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2022-10-06
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[ New Punjab Club | 中環 ]Passed by this rustic restaurant numerous times before on Wyndham Street but never actually went in. I heard great things about them and they even have a consecutive Michelin star since 2019 so of course, I had high expectations. I finally managed to book a table tonight to satisfy my Indian cravings. The inside is much smaller than I expected from the photos I’ve seen and makes everything so much more cosy and family-style but the decor and furniture patterns scream eleg
[ New Punjab Club | 中環 ]
Passed by this rustic restaurant numerous times before on Wyndham Street but never actually went in. I heard great things about them and they even have a consecutive Michelin star since 2019 so of course, I had high expectations. I finally managed to book a table tonight to satisfy my Indian cravings.
The inside is much smaller than I expected from the photos I’ve seen and makes everything so much more cosy and family-style but the decor and furniture patterns scream elegance and sophistication.
Before we start, the service here is impeccable. The waiters serve everything on sliver platters - including water! - with the utmost manner. Same equilibrium as fine-dining restaurants.
They serve you some Masala Peanuts after you order and they are so addictive!! Fried with finely diced onions and various spices to make a tangy, crunchy amuse-bouche with a small kick to awaken your palate. Always squeeze the elusive Indian lime wedge on top as it brings out the spice even more!
I also want to mention the knife they use here. It’s a specially hand-made Damascus steel (ultra-high carbon crucible steel) knife imported from India with a cherry wood handle. Elegant yet rustic.
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Tandoori Anda $278
Such a good appetizer.
I have never seen an egg prepared like this: a raw egg is wrapped in roti and baked in the tandoor. Taken out when still jammy and sliced in half. Topped with langoustine, grilled corn, lime caviar and shaved caviar; with light mayonnaise to bind it all together. You eat it by scooping it out. Be careful of the shell!
The flavours are out-of-this-world. They use Japanese eggs for the extra creaminess and vibrancy of the perfectly jammy yolk. The luscious yolk works magic with the sour lime caviar and smoked salt. All with a hint of spice to warm your mouth.
Not only is the taste spot-on. The textures are divine. Chewy and plump langoustine with the crunchy and crisp grilled sweet corn
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Amritsari Machli $278
This is the dish that signifies the British colonization of India, a play on fish ‘n’ chips with Indian fried spiced sole,
The batter is made with semolina, chickpea and rice flour; resulting in an extremely thin coating. Not to mention it is perfectly seasoned (border-lining salty) with a great spice to it.
Even though the fish is incredibly thin, it’s oh-so flaky and smooth. Just what I expect from a flaky, flat fish such as sole. I find it unbelievable that they were able to perfectly cook this. The flesh is still a bit opaque which is the desired doneness for white fish. This truly shows their technique and their Michelin star was well deserved.
Top with a squeeze of key lime to brighten everything up.
The two sauces to accompany this was a raita inspired tartare sauce and a pea purée adopted from mushy peas. The raita is so refreshing and light. Perfect with the spiced fried fish. The pea purée has traces of mustard seed oil (which resembles wasabi) so the spice resembles the burn you get from wasabi and tastes so good with the silky fish.
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Tandoori Cobia $478
Their signature tandoor dish!
I’ve never had cobia before and the chef describes it as a cross between cod and mackerel and I couldn’t agree more. The meat is flaky but still firm and extremely fatty.
They cooked it in the tandoor so there is a big hole in the meat as they skewered it to ensure it will cook on the inside as well.
I can only describe the cobia as thick and fatty. The flesh is firm and bouncy (unlike the silky fried sole) so it was very nice to try both of these textures.
The seasoning on this isn’t as strong or intense as other tandoor meats so you get to taste the genuine flavour of the cobia. Since it’s line caught, the flavor should be much more intense and ‘fishier’.
Don’t order this expecting a silky, flaky fish because this is not it. It is tender and firm and absolutely worth trying.
Moreover, the skin is really thick and chock loaded with collagen due to its elasticity. The oil on the inside also made it accompany the roti and naan well.
The raita served it unlike the thick one before. This is much looser and silky. With the chopped cucumbers and tiny tom berry tomatoes (specially procured from NZ) that are crunchy and juicy. There is also a lot of lime caviar that just bursts in your mouth. A great and refreshing contrast to the thick and fatty fish. I especially loved eating a chunk of fish with naan or roti dipped in the raita.
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Palak Nadru $207
As opposed to the well-known palak paneer. This is the Punjabi version with koftas made of soft cheese (Chenna), potatoes and lotus root, it is fried then served onto the spinach curry.
The curry is warm, savoury and spicy. Not numbingly so but still excites your mouth. Topped with additional chilli oil to give you more heat. The use of ginger is very prominent throughout this dish. With strands embedded between the silky curry that brings another dimension of spice and heat.
The koftas are so soft and fluffy. Strong potato flavour that’s savoury and creamy and the cheese makes it really soft and moist. There is a sultana jam in the middle that brightens up the dish and adds sweetness and acidity.
The koftas are the perfect vessel for the rich curry and eating it all together with both the naan or roti is just perfect. I recommend eating by tearing a generous portion of bread then scooping up a chunk of koftas and then slathering curry on top for the perfect bite.
The fried lotus on top seems to be garnish as the taste is quite weird. The batter is thick and dense which made it hard to chew through. The taste is weirdly sweet too.
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Tandoori Roti $38
I had to get both the naan and roti! And I managed to finish both myself too 😜
The roti isn’t as flat and dense as I thought. It’s really fluffy and soft when straight out of the tandoor and the aroma will make you salivate. The nuttiness works great with the curry and kofta but also with the well-flavoured dish.
The edges and holes are well-crisped and slightly burnt so you get that amazing char and smokiness.
The roti does get hard after it is cooled (which will be fast as the air conditioning is quite strong in this small restaurant) so eat it whilst still hot and soft!
This went well with both the palak nadru and cobia. I even tried it with the fried sole fish and their sauces respectively and both are delicious. It just gives all these amazing flavours something to hold onto.
The roti is definitely for people who like chewing and chewy things. Order the naan if you like fluffy and soft bread.
Love how they engrave their brand on the breads. Definitely adds a personal touch to it.
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Butter naan $98
I personally like roti more but this naan was just as good.
The butter is really pronounced and the caramelized flavour works so well with the yeasty bread that I can eat it plain!
It arrived soft and fluffy and unlike the roti, it remains soft and fluffy even after it has cooled. There is a significant pocket of air which again makes it fluffier and the pockets created are so beautiful.
This pillowy naan is better at absorbing the flavours of the palak nadru as opposed to the cobia as it is quite thick and might overpower the delicate fish flavour. But it’s a worthy opponent against the rich curry.
Both the naan and roti is served cut in half but I managed to finish all by myself so you definitely should order more for a bigger group as the pieces aren’t all too big.
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推介 🙆🏻♀️
💬 Overall, the best dining experience had in a while. Came with high expectations and left with a very satisfied stomach. Although the prices are quite expensive, the quality definitely makes it worth every dollar. They don’t have a freezer so everything is fresh and delivered in the morning! It’s best to come in bigger groups as you can try everything on their limited menu but coming here alone is also perfectly fine! Just beware they might ask you to return the table after a while as they are quite booked (even on a weekday) and only have 10 tables, 2 of which are 2-seaters.
🗓 Revisit? ✅ ⭕️/ ❎
Masala Peanuts
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Tandoori Anda
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Amritsari Machli
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Amritsari Machli
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Palak Nadru
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Tandoori Cobia
$478
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Palak Nadru
$207
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Butter naan
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