Family Indian curry dinner at Manokamana, Songdo, Incheon

Lately I've been exploring Songdo restaurants and trying dishes I don't usually eat, and this time I went to Manokamana, an Indian curry specialist, while looking for good spots in Triple Street.

I like Thai food and eat Thai curry pretty often, but I'd barely had proper Indian curry in Songdo, so for once I brought my parents along and we went as three adults.

Honestly, the first worry with Indian curry is always the spices. If they're too strong I have trouble eating the food at all, so I was a little nervous..;

Worrying only delays things.. the tasty stuff should be eaten sooner and in greater quantity

The most surprising thing this time was that the Indian spice aroma was actually much lighter than Thai curry. If anything, the spice flavor typical of Thai cooking felt stronger — Manokamana is tuned to Korean tastes. If you're looking for something different to eat in Songdo, this place is worth a try.

Location and parking — Triple Street Building C, B2

• Location: 33-3 Songdogwahak-ro 16beon-gil, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Triple Street Building C, B2
• Hours: 10:30–22:00 (last order 21:00)
• High chair: Yes
• Free parking: Yes

Manokamana's Triple Street branch sits along Building C, directly connected to the Songdo Hyundai Premium Outlets (Songhyeona), so it's perfect for a shopping or date course. Since Triple Street is a complex mall, it's also easy to stroll around and browse before or after the meal.

Best of all, Triple Street lets you use the underground parking lot conveniently (free parking) with no need to register your car, so there was zero stress about driving there.

What's the interior like?

The moment we walked in, the distinctly exotic Indian atmosphere hit us. The wall decorations, props, and lighting were all carefully styled to fit the concept, so it felt like a brief trip to India haha

That said, it's absolutely not a place where spice smells hang thick in the air — the tables are spaced generously and the vibe is comfortable enough to chat and eat at ease. Seems like a good atmosphere to bring someone trying Indian food in Songdo for the first time.

What three adults ordered, and the price

Since we'd brought my parents along, I wanted to properly try a few different things, so I ordered generously.

• Chicken tikka: ₩13,000
• Butter chicken: ₩13,000
• Prawn masala: ₩15,500
• Naan: ₩2,500
• Butter naan: ₩3,000
• Plain rice: ₩2,000 × 2 (₩4,000)
• Sprite: ₩2,500
• Total: ₩53,500

Wanting to try a couple of different curries, we ordered the sweet, nutty butter chicken and the spicy prawn curry, prawn masala. The portion was just right for three adults. We also added chicken tikka — boneless tandoori chicken — plus two kinds of naan and rice, and the table ended up fully loaded.

Ordering is done via QR code, and there are discounts available through the Naver receipt event or with advance reservation — worth keeping in mind.

Spice level and how each dish tasted

Honestly, I picked up my spoon a bit cautiously because of the spices, but it was seriously delicious. The whole meal I kept thinking, 'Wait, this has way less spice aroma than Thai curry?' — it wasn't harsh at all, just smooth. The tastiest of all was, of course, the butter chicken.

Butter chicken — the best of the day

Hands down the best dish of the day. On a tomato base with cream and butter, it's incredibly smooth and creamy. There was a distinct nuttiness with unusual depth, like ground nuts had been mixed in.

No sharp spice edges, just nutty softness — the curry sauce alone was delicious, it mixed perfectly into rice, and dipping naan into it was a fantasy combo. We scraped the bowl clean. Our family's favorite pick!

Prawn masala — how spicy is it, really?

If butter chicken is creamy, prawn masala is an authentic style with a bit of kick and deep savory flavor. It's marked as spicy, but it's more like a mild kick..? It was generously packed with plump, firm shrimp, and finished with a subtle garlic aroma.

Alternating a bite of butter chicken with a bite of spicy prawn masala meant we never got tired of either — the ultimate sweet-savory-spicy combo.

Chicken tikka — boneless tandoori chicken

The boneless chicken tikka was great too. I picked the boneless version so my parents could eat it easily, and it came off the tandoor oven with the grease nicely rendered out.

It was delicious with a subtle red-spice aroma plus a hint of char from the oven. A good, easy way to enjoy tandoori chicken.

Regular naan vs. butter naan — which is better?

The naan straight out of the oven was impressively large. I tried both regular and butter naan, and surprisingly, my personal pick was the regular one!

Regular naan: plain on the outside, chewy and soft inside — it didn't interfere with the curry's own flavor and was the best for scooping up big bites.

Butter naan: the surface glistened with butter for great flavor, but had a slightly denser texture. When it came to pairing with the smooth sauce, the plain naan was much more to my taste.

You can also choose the type of rice, and since we were with my parents, we went with regular rice! It was about one serving's worth,

and with pickles, onion salad, and jalapeños on the side, we finished everything without any sense of heaviness.

Final thoughts and a recommended combo

This place made me regret ever hesitating over Indian curry because of the spice barrier, haha. The spice aroma was much less overwhelming than I'd expected — in fact lighter than Thai curry — so I genuinely enjoyed the meal.

The butter chicken in particular, with its smooth, nutty flavor bursting through, was the clear favorite of the day. I visited with my parents, and all three dishes went over well with everyone, no complaints, which made it a satisfying family meal out.

My personal recommended combo: butter chicken + prawn masala + regular naan + rice. Pair the nutty curry with the slightly spicy one, alternate between naan and rice, and it's genuinely delicious.

If you're looking for a clean yet distinctive restaurant in Songdo's Triple Street, I recommend Manokamana! I'll probably be craving that butter chicken again soon and heading back.