the substantial meal. I decided to stick to plain water for the rest of the meal, which is my preferred drink to wash down bite after bite of heavy (and extremely diverse) foodstuff.

After an interesting round of the vegetarian dishes, I moved on expectantly to the meaty stuff. Unlike South Indian dishes that are unmercifully spicy, the Northern Indian meat selection at Aangan is pretty toned down.

The all vegetarian-friendly selection

Cooked with thick tasty gravy, the mutton, fish, and chicken take the form of Mutton Masala, Fish Methi Masala, and Rara Chicken. Although they look and taste pretty similar, I loved them all. The meat is hardly identifiable within the mixture of gravy, so you will not be chewing on any dry or tough pieces of meat. They go perfectly well with the Vegetable Pulao (flavoured rice) too.

I also had the Murg Tikka, which is skewered chicken usually cooked during elaborate live kebab cooking sessions in front of curious diners. Aangan takes pride in entertaining guests within its lavish palace-inspired décor, and besides cooking demonstrations, cultural performances will continue to charm its guests every evening.

Vegetable soup, meat dishes and Papri Chaat

“We have musical performances during dinner hours here, and the cultural troupe changes every three to four months. They often entertain dedications too! The main idea is to allow our diners to feel like royals, fine dining in an exotic environment,” shares Fahim Khandoker, Aangan’s Marketing Executive.

I ended off the divine meal with some popular desserts, among which the Balu Shahi (sugary donuts) is my favourite, despite it being a tad too oily. Even though Fahim told us that Aangan’s Bangladeshi sweet chef has already toned down its sweetness to suit Singaporeans’ taste buds, the rest of the Bengali sweets were simply too sugary for my taste.

Opened in February last year at Peninsula Plaza, Aangan offers a 150-seat eatery popular with Indian nationals and tourists. At $16.50 for a lunch buffet, wealth is certainly not required to be treated like a king at Aangan!

Aangan
111 North Bridge Road
#03-17 Peninsula Plaza
Tel: 6337 4727
Lunch: 12 – 3 pm
Dinner: 6 – 10.30 pm