Daegu Indian restaurant for crab curry: Rama & Babana

Rama & Babana Dongseong-ro Main Branch, a beloved Indian restaurant in Dongseong-ro.

Rama & Babana Dongseong-ro Main Branch information

• Address: 2nd floor, 3 Dongseong-ro 3-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea (대구광역시 중구 동성로3길 3 2층)
• Hours: 11:30–21:30
• Break time: 15:00–16:30 / Last order: 20:30
• Regularly closed every Tuesday
• No parking available

A long-loved Indian restaurant in Dongseong-ro

Here’s my visit to Rama & Babana Dongseong-ro Main Branch, an Indian food specialist that has been loved in Dongseong-ro for such a loooong time! I heard it has stayed in the same spot at the entrance to Tongsingolmok in Dongseong-ro since 2004, for more than 20 years. My husband said he had eaten there 15 years ago and still remembered how delicious it was, so of course I went in with huge expectations.

When I stepped inside, I loved that it was much neater and more modern than I had expected. It still had that distinctive exotic feeling of an Indian restaurant, but the overall atmosphere was relaxed, making it an easy place to settle in for a meal.

There were seats in all sorts of sizes, so it felt well suited to a meal with friends, a couple’s date, or a small gathering. The open kitchen also let us see some of the food being prepared, which was fun to watch!

Phu phat phong curry with naan-wrapped nasi goreng

What I ordered

• Phu phat phong curry
• Nasi goreng
• Lassi (a yogurt drink)

Phu phat phong curry is my absolute favorite Indian-food menu item, and this one was loaded with crab, so I was already salivating the second I saw it! There was plenty of crab tucked throughout the silky curry, with a gentle coconut aroma that gave it a charm quite different from an ordinary curry. The spice aroma was not overpoweringly strong either, so it was an easy flavor for anyone to enjoy.

The nasi goreng was unusual too. Instead of the usual fried-rice-style nasi goreng, it came wrapped inside naan, which was fun from the moment I first saw it. It was spiiicy with savory seafood depth, and alternating it with the phu phat phong curry made for such a good pairing. With the naan, it had a chewy texture that almost felt like eating cheese, and it was delicious! (I am absolutely planning to eat it again next time, oink oink.)

The lassi was smooth and tangy, just right as a finishing drink after the spicy nasi goreng. Ordering the curry, nasi goreng, and lassi together was seriously such a great combination!

A varied menu with approachable spices

Rama & Babana Dongseong-ro Main Branch preserves the flavor of traditional Indian curries while using spices in an approachable way, so even first-timers to Indian food can enjoy it comfortably. Beyond curry, there are pizzas, pasta, salads, rice dishes, and more, so it would be great for a group to visit and choose according to everyone’s tastes.

This is the kind of flavor that makes you go, “Ahh, so this is why they have stayed in the same place for 20 years!” I would recommend it for lunch with friends when you want to share something different, for a date spot with a nice atmosphere, or whenever you are looking for a Dongseong-ro restaurant with lots of dishes to share—really, for all kinds of occasions! Rama & Babana Dongseong-ro Main Branch had such a wide range of choices that I definitely want to try other dishes next time. If you are looking for an exotic but easygoing Indian curry restaurant in Daegu’s Dongseong-ro, do visit!