Celebrate Diwali at Tiffin Room
Diwali is often described as the Festival of Lights, but at Tiffin Room, the celebration arrived on the table in the form of spice, colour and quite a few glasses of wine.
Chef de Cuisine Kuldeep Negi’s festive menu brings together flavours from different regions of India, taking us on a culinary journey through its rich traditions.
We started with Ananas Papdi Chaat, perhaps the most playful dish of the evening. Grilled pineapple, crisp papdi and tamarind and jaggery chutney delivered sweetness, acidity and crunch. Paired with Golden Tadka, a locally brewed spiced lager created for Tiffin Room, its coriander seed and curry leaf notes complemented the chaat beautifully. A refreshing start!
The Achari Tandoori Lamb was more serious business. Marinated in yoghurt and pickled spices, the lamb chop came with keema kulcha, rich, smoky and deeply savoury. The Fritz Haag Riesling Kabinett was intended to balance the spices, although I personally found it a little too sweet for my liking.
Then the signature tiffin boxes arrived, and suddenly our table looked ready to feed a small family! Murgh Kofta Curry, Methi Palak Gosht, Chetinaad Masala Prawn and Konkani Macchi Biryani, accompanied by naan, parantha, raita and dal.
The Methi Palak Gosht combined lamb, spinach and fenugreek for earthy, comforting flavours, while the Chetinaad Masala Prawn offered a bolder combination of black pepper, coconut and aromatic spices.
The Konkani Macchi Biryani was fragrant and generously flavoured, with aromatic spices and ghee lending richness to the basmati rice. Personally, I would have preferred a slightly lighter hand with the ghee, but the fragrant spices still made it an interesting accompaniment to the curries.
The Domaine Jules Desjourneys Beaujolais was an interesting pairing with the mains. Made from Gamay, its bright fruit and refreshing acidity helped balance the richness of the gravies and spices.
Dessert brought Gajar Halwa with vanilla ice cream and Chamcham, a soft Bengali cheese sweet soaked in saffron syrup. The Franz Haas Moscato Rosa, with its floral aromas and gentle spice notes, provided a fitting sweet ending.
What made the evening interesting was how the drinks were thoughtfully paired with the food. Beer with chaat, Riesling with tandoori lamb and Gamay with Indian curries. Exploring these combinations added another enjoyable dimension to the festive dining experience.
Tiffin Room’s Diwali Dining Experience is available from 26 October to 8 November 2026, for lunch and dinner. The non vegetarian menu is priced at S$132++, with a vegetarian option at S$128++. Optional alcoholic beverage pairing is S$98++ per person.
