Kunthaville A Culinary and Wellness Retreat in Singapore's Historic Little India

Experience Sri Lankan Plantation Bungalows and Ceylonese Cuisine at Kunthaville

The latest entrant into Singapore’s jostling restaurant scene, Kunthaville is tucked into an unlikely alley in the atmospheric Little India enclave. A world away from the crowded lanes mere metres away, Kunthaville transports you instantly into the colonial-era plantation houses set amidst tea gardens in Sri Lanka. And why not. The owners come from a place of authenticity, owning plantations in the teardrop country, hoping to bring a whiff of the plantation life into busy Singapore.

It is important to understand the plantation life, as it sets the stage for Ceylonese Cuisine, served at Kunthaville. Ceylon was the name given to Sri Lanka while it was a British Colony and the grandeur of plantation living was reflected in the colonial-style houses, the slightly tempered cuisine, and every conceivable luxury. That, peppered with the warm hospitality of Sri Lanka, is what you can expect from this charming outpost in Singapore.

By bringing in spices grown in their spice plantations in Sri Lanka and using these to recreate age-old recipes for Singaporean diners, the team at Kunthaville manages to retain authenticity and depth of flavour. Over a six-course, plant-based menu, we tasted Ceylonese flavours using bold ingredients such as whole spices, coconut, chilies, rice, vegetables and palm sugar.

The meal started with Beetroot Cutlets and Jackfruit Rolls, a great snack to accompany your choice of beverage if you drop into Kunthaville for a drink. The beetroot flavour was sweetened by cooking it down, removing the bite from the otherwise difficult to use vegetable. The jackfruit roll was spicier, with a mango and avocado salsa balancing it down. While the starters were enjoyable, the next course both surprised and amazed me. The Colonial Soup Tureen Cream of Roasted Pumpkin, made with French techniques enriched by indigenous spices from the Nusantara region, was, as my media colleague mentioned, “possibly the best pumpkin soup he had ever had in his life”. With a hint of ginger to lift it up, the creamy soup delighted in every spoonful. If there is one dish that you visit Kunthaville for, let it be this soup.

Entrees started with a typical Sri Lankan and South Indian dish called Gundappam. A relief to the palate after the spiciness of the first two courses, these ‘crepe balls’ cooked in a Dutch oven were blissfully mild, fluffy and soft. Paired with a roasted coconut chambal (sambal) and a coconut chutney, it was the perfect pause between the starters and the main course.

We moved on to a traditional Ceylonese lunch feast, a culinary celebration of diverse flavours and textures. Served in individual platters, the main course highlighted local ingredients such as jackfruit (which grows in almost every Sri Lankan garden) and coconut. The highlights of the platter for me were the subtly flavoured Signature Curry Leaf Coconut Rice and a sweet and sour homemade Raw Mango Chambal.

We wrapped up the meal with a refreshing dessert labelled Sweet Landings Treasures of Ceylon. Chilled sago pearls with ruby and emerald jelly in coconut cream was intended to remind the diner of the precious gems found in Sri Lanka. Not too sweet, and served with a chewy jaggery candy made in-house, the dessert was the perfect antidote to all the spices and flavours, settling the stomach as a great cup of tea would. Speaking of which, the owners have also brought in select tea blends from their tea gardens in Sri Lanka and the restaurant doubles as a tea room where you can relax on plush velvet chairs and sip on aromatic tea while enjoying a mouthwatering vegan cheesecake and wondering how it could taste exactly like a regular one.

Set in a shophouse, Kunthaville offers both indoor and outdoor patio dining. The interiors recreate the nostalgia of a plantation house, with elements such as a beautiful mural painted across one wall by a French artist, depicting a frosted view of the greenery outside as seen from inside a plantation bungalow. The 3D painting is just one of the many elements which set the tone for the room, with batik paintings and traditional masks adorning the walls, and a centrepiece tea bar right in the middle.

Everything from the black and white saris worn by the servers to the Sri Lankan kitchen staff and the ingredients sourced from Sri Lanka, scream authenticity. Kunthaville promises not just to be a restaurant, but a vision wherein one can feed the body, mind and soul. One level up, you will find W Social, a tranquil wellness space created where one can attend classes in meditation, martial arts, yoga and such. The 100-year old shophouse within which the restaurant sits and the recipes passed on through generations, suggests a definite pride that the folk at Kunthaville feel in their heritage.

A pleasant addition to Singapore’s food scene, great for a corporate meeting, a bright lunch, or even just a solo drink with some delicious snacks.