Sakunthala's Restaurant (Race Course Road)

Sakunthala's Restaurant on Race Course Road is the fine-dining branch of a family-run Indian restaurant group in Little India. It serves South Indian, North Indian and Indian-Chinese food from one long menu. This branch also has a special live seafood menu.

Four siblings, Mr Mathavan, Mdm Banumathi, Mdm Sarasvathi and Mdm Seethala Devi, started the business in 1997. It began as a simple food stall at Dickson Food Garden on Dickson Road, and the restaurant is named after the founders' mother. The Race Course Road outlet opened in 2002. The group now runs several restaurants across Singapore, backed by a central kitchen.

What to order

The menu is wide, so it helps to arrive with a plan. A few dishes come up again and again in diners' praise:

• Fish head curry: a large fish head cooked in a thick, spiced curry gravy, made for sharing.
• Pepper mutton: a peppery mutton dish often named as a house speciality.
• Biryani: spiced rice that works well as the base of a meal.
• Ghee thosai: a thin, crisp South Indian pancake cooked with ghee.
• Rasam: a thin, tangy soup that is good with rice.
• Live seafood: a special menu at this branch, with dishes cooked in Indian or Chinese style.

The group says it was the first to develop an Indian-Chinese fusion menu, in 2000. This outlet has its own Chinese kitchen, so it is worth trying a dish or two from that side of the menu. If you prefer mild food, there are non-spicy options as well.

The setting

The group opened the Race Course Road restaurant to offer a dressier, fine-dining style of meal than its first outlets. The decor draws on Indian royal tradition, a nod to the name Sakunthala, which also belongs to a princess in Indian legend. There is a function hall for private events of about 30 to 50 guests.

Good to know before you go

• You can book a table online through the website or by phone.
• The group offers takeaway, island-wide delivery and catering.
• Groups planning a party can ask about the function hall.
• There are other branches on Dunlop Street and Syed Alwi Road in Little India, so check the address before you set off.
• Menus and outlet details are on the official Sakunthala's website.

Nearby

Race Course Road is lined with Indian restaurants, so you have plenty of choice. On the same road you will find Gayatri Restaurant, and MTR Singapore is further north on Serangoon Road. Before or after your meal, walk through Little India or visit the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. Our guide to dishes to try in Little India helps first-timers order. You can also browse more Indian restaurants in Singapore.