Indian curry lunch set with naan & rice in Ansan: Meno Ka Mena Ansan

When you want a different kind of lunch in Ansan

Meno Ka Mena Ansan (머노까머나 안산점) is a place near Jungang Station in Ansan where you can eat traditional Indian curry. Every lunchtime we all wonder, "What should I eat today?" Korean food is great, Chinese food is great, but sometimes you want something a little different from the usual. That day I was agonizing over lunch, suddenly craved curry for the first time in a while, and headed to Meno Ka Mena Ansan.

Meno Ka Mena Ansan: location, hours and parking

• Address: 921 Jungang-daero, Danwon-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi, South Korea (Dongseo Core, 2nd floor)
• Hours: 11:00–22:00
• Closed: 1st and 3rd Mondays of every month
• Parking: use a nearby parking lot if driving

If you've ever searched for a good lunch spot in Ansan, you may have heard of this place. After trying the traditional Indian curry set this time, I could kind of see why so many people keep coming back.

What's the atmosphere at Meno Ka Mena Ansan like?

At lunchtime, Meno Ka Mena Ansan had a relaxed mix of office workers, families and Indian locals. When I opened the door, the feel was different from the restaurants I usually go to. It was lunch hour, so there were quite a few customers: lots of office workers, some families, and plenty of Indian customers too.

The mood was more comfortable than I expected, so it looked fine for a solo meal or a lunch meetup. The spice aroma drifting through the room wasn't overpowering either. If anything, it made me hungrier!

What comes in the Meno Ka Mena curry set

The Meno Ka Mena curry set comes with curry, rice and naan (Indian flatbread) all together. I ordered it while looking over the menu, and it seemed like it wouldn't leave me short for a lunch.

The food started arriving one dish at a time, and the table filled up fast. Even while taking photos, my first thought was that I wanted to dig in already!

I went for the freshly baked naan first

In the Meno Ka Mena curry set, what caught my eye before the curry was the freshly baked naan. When I tore it by hand, I could feel the warmth, and it stretched softly.

It was nutty and good on its own, but dipping it in the curry is where the real flavor came alive. I meant to have just one piece, and before I knew it my hand kept going back for more.

Indian curry: isn't the spice too strong?

The curry at Meno Ka Mena Ansan wasn't loud with spice; it was smooth and deep. When people hear "Indian food," a lot of them worry the spices will be strong, and honestly I did a little too. But one bite and it tasted gentler and deeper than I expected. The moment I dipped the naan in, I thought, I worried for nothing!

The spices didn't jump out; they just added a subtle depth, so it was easy to eat. With naan, the soft texture and the rich curry went together so well that I kept reaching for more.

When you eat the curry with rice

Dipping naan in the Meno Ka Mena curry was great, but eating it with rice had its own charm. The curry sauce soaks in between the grains of rice and the rich flavor comes through.

Maybe because I eat Korean food a lot, the rice combination suited me quite well. It was fun to mix and match instead of eating it just one way.

Is the Meno Ka Mena curry set filling enough?

Because the Meno Ka Mena curry set comes with both naan and rice, the portion was quite filling. I figured curry would leave me hungry soon, but I was completely wrong. With naan and rice together, it was a lot more food than I expected.

By the time I finished, I felt properly full. I could kind of understand why customers keep coming at lunchtime.

Is it okay if it's your first time trying Indian food?

Meno Ka Mena Ansan seemed easy to enjoy for curry lovers and first-timers with Indian food alike. When you eat similar meals every day, there are days you crave something new. I visited with that mood, and it felt like a refreshingly different lunch after a while. Once in a while, a lunch like this is nice.

It seemed easy to enjoy for people who already love curry, and for those trying Indian food for the first time too.

Next time I want to try other curries

Walking out after the meal, I thought I should try the other curries at Meno Ka Mena Ansan next time.

After trying it, I could kind of see why so many people love Indian food. If you're tired of Korean food, craving something different from the usual, or just looking for a hearty meal,

Meno Ka Mena Ansan is worth a stop. I enjoyed a refreshingly different lunch, and it put me in a good mood for the rest of the day.