It’s always a joy to find a good mutton vindaloo. That bold, fiery combination of tangy, spicy and savoury sets off the tastebuds in many directions all at once!

This particular dish (S$14.90) is from Indian Curry House. With a name so generic and uninspiring, you probably wouldn’t expect much from them. But there’s reason why they have survived more than three years at the Siglap area when others have just come and gone. The quiet little restaurant has a few gems on its menu, and it does mutton dishes well enough to please even those who don’t usually like mutton.

On a previous occasion, we tried the Kashmir Rogan Jhosh, which was also commendable, as well as the Chicken Tikka Masala.

For vegetables, try the Baingan Bartha (S$9.50) – roasted brinjal cooked in garlic, tomatoes, onion and fresh green chili. The green brinjals are cooked just right, and exude a sweetly smoky aroma that pairs perfectly with the tomato and onion mixture.

It may be a curry house, but it makes some pretty good tandoori items too. You could taste the complex spices in the tangy chicken tandoori (S$8 for two pieces). We just wished these were served a little bit warmer.

Enjoy the mains either with basmati rice or a basket of naans (S$10.90 for four pieces – normal, butter, garlic and Kashmiri) fresh from the oven.

However, as with most restaurants, not everything is stellar here.

Their signature tandoori lamb shank (S$19.90) is a strange mess. The meat is sliced and stir-fried with an overly pungent and garlicky spice paste. The meat remains surprisingly gamey, which is completely unlike their other mutton items.

A couple of appetisers also flunked the taste test such as the “onion rings” which were actually whole onion slices coated in puffy damp batter. The fish cakes were flat breaded patties of fishy minced fish. Their vegetable pakoras coated with gram flour fared better. Even so, it might not fare well with all.

But barring the few misses, Indian Curry House is still worth visiting once in a while for its better items. It’s a simple place with unassuming decor – just right for a quiet and peaceful meal. It’s also family friendly and has a small little play area for children.

INDIAN CURRY HOUSE

27 Upper East Coast Road, Crescendo Building, Singapore 455211

Tel: 6442 0910 Opens Mondays to Thusdays 11:30am–2:30pm, 6–11pm, Fridays to Sundays 11:30am–2:30pm, 6–11:30pm