I had that sensation when I visited the shiny new Firangi Superstar.

(Media Tasting)
Positioned as “a foreigner’s exuberant, soulful and whimsical love letter to India”, @superfirangi is a passion project by the founders of The Dandy Collection - @rohitroopchand and Michael Goodman, who in some way or other, have a deep connection to the country.

Hold on to your jaw when you enter or risk losing it to the floor, for the flair-ful space, divided into four areas namely the Officer’s Club, Old Railway Room (it’s perfect for private gatherings), the Elephant Palace and the Jungle Lodge, is awe-inspiring. Designed with insanely close attention to detail, there are even personal touches incorporated (for eg. the Old Railway Room’s mural features the fort where Mr. Goodman got married at and a few relatives). When music is allowed, eclectic playlists, encompassing the psychedelic rock of The Beatles and Indian Classics sung by Nicki Wells, will add to the immersive experience. All the better to complement the food and drinks.

After General Manager Cal (@tankcal) finished our tour of the venue, he settled us into one of their two stunning alcove seats and served the drinks we’d picked: a gin-based “Great Western Railway” for @huatkaliao and a non-alcoholic Mango Lassi for me (loved its fruitiness).

Moments later, Head Chef Thiru (@thiru614), formerly of Spago Singapore, sent out a brilliant trio of “Coriander Mint Chutney”, “Roasted Pistachio Chutney” and “Jackfruit Cucumber Raita” (2 for $10 / 3 for $14) which we had fun mixing and matching with the fried-fresh-daily “Papads” in variants of cumin and black peppercorn, lentil and plain, as well as “Potato Crackers”.

I love anything corn so the “Bombay Elote” ($14) that landed next, disappeared in seconds. It’s Chef Thiru’s take on one of his favourite street food, and took the delightful form of smoky corn purée with corn salsa, baby corn dipped in more purée with a sprinkle of corn cracker crumbs, finger lime and coriander cress.

“Sothi Fresh”, a traditional Indian yellow coconut curry was a modern marvel. Not only was it chilled but the protein was a snapper ceviche cured in a Kokum dressing, and mixed with coconut flesh, coconut jelly and shallots. To enhance this chilled appetiser, finger lime, Boondi and Kashmiri chilli oil were added ($22).

The “Beirut Bhathura” ($12) was a refined rendition of the classic fried fermented dough “balloon”. Its moreish sidekick, a dip with an obvious Middle Eastern influence that brought Celeriac Hummus, Chickpea Masala and Pomegranate together.

Chef Thiru shared that the “This Is Not Aloo Gobi” ($16) was what got him the position at @superfirangi. It’s apparent why. A deconstruct of the classic, it had cauliflower couscous, roasted cauliflower florets, cauliflower coriander purée, crispy cubes of layered potato, cashews, raisins, mint leaves and a masala compote partying like no tomorrow.

I did not see it coming but the “Prata Waffle” blew my mind. Think of it as an ingenious merger of western-style “Chicken & Waffles” with North Indian-style “Butter Chicken”. Flinging prata dough into a waffle-maker got it crispier and a little chewy. The Madras-style fried chicken was fantastically fragrant and crunchy, and had the right touch of sweetness from a drizzle of jaggery syrup. It was smart to serve the butter chicken gravy in a bowl so nothing on the plate got soggy ($24).

Another standout from the meal was the “North X Northwest”, a spicy lobster dish inspired by Chef Thiru’s wife’s crab masala. Because the deshelled chunks of Atlantic lobster meat were pan-fried in a Tawa till half-cooked, then finished in a rich, thick lobster-masala sauce and sprinkled in Kashmiri chilli powder, it smelled like a million bucks and tasted incredible. Pieces of bottle gourd and garnish of fresh scallions and coriander brought a welcome lift of freshness. I doubt there’s anything better to match the flavourful bouncy succulence of the lobster meat than the Anise-Ghee Rice ($6) - its buttery loveliness harmonised so soul-stirringly with the masala sauce that I suggest not skipping this combo even if you are avoiding carbs.

Between the two desserts of Coconut Podi Idli ($12) and the Chocolate Jamun ($15), I preferred the latter. It so happens to be a homage to the favourite Indian sweet of @rohitroopchand’s (he’s the CEO of The Dandy Collection). I was glad that the chocolate mousse with Gulab Jamun crumble, chocolate crunch, rose-scented cream, pistachios, rose petals and cardamon vanilla ice-cream was well balanced and not too sweet. It was very pleasant washed down with a steaming hot Chai Tea.