Daegu Indian restaurant for naan and chapati: Rama & Babana

Rama & Babana Dongseong-ro Main Branch doesn’t have parking, but it does have high chairs. I used to pass Rama & Babana on my way home after hanging out downtown from high school onward. Back then I was too busy rushing off to Canmore to even think about trying Indian food, but thanks to my Super Member, I finally went after getting this old.. o_o

Honestly, when I thought of Indian food, all I could picture was Kian84 eating with his hands….. I barely knew anything about it or had tried any of it. But filling up on naan instead of rice, plus pizza that was not at all as heavy as expected and chicken too—this was a much more satisfying meal than I expected for my first Indian food experience.

Finding Rama & Babana in Dongseong-ro

The “and” is shining away. From a distance, the exterior—with its soft lighting behind the full-height second-floor windows—had me thinking, oh, the atmosphere is pretty nice?

If Indian food feels unfamiliar, pay attention here🔊 At the first-floor entrance, you can take in the menu at a glance, and upstairs there is also a waiting area where you can sit comfortably.

Perhaps the history of Rama & Babana that I never knew about.. Have a little look at the traces left by famous visitors👣

One of the top 100 restaurants nationwide, ooh~~~~~ and even a Jung-gu restaurant selection certificate. Why do I feel so embarrassed that I came this late to such a famous place..

It was my first Indian fusion restaurant, after all. Just a spoonful of an Indian feel, but the full-height windows make it feel wonderfully open. The whole interior is dim and has a cozy, chatty sort of mood. Could you hand someone a gift before the meal and say, “I bought this thinking of you…” here?

Restrooms matter downtown! The restroom is right there as soon as you enter.

My first Indian fusion order on T-Order

With T-Order, a system that has both tradition and modern convenience, we tapped out our order.

The “and” on the T-Order screen at the next table must be Rama & Babana’s symbol 👁️👁️ Then I shall remember it by that and.

Let’s properly check the origins of the ingredients too. Among ingredients brought in from various countries, the Korean-grown items are rice, pork, vegetables, and chicken. That is quite a lot of domestic produce, right?

• Beef curry + naan
• Tandoori cream chicken
• Mozzarella chapati
• Blueberry lassi

Beef curry and naan: a first taste that did not feel unfamiliar

Lassi apparently means Indian-style yogurt. Rama & Babana had soda and lassi among its drink choices, and I picked blueberry lassi! It was thick, truly like a blueberry yogurt smoothie. Very thick and delicious, though cola might still be the better match with pizza and chicken..?

It was my first naan ever, so I had to compare it to Korean food. It was like a buchujeon (Korean chive pancake) without the chives. Somehow addictive and delicious. It is unseasoned, but has such a nice chew..👍🏻 It would be perfect with beer too.

The pairing of cheesy chapati and tandoori cream chicken

Mozzarella chapati. The spicy curry sauce and chicken-breast topping worked so well together. Think wood-fired pizza with a cheddar-cheese-like sauce drizzled over it.. It did not feel strange at all. It was very delicious. I loved that it was not greasy or heavy.

Chicken generously drizzled with traditional Indian sauce and mustard sauce. My companion said they wished there had been more sauce, but I thought the clean, crispy-chicken-like flavor was delicious. The sauce had a jalapeño note that cut through the richness.

Since we were going to have tandoori chicken, I thoughtfully.. ordered beef curry, and it was packed with beef. The vegetables were cut into kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) sized pieces, and they had soaked up the curry beautifully, so it was extremely good. It was thicker and saltier than store-bought curry. The curry is delicious!!!!

Eating one thing after another.. suddenly, half of it was gone.

Like wrapping rice in lettuce, but with naan and curry.. yes, I was eating very well.. Using my hands did mean I had to wipe them often!

Wow, we even finished the water bottle hahaha. Whew.. had we come here starving..?

It was a shame to leave, so I captured the view from our table. It has been so long since I was in Dongseong-ro at this hour.

Why it has stayed in Dongseong-ro for 20 years

Apparently, this Indian fusion restaurant has held its spot for a full 20 years. I do not often choose curry when eating out, so I only visited now, but the flavors were far more familiar than expected and there were lots of dishes you could enjoy without feeling intimidated. The portions were generous too, so I truly ate until I was overflowing that day.. seriously delicious.

These days, as more and more storefronts in Dongseong-ro sit empty, there was clearly a reason this place has remained for so long. It has the small, comforting ease of a home-cooked meal, with a touch of something special in its Western-style dishes. Even I, someone who had little interest in Indian food, understood immediately why it has been loved for so long after eating here. There is also a Suseong Lake branch—I am curious what its mood and menu are like?