Gayatri Restaurant

Gayatri Restaurant is an Indian restaurant at 122 Race Course Road in Little India. It serves both North and South Indian food, from tandoori grills and naan to thosai, biryani and fish head curry. It is a casual, relaxed place that suits families and groups.

Gayatri opened in 1996 as a small shop on Chander Road. Two years later it moved to Race Course Lane, and it now runs from its main restaurant on Race Course Road. The menu also has Chettinad and Andhra dishes and a section of coastal seafood.

What to order

Fish head curry is the dish many people come for. It comes in small, medium and large sizes, so a group can share one with plain rice. Other good choices include:

• Biryani: dum biryani with chicken, mutton or lamb, plus fish and chicken 65 versions. The lamb and chicken 65 biryani are served only from Friday to Sunday.
• Tandoori dishes: chicken, prawns and kebabs from the clay oven, with butter or garlic naan.
• Kari thosai: thosai served with your choice of mutton, chicken, prawn or fish.
• House dishes: mutton Mysore, Gayatri chicken masala and, from Friday to Sunday, Chettinad lamb chops.
• Seafood: crab, squid and prawn dishes, including prawn mango masala.
• Desserts: gulab jamun, rasmalai, kulfi and falooda.

Vegetarians have plenty of choice. The menu has vegetarian starters and curries such as palak paneer, dal makhani and aloo gobi, as well as a vegetarian set meal. Prata, appam and uttappam add more options. For a first visit, our list of dishes to try in Little India explains many of these names.

The setting

The dining room is modern and comfortable. The kitchen is open to view through glass walls, so you can see cooks flipping prata and working the tandoor while you wait. The idea is to give diners some of the buzz of an Indian street stall in a comfortable room with table service. Drinks range from fresh juices and mango lassi to alcoholic drinks.

Good to know before you go

• Reservations: you can book a table online through the restaurant's website or by phone.
• Dietary needs: the menu has separate vegetarian sections, which makes ordering easier.
• Catering: Gayatri runs a large catering service for weddings, celebrations and corporate events.
• Groups: many dishes come in sharing portions, so it works well for a group meal.

Nearby

Race Course Road is part of Little India, so the meal fits well with a walk around the area. Visit the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, and read our notes on Little India temple etiquette before you go. For shopping, Mustafa Centre is also in the area. Find more places to eat among restaurants in Little India and Jalan Besar, or see our list of Indian restaurants in Singapore. The full menu is on the Gayatri Restaurant website.