Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh, the titular characters of Chef Gaggan Anand’s casual offshoot restaurant, may have first fallen in love in Bangkok, but their love story continues in Singapore this October with the opening of its first overseas outpost right here in the hip and energetic Tanjong Pagar.
Brought in to Singapore from Bangkok in a collaboration with The Proper Concepts Collective, the local hospitality group behind brands like The Feather Blade and RAPPU, expect some of their original hits in Bangkok, as well as new tantalising dishes specially created for Singapore. Complementing the cuisine, romantic and whimsical interiors by Los Angeles design firm, OWIU, bring to life Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh’s world.
The menu features tapas and small plates starting from $12 that marries home-style Mexican and Indian cooking, a dynamic blend of flavours and traditions, reproducing a menu that is romantically influenced by both cultures. Discover them in a comic-style printed book that tells of Ms. Maria and Mr. Singh’s transcultural love story across five themes: Love At First Bite, I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing, I Need You Now, For Wedding And Maybe A Funeral and Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.
Alongside a refined menu tailored for Singapore at accessible price points, the chef-driven menu will whisk diners away on a culinary journey from India to Mexico.
To begin, enjoy an addictive complimentary bowl of crispy Mixed Chips ($8 for each bowl thereafter) comprising sweet purple potato, sweet orange potato, yam, and yellow corn tortilla that is accompanied with four house-made dips ($4 per dip thereafter) such as Pickled Mango, Chilli Cheese Sauce, Guacachutney and Pickled Baby Corn.
Love At First Bite
Embark on a transcultural love journey by falling in love at first bite: expect a rendition of some of the greatest hits served at Gaggan Restaurant such as the iconic Papdi Chat ($18), a yogurt explosion of flavours inspired by the popular Indian street food made with crisp fried puri, sweet and sour chutneys, yogurt and sev, as well as Cold Curry Ceviche ($20) where Chef Gaggan wanted to challenge the perception of what a typical curry is by presenting it cold and raw with cured scallops and crispy corn in the classic South American leche de tigre marinade spiced with a touch of guacachutney.
Local flavours are given a nod with the Spicy Crunchy Okra ($12) deep-fried in a buttery chickpea batter for extra crunch and served with chillies and pickled dip, as well as The Guacamole Of My Chips ($16) that serves whole chips with a freshly made guacamole fragranced with local Singaporean herbs.
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
Ease into the second phase of passionate love where quesadilla gets unconventional with renditions like Truffle Quesadilla ($28) that spices up the classic mixed cheese in flour tortilla with paneer masala, decadent truffle paste and honey, and Keema Quesadilla ($24) of minced lamb meat emboldened with lashings of melted cheese.
Savour a staple within Mexican cuisine, the Mole sauce which comprises chocolate, spices, fruits, nuts, chilli peppers and over 60 different ingredients in Hate Veggies Love Peanut Mole ($14) that presents crispy fried lotus root atop cauliflower, peanut mole, and butter guacachutney.
I Need You Now
As things take a more serious and heated turn, look to items made for sharing like Prawn Tempura Tacos ($20 for 2pcs) that serve tempura prawns with slightly pickled purple cabbage, and mizuna leaves on blue corn tortilla, drizzled with chipotle prawn head mayo that gives a punch and Eggplant Bharta Tacos ($16 for 2pcs) that lays eggplant bharta on spinach tortilla and spiked with pickled papaya and guacamole.
The Pork Vindaloo Tacos ($17 for 2pcs) showcases pulled pork in a Goan-style masala before wrapping it in a flour tortilla and layering it with mozzarella cheese and pineapple salsa, while the Maria & Singh Fish Tacos ($18 for 2pcs) slices up Barramundi fillet and presents them in perilla leaf tacos and in two different marinades – one in Ms. Maria’s marination and the other, a choice of Mr. Singh’s.
For Wedding and Maybe a Funeral
There’s no turning back now at this stage so go all in with mains like the iconic Gaggan’s Crab Curry ($32) which is a signature dish of Chef Gaggan since 2016/2017, a coconut and coriander-based curry dish, fragranced with shallots, tomatoes, tamarind and juicy chunky crab meat. North Indian classics are also well represented by the Chicken Tikka Masala ($14) of succulent chicken chunks cooked in a spiced tomato, cream base curry.
Whole fish options are also available like the Patrani Fish Tamale ($30) of roasted Barramundi fillet, rubbed with patrani masala before roasted in banana leaf. The hearty and flavourful rice staple of Biryani is also on the menu, available in a few variations – Surf & Turf ($28) with mixed seasonal seafood and beef tongue, Surf ($22) of mixed seasonal seafood only, Turf ($22) that has beef tongue only or a meatless option of Morel Mushrooms ($22).
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
If love is the sweetest thing, then it definitely should not be ordinary, as exemplified by the happily ever after dessert menu. The Avocado Falooda ($16) serves vanilla ice cream with a borderline savoury avocado mousse, coconut jelly and lemon foam. For a taste of stardom, the Mango Yuzu Snowball ($24) is Chef Gaggan’s classic dessert from 2012, as seen on MasterChef Singapore comprising a mango yuzu base topped with white chocolate snow and chopped mangoes.
Shake It Up For Love
Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh’s outpost in Singapore also features specially crafted cocktails by beverage director of The Proper Concepts Collective, Boo Jing Heng, who was named Singapore Diageo Reserve World Class Winner 2016.
Amongst the highlights from the cocktail menu ($22 each) are sweet-smoky Banana Rhubarb Old-Fashioned filled with spirit forward, bananas, and a hint of rhubarb; Pineapple Cilantro Sling, concocted with fresh greens, pineapple, and touch of spice from jalapeño; and Anise Agave Margarita, a refreshing blend of anise, agave, and lime that are filled with a herbal, citrusy flavours.
Love Should Never Be Mild
Once you step into the restaurant, you are immersed in the romantic story of how Ms. Maria and Mr. Singh met and eventually fell in love, which is depicted in a charming menu, comic style, and design from OWIU. The comfortable and unpretentious casa setting is reminiscent of Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh’s house, where two cultures find their similarities in gastronomy and design, showcasing a vibrant palette of yellow and blue colours inspired by the cities of Oaxaca and Jaipur.
The interior is dreamed up by OWIU, the LA-based architecture firm behind some of Singapore’s trendiest new restaurants. Singapore natives and OWIU co-founders Joel Wong and Amanda Gunawan infuse the couple’s love story throughout their design, building on Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh’s narrative as the characters evolve from love-struck novices to culinary veterans.
Diners enter the conservation shophouse through a tile archway inspired by the patterns and colours of Jaipur and Oaxaca. The walls have been painted in bold hues to reflect the tenacious Ms. Maria and Mr. Singh, while pampas grass, dangling cords of chillies, and rattan light fixtures add a natural element.
Made of quartz obsidian, the dining room’s seven-metre-long shared table invites guests to dine in a communal setting as if eating at home with family. Whimsical elements can be found throughout, such as a colourful installation of recycled window shutters, OWIU’s interpretation of Ms. Maria's home. Floating above the bar, traditional Indian sarees are adorned with bright red and yellow flowers resembling embroidered Mexican huipil, seamlessly marrying the two cultures.
a. 43 Craig Rd, Singapore 089681
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