It almost feels as though the streets of Singapore, especially the night markets, have come alive at the Pondicherry Cafe at Sofitel Mumbai BKC, which is presently hosting a 10-day Singapore Food Festival.
Expect an overload for your taste buds as you go on an unforgettable food trail with the sweet-savoury-spicy Chilli Crab, grilled skewers of tender Chicken Satay, Singapore's most-loved Chicken Rice bursting with flavours, the legendary fish-head curry and the beloved coconut milk and sweet potato dessert Bubur ChaCha.
From Hainanese Chicken Rice to the popular Indonesian fried rice Nasi Goreng, but with anchovies, you'll also find Malaysian, Indonesian and Chinese influences in the enthralling menu.
(Clockwise) Chilli Crab, Gado Gado Salad and the fish-head curry | Image: Courtesy Anita Aikara/FPJ
Chef Mohamad Shahril Jamarudin, Sous Chef at Fairmont Singapore, hopes to introduce you to a variety of local food from Singa Pura or the Lion City with his exceptional line-up.
He has rustled up endless varieties of cold salads. There's the deliciously comforting Gado Gado Salad, Yusheng, a festive Chinese salad and the classic Shredded Chicken Salad with plenty of greens and onion.
Thinly sliced duck is the hero of the Smoked Duck Papaya Salad, and that's one dish that comes highly recommended by the chef.
The lovely display of cold salads presented on a bed of ice | Image: Courtesy Anita Aikara/FPJ
Tahu Goreng or deep-fried tofu is very comforting, especially when enjoyed with the thick, sweet sauce.
The smokey, charred Chicken Satay is served the way it should be had, with peanut sauce (of course), and chunks of cucumber, rice cakes and onions.
Vegetarian Chap Chye (mixed vegetables) with 'vegetarian' oyster sauce is as comforting as a warm hug, especially on a overcast rainy day.
The super delish fried rice Nasi Goreng (that's usually eaten for breakfast) comes with a twist; it features anchovies that "are very hard to find here," warns Chef Mohamad.
Street-food staple Char Koay Teow (flat noodles) had an assortment of seafood (squids, prawns, etc) packed into each spoon, and the flavours were unexpectedly delicious.
Chicken Satay served with peanut sauce, cucumber, chopped onions and rice cakes; (extreme right) chicken rice with ginger paste, chilly sauce, and dark-sweet soy sauce | Image: Courtesy Anita Aikara/FPJ
Singapore's famous Chilli Crab can't be missed. Sweet. Savoury. Spicy. It hits all the right notes! Don't forget to add messy to the list, as you'll need to roll up your sleeves and dig into the meaty flesh. Have the dish by itself or with the in-house Mantou Bread that can be dipped in the rich sauce and relished.
On the chef's recommendation, I had the Chicken Rice with the chilly sauce, ginger paste and dark-sweet sauce, and it was a match made in heaven. The fragrant, chicken-flavoured rice gets the real kick with a combination of these sauces.
No Singaporean feast is complete without a taste of its desserts. Bubur ChaCha is a warm dessert featuring a mix of sweet potato, sago, coconut milk and yam, and there's also Bubur Ketan Hitam made from black glutinous rice with coconut milk and palm or cane sugar.
Don't forget to sip on the Banana Sago that's a splendid combination of banana and condensed milk or take a swig of the boozy Singapore Sling before you head out.
The legendary Mud Chilli Crab | Image: Courtesy Anita Aikara/FPJ
Where: Pondichery Cafe, Sofitel Mumbai BKC
When: September 12 – 20, 2025, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Special Sunday Brunch: September 21, 2025, 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
