Travelling D.
Google
I found The Mustard through the Michelin Guide and visited for lunch. The restaurant opens at 11:30am; it was initially quiet but began filling up around 12:30pm.
The interior is air-conditioned with terracotta-coloured flooring, black-and-white sketches on the walls, and oil lamps used as ambient lighting. There is a bar on the far left and two tables outside. Inside, most tables seat four and are set with colourful runners. Overall, the décor is pleasant and themed, though not especially striking.
Food
• Rice: Standard, nothing notable.
• Aubergine in clay pot: Average. The dish was more of a paste and, despite the name, was served in a regular dish rather than a clay pot.
• Kosha Mangsho (mutton special): Again, average. Thick gravy but lacked depth and richness. Found the meat dry rather than soft.
• Doi Maach (Rohu fish): Dry, with many bones. Acceptable but not memorable. Odd sauce and a lot of it. The fish quality was poor!
• Pure: small, oily otherwise Fine, no issues.
The meal started reasonably well but declined in quality as the restaurant became busier, suggesting some inconsistency once service ramps up.
A significant issue arose during payment. My credit card was taken away to be tapped and returned inside the bill sleeve, meaning the transaction was not visible to me. More concerning, my card was accidentally kept by the restaurant. I only realised this at Little India MRT station and had to call them and return to collect it.
Additionally, the route to the toilets offers a partial view into the kitchen, where kebab meat was seen hanging openly. This appeared unhygienic and detracted from the overall experience.
While The Mustard benefits from Michelin recognition albeit a gourmet bib and a pleasant setting, the food was largely average and the service and hygiene issues were disappointing. Given its Michelin Guide status, higher standards of consistency, transparency during payment, and kitchen hygiene would be expected.
