The Song of India: Mellifluous Melody or Clattering Cacophony?

Having read a litany of "encomia" on The Song of India's food, my dining partner and I decided to make a trip down to verify the veracity of these claims. Unfortunately, The Song of India has proven itself to be overrated, and these claims remain, well...unfounded assertions, at least in my opinion.

For starters, the service was extremely poor, for the reception lacked genuine hospitality and the servers seemed nonchalant and ill-trained. Although it was completely empty upon our arrival, the servers were completely inattentive to our calls for service as they had been preoccupied with engaging in conversation amongst themselves. Furthermore, the server was incapable of performing basic duties such as refilling empty glasses of water, bearing testament to the poor service standards at The Song of India - an abysmal experience, given that we paid about $130 per person. 

Both of us opted for the "Journey Through India" six-course degustation experience which was preceded by an amuse bouche consisting of a melange of interesting flavours, one of which consisted of a mayonnaise-like cream with a note of tangy spice.

Amuse Bouche

To get the ball rolling, we were first served some thin, crispy rolls with an accompaniment of two sauces - mint sauce and vegetable chunks/purée. While the mint sauce was decent, the vegetable purée was extremely ascerbic and whether one liked it or not probably depended on his acquired taste for it.

Crispy Rolls

Next up, the soup was below average, and though it was meant to be chicken soup (I believe, for it was so tasteless that I was unable to discern its purported ingredients), it was dismal as it probably represented the nadir of competency in concocting soups. In fact, it tasted as though chicken-flavoured cubes had been carelessly thrown into a pot of water, and even so, it was so dilute to the point that it had no distinct flavours. Isn't it amazing that one can bungle a dish as simple as this?

It can be whatever you imagine it to be, for its tastelessness gives you much room for creativity and imagination

In fact, the poor service was evident at this point, for when I gave the server my honest opinion upon his request for feedback, he was stumped into silence. Instead of apologising and making an attempt at customer recovery - which seems like the protocol, or at least what would be expected of a high-end restaurant - he stared at me unbelievingly, his mouth agape. The best part was that this awkward episode lasted at least a minute, thereby interrupting our dining experience.

Next up, for the appetiser, a duo of chicken and fish - complemented with a slice of lime, chopped green apple and a smear of mango reduction - was served. While the fish had a nice texture and an alluring aroma, the chicken was slightly dry for my liking, and the dish - while decent overall - was not outstanding.

Appetiser

Of all the dishes, the palate-cleanser (lime sorbet) would have had to be the most exceptional, for the hint of lime perfused the entire sorbet without it being overwhelmingly sour. Instead, there was a tinge of saccharine goodness made more complete with a dash of Indian spice, giving this dish a unique spin that was much appreciated. 

Lime Sorbet

As for the mains, a sextet of small portions was beautifully served on a palette along with saffron rice and naan, so, kudos to the restaurant for having at least given some thought to the presentation of its food. Tastewise, the prawn - cooked in the most acrid-tasting, flaming red curry - was pretty delectable, and the chicken was quite decent as well. On the other hand, the beans were mediocre while the beef (if I remember correctly) was slightly tough and sinewy. However, the two highlights of the dish would have to be the soft cheese (cooked and topped with vegetables) as well as the yoghurt with a hint of mango, as these two dishes were novel and interesting. Unfortunately, the downside to the main course was that each individual component was heavy on the palate, such that my appetite was sated after having consumed no more than half of the mains. 

Main Course

Naan

Last but not least, dessert comprised a spongy bolus immersed in cloyingly sweet, diabetes-inducing sugar syrup, as well as some ice cream in which a strong, buttery flavour presented itself. While the ice cream was distinctive initially, it was overly rich, and the fruits - which were not sufficiently citrus-y - represented an inadequate attempt to balance the slightly oleaginous and strongly milky texture of the ice cream.

Putting my insulin to work

To round off our meal, we had teh tarik (milk tea), which was alright but not spectacular, though I shall refrain from commenting further due to my personal aversion to milk tea. 

Teh Tarik

In the final analysis, the food at The Song of India was decent, though nothing was extraordinary, such that the meal ended up being rather monotonous. In my opinion, the larger issue was with the lacklustre service which has definitely turned me off. To diners who may be thinking of patronising this restaurant, perhaps, you may wish to consider otherwise and visit other restaurants (e.g. Punjab Grill) where you can get exquisite, more nuanced Indian cuisine, as well as indulge in the exceptional service that The Song of India is completely deficient in.