Deepavali for foodies: The best festive treats and feasts

1. Adda

Adda

1/5

Usher in the Festival of Lights on a sweet note with mithai from modern Indian restaurant Adda.  Helmed by Chef Manjunath Mural, Adda presents their well-loved sweets once again this year. 

This year, Adda presents three stunning mithai boxes, featuring an array of heritage flavours with a contemporary twist. Expect a merriment of six handcrafted sweets inspired by both local and international flavours. An ode to Singapore, the Tingkat Tiffin Box takes inspiration from the Peranakan culture, while the Gula Melaka & Coconut Mithai is inspired by Ondeh Ondeh kueh. Other mithai flavours include Oreo & Cashew, Matcha & Pistachio, Figs, Mulberry & Dates, Lychee & Gulkhand. 

The mithai boxes are available for pick up and islandwide delivery from 10 October. 

Find out more: Adda

2. Fullerton Hotel Singapore

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

2/5

Bond with your loved ones over a hearty brunch at the Free-flow Deepavali Sunday Brunch at Town Restaurant, Fullerton Hotel Singapore. Happening on 23 October, the buffet presents the best of Indian cuisine, as well as the hotel’s signature international fare.

Savour heritage dishes including the spicy Kerala crab masala and Kashmiri lamb rogan josh. For a well-balanced meal, pair the richly spiced dishes with biryani rice, garlic butter naan, and onion bhaji. Complete your brunch experience with classic Indian desserts such as gulab jamun, a festive dessert of milk dumplings soaked in fragrant syrup. 

From 22 to 24 October, Town Restaurant will also be offering lunch and dinner buffets serving a plethora of festive Indian cuisine. For starters, try the masala jhinga chaat, an aromatic masala prawn and green mango salad. Round up your meal with sweet desserts like kulfi, mango rice or semolina kheer pudding. 

Find out more: Fullerton Hotel Singapore

3. Rempapa

Rempapa

3/5

Rempapa continues their Cultural Celebration Series this Deepavali with two new dishes by chef-owner Damian D’Silva. He presents one South Indian and one Northern Sri Lankan dishes, both of which are passed down from his grandfather who learned the recipes from his Indian friends. 

Savour the Kool ($80), a Northern Sri Lankan specialty dish, which originated from the Jaffna community, and is rarely found here. A brainchild of his grandfather’s neighbour, the savoury dish features seafood, such as fish, crab, prawns, and cuttlefish, which are slow-cooked in a rich gravy of tamarind juice and dried chilli flakes, with a variety of vegetables. Chef D’Silva then adds cooked brown rice and odiyal flour into the pot to add thickness to the gravy.

Meanwhile, the Lamb Dhalcha ($60) is a traditional South Indian lentil stew. The recipe from Chef D’Silva's grandfather gives the heritage dish a Eurasian spin with the addition of smoked bacon bones. The aromatic stew features tender lamb ribs, lentils and potatoes steeped in Indian spices. The secret to its rich, tantalising flavour is the addition of coconut milk, tamarind juice and smoked bacon bones.

These dishes are available during brunch and dinner as ala carte specials from 17 to 24 October at Rempapa. 

Find out more: Rempapa

Related: Damian D’Silva passes on the torch to the next generation

4. Shahi Maharani

Shahi Maharani

4/5

Northern Indian restaurant Shahi Maharani joins in the Deepavali festivities with various buffet menus. From 17 to 23 October, indulge in a royal feast with their Diwali Day Lunch and Dinner Celebration buffet menus. Deepavali specials will be added to the regular buffet menus, such as kebabs, curries and more. 

The weekday special lunch buffets ($48++) are taken up a notch with a greater variety of dishes. Savour the vegetable-laden Harra Bharra kebab, or the spicy Gilafi Seekh Kebab with peppery minced chicken. Popular signatures such as Butter Chicken curry and Prawn Chilli Masala will also be served. 

Meanwhile, the weekend celebration lunch buffets ($58++) will celebrate the festivities with the addition of special off-the-menu dishes. The Ambi Paneer Tikka is a delightful amalgamation of mango and cottage cheese, while the mouthwatering Beetroot and Galouti kebabs feature tender lamb cutlets that will melt in your mouth. Other well-loved dishes to look forward to are the Laal Maas Rajasthani lamb curry, Goan prawn curry, Malai Kofta curry as well as the Palak Paneer. 

For a royal gift to your loved ones, indulge in the Treasure Sugar & Spice box ($118), a gift set featuring 15 pieces of handcrafted artisanal Mithai as well as savoury snacks. 

Find out more: Shahi Maharani

5. Tiffin Room

Raffles Hotel Singapore

5/5

Chef Kuldeep Negi of Tiffin Room presents a new Deepavali menu featuring diverse specialties from all across India. Start off the feast with a platter of appetisers, such as Dal Pakori from Delhi and Fafda Chaat from Gujarat. Hailing from the Malabar coast of India is the Tandoori Red Snapper, featuring grilled snapper marinated in a special blend of spices, then presented with tomato chutney and tandoori broccoli. 

As part of the Tiffin Room tradition, the main courses are presented in tiffin boxes. Start with Methi Gosht, a dish of tender lamb marinated with dried fenugreek, spinach and spices. Next, the classic Mahi Musallam sees a unique spin, as the chef replaces the traditional use of chicken with Japanese sea bream. Meanwhile, the Parsi signature dish Murgh Dhansak features tender boneless chicken leg, marinated with Indian spices and presented with sweet pineapple chunks. The Chettinad prawn biryani takes the traditional biryani up a notch as fragrant basmati rice is infused with rose water, saffron, fresh mint and coriander leaves. 

A vegetarian menu is also available, with various meat-free options of Indian fare, such as the Tandoori Gucchi Paneer. Savour a variety of curries including the Gobhi Paneer Kofta, a tomato cashew nut gravy with cauliflower and cheese dumplings. The Chettinad vegetable biryani is a meat-free rendition of the traditional biryani, featuring aromatic basmati rice mixed with various vegetables.

End off your meal on a sweet note with a selection of desserts including Date Halwa, handmade Mithai with guava, cashew nut and yellow lentil, as well as Shahi Tukra, a bread pudding with brioche and saffron milk.

A Mithai gift box is also available for purchase at $68, from 10 to 24 October via takeaway or delivery. Inside are Burfi, a North Indian specialty — available in two flavours, the Besan Gulab Burfi with rose petals and saffron, as well as the coconut-infused Dodha Nariyal Burfi.

Find out more: Tiffin Room

 

Related: The Eat List – News & Updates from Singapore’s Restaurant Scene