Yantra

Yantra is an Indian fine dining restaurant on the ground floor of Tanglin Mall, near the western end of Orchard Road. Its menu draws on royal and rural recipes from across India. Vegetarian dishes get as much attention as meat and seafood.

The menu is the work of Pritha Sen and Executive Chef Pinaki Ray. Sen is a food historian known for bringing old recipes back to life. The kitchen uses ingredients sourced from across the subcontinent and South-East Asia.

What to order

The main menu is built for sharing, with small plates, large plates, breads and rice. A few dishes stand out:

• Chaat Banarasi: a street-snack plate with sweet yogurt, tamarind, pomegranate, lentil dumplings and potato.
• Nizam's Kathi Kebabs: mutton kebabs cooked over binchotan charcoal and served with mini parathas.
• Mappillai Tharavu Fry: pulled duck with rice pancakes and mango salsa.
• Sutta Gosht: slow-cooked goat with black cumin and fennel.
• Purani Dilli Murgh Makhani: an Old Delhi take on butter chicken.
• Biryani: choose Hyderabadi chicken, Rampur mutton or a vegetable version.

Vegetarians have plenty of choice. Try Pumpkin Paturi with coconut and mustard, or Pindi Chole, a chickpea curry with ginger and dried mango. Breads include naan, kulcha, paratha and luchi. For dessert, there is rasmalai, gajar halwa, kulfi and jalebi with rabri.

If you would rather not choose, the Experience Menu is a multi-course tasting menu. It comes in vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions. A set lunch is also served from Tuesday to Sunday, though its menu changes.

The setting

Designers Matthew and Paul of the studio MSDO created five separate Indian-inspired spaces inside Yantra. Expect marble floors, arches, silk wallpaper and a grand entrance door inspired by Indian forts. The mood is polished but warm, and it suits a special dinner or a business lunch.

The Corbett Bar takes its name from Jim Corbett National Park, the Indian reserve known for Bengal tigers. It mixes a jungle-lodge feel with modern comfort. The cocktails use ingredients linked to India's food heritage. It works well for a drink before dinner.

Good to know before you go

• Book ahead: you can reserve on the Yantra website, by phone, by WhatsApp or through Chope.
• Dress code: the Chope booking page lists smart casual, with no slippers.
• Children: the same page says guests should be aged eight and above.
• Dietary needs: vegetarian dishes are marked on the menu. Tell your server about any food allergies.
• Parking: Tanglin Mall has car park entrances on Grange Road and Cuscaden Road.

Getting there

Yantra is on level 1 of Tanglin Mall at 163 Tanglin Road. The mall names Orchard Boulevard on the Thomson-East Coast Line and Orchard on the North-South Line as its nearest MRT stations.

Nearby

The Singapore Botanic Gardens are not far away, so you could pair a morning walk with lunch here. In the same mall, Sarai Fine Thai is another refined choice. If you want a hotel nearby, Hotel Jen Tanglin is on Cuscaden Road. You can also browse more Indian restaurants or all restaurants in Dempsey, Tanglin and Holland.