Three naans and lamb keema at Mandala, a Hapjeong Indian restaurant

A meal log from a developer who records good restaurants and makes games.

This time I visited a Hapjeong restaurant called Mandala Indian Lounge. Apparently it opened last November, and on weekends there were lots of foreign customers!

I had two curries — lamb keema (minced lamb curry) and chicken makhani curry — plus three kinds of naan: plain, butter garlic, and honey.

Trying both curries, chicken makhani suited me better. The lamb keema was tasty too, but a bit spicy. Still delicious though!

Where is Mandala Indian Lounge, and what are its hours?

The restaurant is at 26 Dokmak-ro 3-gil, 3rd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Looking up from the street you'll see the MANDALA sign on the building. There's also a sign near the entrance, so just follow it up.

• Hours: Mon/Wed/Thu/Fri 12:00–23:00, Sat/Sun 12:00–23:30
• Last order: weekdays 22:30 / Sat–Sun 23:00
• September closures: 8th and 22nd
• Parking: none on site — use a nearby paid lot

Hours and closures are based on Naver's listing as of September 6. If you're planning a Tuesday visit, double-check whether they're open that day.

Window tables and bar seats inside Mandala Indian Lounge

Walk through the door at Mandala Indian Lounge and a big window greets you first. With windows on both sides, the interior is bright, and the tables weren't packed too tightly. Small round tables and 4-person tables are mixed together, so there's room whether you come as a pair or a group.

White curtains, wooden chairs, black lighting — in photos it almost looks like a café. I came to Hongdae for Indian food and didn't expect this kind of vibe.

On one side there's a bar lined with bottles — a different vibe from the table seating. It was fun to look around at the paintings on the walls too.

Two curries and three naans: what we ordered and the prices

Besides chicken, lamb, and shrimp curries, Mandala Indian Lounge also has curries made with vegetables or lentils, plus tandoori and biryani. There are so many curry options that it's worth looking over the menu before deciding.

Here's what we ordered on this visit — five items in total. Prices are from the menu at the time of the visit.

• Lamb keema curry ₩15,000
• Chicken makhani curry ₩13,000
• Plain naan ₩3,000
• Butter garlic naan ₩4,000
• Honey naan ₩3,500

Chicken makhani curry was the favourite

The chicken makhani curry at ₩13,000 felt like exactly the kind of dish that would suit Korean palates. Tastes differ of course, but between the two curries I tried, this was my favorite.

On the menu it's listed as butter chicken. In the photo, the curry with the creamy swirl on top is the chicken makhani. If you're heading to Hapjeong for curry but the Indian dish names feel unfamiliar, this one's a safe first pick.

How spicy is the lamb keema curry?

For the lamb keema curry (₩15,000), look for Lamb Keema on the menu. Instead of big chunks of meat, it's made with finely minced lamb — you can see in the close-up photo how the meat is mixed all through the curry.

This was tasty too, but unlike the chicken makhani, it had a bit of spice to it. If you're expecting something mild, it might catch you off guard, so keep that in mind when ordering. Chicken makhani suited me better between the two, but I was glad I tried the lamb curry as well.

Plain, butter garlic and honey naan, plus turmeric rice

It felt like a waste to try just one kind of naan, so I ordered all three — plain, butter garlic, and honey. Plain is the basic version, butter garlic has butter and garlic, and honey naan has honey baked in.

Worth noting: the menu lists garlic naan and butter garlic naan as separate items, so it's worth double-checking when you order to avoid mixing them up.

What I especially liked here is that they bake the naan fresh the moment you order. It comes out crisp on the outside and chewy inside — good enough to eat on its own without any curry.

As you can tell from the photos, the naan is quite large too — big enough to hang over the edge of the basket, and baked to a nice golden brown. The butter garlic naan has toppings on it so it's easy to tell apart from the others at a glance. With two curry plates and naan all set out, the table filled up fast.

Partway through (didn't manage a photo) I added turmeric rice too. Guess I'm Korean at heart — after eating naan for a while I started craving rice. Pairing the rich curry with turmeric rice was satisfying and filling. It has its own charm separate from the naan, so if you go, I'd recommend adding rice too.

Turns out the chef here used to work as a hotel kitchen chef. That probably explains why the curry flavors and overall food quality felt quite solid!