Be sure to check spice metre before ordering for your little tykes

By Jacqueline Tan 

It's called an Indian bistro, but Ashiyana's menu also lists a wide selection of Nepalese dishes in addition to Northern Indian staples. 

The two Nepalese chefs who helm the kitchen are just as adept at whipping up Indian meals as they are with classical Himalayan dishes like momos (think of them as dumplings, shaped like xiao long bao). 

The little ones will love the momos ($6.80 for eight pices), which can be done steamed or fried and come with a choice of minced vegetable or chicken filling. 

Spice-savvy older kids can dip them into the chilli chutney made from Himalayan herbs. Other delightful munchies include the vegetable ($3.80) or chicken ($7) pakora (crisp veggie or meat morsels coated in chickpea flour) and the highly addictive ram toriya ($5.80), wafer-thin slices of deep-friend lady's fingers sprinkled with salt. 

The succulent and boneless kukhura sekuwa ($8.50) and Kashmiri naan ($2.50 per piece), topped with dried cherries and nuts are the more tummy-filling options. 

The northern Indian dishes are mild, but you can always have the chilli quotient upped. 

The tender butter chicken ($9) bathed in a luscious gravy is a must-try. So is the very Nepalese creation, jheenge mewa ($13), a thick prawn masala dish presented in a papaya boat. 

The juice from the papaya lends it a pleasant sweetish taste. 

ASHIYANA INDIAN BISTRO 55 Chander Road TEL 6299-0745 OPENING HOURS 11.30am to 2.30pm; 5.30pm to 10.30pm (Closed on Tuesday afternoons)

- Mother & Baby
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