Mahmud’s Tandoor’s Muslim Boss Took Over 3-Storey Kampong Glam Shophouse When He Heard A Bar Was Opening There: ‘We Didn’t Want People Drinking In Front Of The Mosque’
The ex-SGAG writer who sells tandoori chicken burgers only intended to rent the ground floor of the shophouse near Sultan Mosque, but changed his mind after learning that a bar was set to occupy the upper floors. “We’re Muslims. It’s Arab Street, and we didn’t want people drinking alcohol in front of the mosque,” he says. He plans to do stand-up comedy here.
Founded by husband-and-wife duo Siraj Aziz and Nasyirah Parveen in 2023, Muslim-owned Mahmud’s Tandoor quickly gained popularity for its sedap tandoori-spiced burgers and Indian-inspired street food in a hip packaging. The business was named after Syirah’s father, whose tandoori chicken recipe was used by the Indian-Pakistani couple to launch their F&B venture.
Siraj, 36, who was the assistant head of writing department at digital content company SGAG, and his wife Syirah, 33, a special needs teacher in a primary school, initially took “over 50 per cent pay cuts” to start their business. They invested a five-figure amount to open their humble kiosk in Curbside Crafters market near Arab Street in April 2023.
Now, just two years later, Mahmud’s Tandoor has been upgraded into a 3,100-sqft, three-storey shophouse at Kandahar Street.
Opened on February 15, the new space offers a vastly improved dining experience. The ground floor houses a proper 35-seat eatery with both air-conditioned and fan-ventilated areas – no more makeshift rabak alley dining or takeaway meals.
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Siraj says the move was in the works for over a year. “Once business was steady, we knew we had to move. Our older customers needed more comfortable seating, and we wanted to cater to bigger families.”
The new Mahmud’s Tandoor is vibrant and eclectic, with bold yellow and orange tones and exposed white brick. A neon-lit sign against a Persian-style rug adds a heritage-inspired touch, while mismatched seating – including industrial chairs and colourful cushioned benches – enhances the laid-back, contemporary charm.
Second floor formerly cocktail bar Maison Ikkoku, will turn into cafe
The second floor, formerly home to cocktail bar Maison Ikkoku, is currently vacant as Siraj awaits Singapore Food Agency’s approval to lease it as a cafe. Rather than running it himself, he’s leaving it to the pros. “Coffee is very unforgiving. There’s a reason people are called coffee snobs,” he quips. “Instead of pissing people off, I just want to make sure they get what they like.” His goal? To bring in specialty coffee and desserts while giving home-based businesses a chance to sell in a physical space. “We’re hoping to get approval for other small businesses to tumpang (ride along in Malay) our licence,” he says. He’s open to leasing the space to various cafes on a short-term, pop-up basis but will consider a long-term partnership if they find the right tenant.
Siraj hopes to perform stand-up comedy on roof terrace
The rooftop offers 30 alfresco seats and an unobstructed view of the majestic, gold-domed Sultan Mosque. “That view sold us on taking over the whole building,” Siraj laughs. Diners can enjoy their tandoori chicken burgers across all three levels. There’s also an attic space that Siraj hopes to turn into a retail and community hub under The Balcony, an events subsidiary he and Syirah recently launched. “It’s still experimental. We’re inviting non-profits, artists and small businesses – one weekend, we had a henna artist pop-up. Customers got their henna done indoors and chilled on the rooftop while it dried.”
The ex-SGAG writer reveals that he hopes to perform stand-up comedy at this space someday. “I think this will make our establishment a more interesting place to come back to. I want customers to be like, oh what’s popping up there this week?”
“We didn’t want people drinking alcohol in front of the mosque”
Taking over the whole building wasn’t part of the original plan. Siraj had only intended to rent the ground floor but changed his mind after learning a bar was set to take over the upper floors. “We’re practicing Muslims. It’s Arab Street, and we didn’t want people drinking alcohol in front of the mosque. We wondered if we could do something about it, maybe take over the whole building and rent out some floors,” he explains.
After finding the full shophouse rent “reasonable” (a low five-figure sum), the couple invested another low five-figure amount to set up their new space. He proudly shares that their expansion was entirely self-funded. “Whatever we earn, we save and reinvest.”
Their sacrifices are starting to pay off – Siraj confirms their earnings are now “comparable to [our] previous salaries,” and they can finally afford short holidays, something they had to forgo when starting out. The couple also welcomed their second child last year.
Life after SGAG
Siraj admits that there’s “a lot” he misses about SGAG, where he worked for four years before launching Mahmud’s Tandoor.
“A big one is being paid to find the funny every day. Some days were tougher than others, but it was still a blessing. Having dedicated teams and professionals to bring your wacky visions to life was a dream,” he reflects.
Siraj left his role in 2023 after four years “when the social media landscape changed a lot” and he no longer felt the same excitement he once did. “It was time. Although it was tough to move on at first, seeing our small successes along the way and the genuine happiness of customers fuelled us.”
Asked whether being a comedian and running an F&B business is tougher, Siraj doesn’t hesitate. “Both are super different, but I think to be successful in either, you’ve got to be ready for a lot of feedback and that can be brutal. Be it Google reviews or hecklers in the [comedy] club [where Siraj sometimes performs], there’s no way around it but through.”
He adds, “If by some miracle we stay true to our craft and have good material [whether it’s food or jokes], then maybe people will finally recognise what we stand for in the sea of restaurants and comedians, and support us.”
Teething problems
So far, Siraj describes their new opening as “very fruitful” as it coincided with the bustling Ramadan bazaar in Kampong Glam. Within the first few weeks, he observed a 50 per cent surge in sales. However, the sudden spike overwhelmed his kitchen team of four, leading to a dip in food quality and lowering their Google review ratings. So Siraj quickly reorganised kitchen workflows and SOPs to bring quality back on track. “We still have a lot of work to do,” he admits.
Despite the larger kitchen, Siraj confirms that the eatery has not gotten a traditional tandoor (a rotund charcoal-filled clay oven typically used in South Asia). “No, aiyoh, we’re still using the convection oven!” Jokes aside, he explains that their method – using a convection oven and deep-fryer to cook their chicken – actually results in juicier meat, which is why they have no plans to invest in a tandoor.
Menu prices remain the same
Remarkably, Mahmud’s Tandoor has kept their menu prices unchanged. The signature items, like OG Tandoori Burger, which features tasty baked tandoori chicken thigh between fluffy brioche buns with sliced onions and mint yogurt, and Crispydoori Burger, the more sinful version with deep-fried chook, harissa mayo and melted cheddar, remain affordable at $12 each, while the Loaded Chicken Masala Fries – masala-spiced thick fries topped with tandoori chicken chunks and yummy sauces – is still priced from $6.
“As long as business remains stable, we hope to maintain these prices for as long as possible,” says Siraj.
Initially, Siraj faced complaints that his burgers were too pricey. But over time, Mahmud’s Tandoor built a loyal following through a mix of quality food and social media buzz – Siraj runs the brand’s social media accounts and often shares humorous videos to promote the eatery. Their main customers are families and younger folks.
New dish
Next on the agenda? Expanding the menu. So far, they’ve only introduced one new item – the Tempehdoori ($13), featuring tandoori tempeh and spiced potato patty sandwiched between potato buns.
Mahmud’s Tandoor is at 20 Kandahar St, S198885. Open Tue to Sun, 11am to 10pm (last order at 9pm). More info via Instagram & TikTok.
Photos: Aik Chen & Mahmud’s Tandoor.
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