Songdo Indian curry, palak paneer: Set A vs Set B at Manokamana

I honestly didn't even know there was a Manokamana in Songdo. When the heat gets exhausting, nothing beats an indoor mall — and this is Building C of Triple Street, where I'd been before for passport photos. It connects right to the subway too, so it made for a fun outing. That's the day we went on an Indian curry date in Songdo after a while.

Honestly, it's not exactly empty here even on weekdays. Still, parking is easier than on weekends, and since it connects all the way from Songdo Hyundai Premium Outlets (aka Songhyeona) through to Triple Street, pretty much every brand you can think of has a store here — plus it's just huge. Lots to see and do, and easy to get to. Walking through and looking around, we made our way to Building D, and

Where is Manokamana Triple Street Branch 2, and what are the hours?

Oh… this place? The INDIAN KITCHEN sign caught my eye. There are actually two Indian curry restaurants in Songdo, but the one I visited was Manokamana Triple Street Branch 2.

• Traditional Indian restaurant Manokamana
• Open 10:00 – 22:00
• 5 hours of underground parking available at the Triple Street main building

Even outside of mealtimes, the distinctly exotic exterior makes it feel like you've traveled abroad, and there are always people around, so I always end up glancing over out of curiosity. There's a folding-style table near the entrance that's great if you have a stroller or baby with you. There are stairs up to the second floor too, and the inside seating area isn't small either. I'd always wondered about this place walking by, and this time I finally got close enough to see — it was Manokamana, haha.

Ordering by table QR at Manokamana: what to pick if you can't decide

Manokamana Triple Street Branch 2 orders via table QR code. We went as a couple on a weekday date, and picked from appetizers like samosa (Nepali-style dumplings), salad and soup, and of course the signature curry and naan. If you're confident you can finish it all, adding tandoori chicken makes for a really generous spread.

Exotic Indian curry, a menu they say isn't overwhelmingly spiced — though personally I love spice to the max. If you're having trouble choosing, going with a set menu is a good tip (available for 2 or more people).

Manokamana Set A vs Set B: what's the difference?

For a Manokamana Songdo set menu recommendation, let's break down the difference between A and B by price and composition.

• Set A ₩30,000 — chicken mushroom soup, samosa, green salad, tiger prawn, tandoori chicken, curry, garlic naan, rice, lassi
• Set B ₩19,000 — green salad, chicken tikka, curry, naan, rice, lassi

Lassi, green salad and the basic table setting

Lassi is a traditional Indian yogurt drink. Compared to overly sweet café drinks, it has a light, tangy flavor that I really like, and it pairs well with a meal too. We had it in a pretty strawberry color.

The green salad comes out first. There were little bursts of tangerine in it, refreshing with a light drizzle of dressing. The basic setup comes with pickles, jalapeños, and onions.

Once the curry arrives, you can mix it with rice, and these side dishes go nicely alongside, bit by bit. The set menu comes out in this order: lassi, salad, chicken, curry… and naan last. You can see it being baked fresh right in the semi-open kitchen — that's a lightness you only get at a proper Indian restaurant. I ate some plain, and some loaded generously with curry — even full, I always make sure to order extra, that's how much I like it.

Chicken tikka at Manokamana: how it differs from tandoori

Set A includes tandoori chicken and samosa dumplings too. For the price, it's a noticeably fuller spread, but Set B is simple with a well-portioned amount, so pick whichever suits your taste.

Chicken tikka is boneless barbecue chicken marinated overnight in traditional Indian spices. Being boneless makes it easy to eat, and the distinctive aroma that hits before you even taste it gives it an exotic flavor. I honestly ate it plain, without sauce, and being boneless there's zero dryness. Chewy, moist texture, plus the spice on top.

Naan choices at Manokamana: sweet, garlic and butter

Rice and curry had arrived, but I went for the naan first. The size is just right — great for tearing off long strips, or rolling up and dipping into the curry.

• Sweet naan, with a touch of sweetness
• Garlic naan, baked with garlic
• Butter naan

I'd recommend picking one basic plus one flavored (but honestly, naan just keeps tasting good the more you tear off, doesn't it).

Palak paneer, the spinach curry we chose

The curry we chose was palak paneer. It's one of the vegetable curries, spinach-based. There were white squares mixed in — what was that? I asked when paying. Turns out it's kotte cheese, a handmade Indian cheese.

Great mixed over rice, great for dipping naan into. As always, the curry portion wasn't small. Since it came as a set with chicken, salad, lassi, and rice, it was a good spread to try a bit of everything. There are so many curry types (chicken curry, mutton curry, vegetable curry, shrimp curry) that picking really isn't easy. I've been to another Manokamana branch in Songdo a few times before, but this was my first time here. Makes me curious to try more, and want to come back.

There are photos of the signature menu items at the entrance too. I've had samosa before — it's like a familiar dumpling but crispy on the outside, good to snack on before the main dishes arrive. Plus your choice of basic curry, naan, and chicken. The set menu was especially popular during weekday lunch. INDIAN Restaurant Manokamana Triple.

Getting to and from Triple Street in Songdo

I went last week. It felt like peak vacation season with how many people were out, and it was a good time for summer clothes shopping too — lots of places had events going on. Since it connects to the subway, you can walk the whole way underground without breaking a sweat. Get some fresh air, pick a good spot to eat at Triple Street, fill up, then head up to the first floor where there are markets and cafés too. The outdoor seats along that passage are nice around sunset. The buildings we mostly stick to are C and D.