Tandoori chicken and fried rice at India Darbar, a Sillim Indian spot

Sometimes I crave Indian food with that gentle spice aroma instead of my usual go-tos, haha. This time I really wanted tandoori chicken, so I headed to India Darbar. If you're looking for good food near Sillim Station and want to try something different, this place is worth a look. I paired the chicken with fried rice and fried noodles too, and it turned out to be a surprisingly good-value, filling meal!

What is India Darbar like inside? Second-floor Indian decor on Sillim-ro

India Darbar is on the second floor! Walking in, I saw a red brick wall with a fabric frame of an elephant, giving an exotic feel right from the entrance. An Indian flag and colorful garlands were hung around too. Looking at each decoration one by one, I felt like I was on a trip even before the food arrived, haha.

The wooden tables had copper cups and cutlery neatly set out. With the warm lighting added in, the mood was cozy. The window seats had a view outside too, nice for a relaxed meal. And the weather that day was perfect, haha. Among the good restaurants near Sillim Station, this is a solid pick if you want to eat in this kind of Indian atmosphere.

India Darbar's menu, from curries to tandoori dishes

India Darbar's menu was really more varied than I expected! There was butter chicken and chicken tikka masala, palak paneer (spinach curry), and curries with lamb or shrimp too. The naan to go with the curry came in several types too — plain, butter, garlic, cheese.

Besides tandoori chicken, there was also chicken tikka and tandoori king prawn. With samosa and curry pasta on the menu too, I ended up taking my time reading the menu, haha. There's a lunch set, a solo set, and a two-person set, so if it's hard to decide what to order together, the set options are worth checking out.

This time I had chicken fried rice, a tandoori chicken half, vegetable fried noodles and lassi.

The first thing to arrive was a three-compartment tray with pickles, seasoned onion, and pickled radish (danmuji) lined up side by side. Good for picking at bit by bit in between bites!

How is the chicken fried rice at India Darbar? Fluffy and mild

India Darbar's chicken fried rice had fluffy, separate grains that were easy to scoop up spoonful by spoonful. Big chunks of chicken were mixed in throughout, tender and delicious.

Thanks to the subtle spice aroma coming through, it tasted quite different from the fried rice I usually eat. The flavor wasn't too heavy, so it was mild enough to pair with other dishes. Especially after a bite of the spicy fried noodles, taking a bite of the fried rice felt even better since the flavors were so different from dish to dish. Glad I ordered a rice dish alongside, haha.

Half tandoori chicken: clay-oven smokiness and lean meat

The tandoori chicken I was most looking forward to came out on a red sizzling pan! Onions and garlic scapes were laid underneath with the chicken on top, and it looked appetizing from the golden-brown color alone!!

Tandoori chicken is apparently chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, then roasted in a traditional clay oven called a tandoor. The outside had crispy roasted spots while the meat inside stayed moist. With the first bite, I could taste both the distinct smoky flavor from the clay oven and the spice seasoning.

The color was deep so I expected a strong flavor, but it was actually milder than expected and easy to eat. Eaten plain, the chicken's own aroma really came through, and dipped into the sweet-spicy sauce that came with it, you could enjoy a slightly richer flavor. Alternating between the two, I enjoyed it all the way to the last bite!

How spicy are the vegetable fried noodles? Order lassi alongside

The vegetable fried noodles had noodles coated in a red seasoning showing through the cabbage and other vegetables. The noodles were chewy and the vegetables crisp, making for a nice texture eating them together.

This turned out to be quite a bit spicier than I expected! My mouth started tingling as I ate, but that spicy flavor kept pulling my chopsticks back, haha. Seriously addictive,,,, And it paired well without overlapping with the mild fried rice or the smoky chicken.

When it got too spicy, I'd take a sip of lassi. The tangy yogurt flavor combined with its smooth, cool taste was just right between bites of the spicy noodles. This time I tried Indian food in a different way, with fried rice and fried noodles instead of curry, and if you want to enjoy tandoori chicken along with rice and noodles, this combo is a great option too.

If you're looking for good food near Sillim Station and curious about that smoky tandoori chicken, try it with a lassi on the side. If you're sensitive to spice, ask about the heat level when ordering the vegetable fried noodles — it'll help you pick your menu, haha!