Street food and chaat (savoury snacks) come to the forefront at GupShup. With colourful hand-painted murals and unique showpieces, this Indian restaurant at Serangoon House is effortlessly striking. But it’s not at all over the top. The menu reads plain and simple, a showcase of the very best of Indian street food.
Flavours span different regions, from the savoury snacks of Mumbai to the coconut-based curries of the South. Start with small bites like the pani puri ($15), crisp fried shells filled with a mix of chickpeas, potatoes, and drizzled with a tangy tamarind sauce. And as always, Indian fare like butter chicken ($45) and garlic naan ($7) are crowd favourites for good reason. GupShup’s classic Delhi rendition comes perfectly seasoned and infused with a hint of smokiness.
For a novel dish that you might have yet to try though, it’s the amritsari chole, a Punjabi style spiced chickpea curry that’s served with a side of tandoori kulcha (stuffed flatbread). It’s also worth ordering the mutton chilli fry ($43) which is served atop a flaky prata, or the gosht seekh kebab ($39), cigar-shaped minced lamb skewers.
The name GupShup itself is a nod to casual chit-chat or the easy flow of conversation. Chef Surjan Singh, also known as Chef Jolly, helms the kitchen here. He has years of culinary experience under his belt, having been a judge on MasterChef India while also concurrently leading the kitchens of fine dining Indian restaurant Shikar.
In fact, he draws inspiration from the small rural villages of India where country folks would gather for a lazy evening of leisure. Rolling lentil poppadoms, enjoying a game of cards, or having a cup of chai together – it’s exactly what an idyllic life in the country looks like. As Chef Jolly says, he wanted to recreate “a spot to slip away from life and into blissful moments with friends and loved ones”.
Book GupShup here.