Mapo Indian restaurant for butter chicken curry: Deli India

My beloved curry!!!!!! I try making it at home, but it is never quite the flavor in my head, right? I had been missing curry that is buttery and full of that sharp cumin aroma.

While I was out in Hongdae, I stopped by Deli India, known as a great curry spot around Hapjeong and Sangsu.

Deli India location and hours

Hours are 11:00–22:00, and the address is 2F, 8 Dongmak-ro 9-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

Deli India is on the second floor in a little alley. The sign is small, so it was not easy to spot. Looking for the red “Indian cuisine” sign should make it easier to find.

Up to the second floor we go.

A spacious dining room and separate group seating

The dining room is wonderfully spacious. I was struck by the neatly arranged cups, plates, and back cushions at every table.

I do not even have that many gatherings, yet whenever I see a separate group table, I imagine getting together happily with a bunch of like-minded people, haha. It would be great for a group get-together of Hongdae college students =)

The colorful interior also caught my eye. Even though it is an older building, having a restroom inside the restaurant was convenient.

There are Instagram and Naver receipt-review events too, so be sure to check them out =)

Deli India menu and prices

Set menus require an order for at least two people, and prices are per person.

• Set A ₩27,000: green salad, 2 chicken mushroom soups, 2 samosas, half a tandoori chicken, 2 king prawns, 1 curry (choose from the full menu), choice of naan, garlic naan, or butter naan, rice, and 2 special lassis or red wines
• Set B ₩17,000: green salad, chicken tikka, butter naan, rice, lassi, and 1 curry (choose butter chicken, chicken masala, or palak paneer)

• Appetizers: 2 samosas ₩5,000 / vegetable pakora ₩8,000 / aloo dum ₩7,000 / papad ₩3,000 / masala papad ₩5,000 / chicken momo ₩11,900
• Salads and soups: green salad ₩6,000 / tandoori salad ₩10,000 / tomato soup ₩5,000 / chicken mushroom soup ₩5,000
• Tandoori: tandoori chicken full ₩19,000 or half ₩10,000 / chicken tikka ₩13,000 / chicken chili ₩15,000 / prawn chili ₩18,000 / tandoori king prawn ₩22,000 / chicken malai tikka ₩15,000 (25-minute preparation) / mutton tikka ₩17,000

• Chicken curries ₩12,900: butter chicken (chicken makhani), chicken korma, chicken masala, kadai chicken, chicken palak, chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka masala
• Mutton (lamb) curries ₩13,900: mutton masala, mutton kadai, mutton palak, mutton korma, mutton vindaloo 🌶🌶🌶
• Vegetable curries ₩11,900: paneer makhani, palak paneer, mixed vegetable, matar paneer masala, chana masala (vegan), dal makhani, palak aloo (vegan), aloo gobi (vegan)
• Prawn curries ₩14,900: chili prawn curry, prawn vindaloo, prawn masala, prawn makhani

• Traditional breads (naan): plain naan ₩2,500 / butter naan ₩3,000 / garlic naan or sweet naan ₩3,500 / cheese naan ₩5,500 / aloo paratha ₩5,000 / apple honey kulcha or paneer honey kulcha ₩5,000
• Rice: white rice ₩1,500 / basmati rice ₩3,500 / jeera rice ₩5,000
• Biryani (fried rice): vegetable ₩10,500 / chicken ₩11,500 / mutton ₩12,500
• Pasta: vegetable curry ₩10,500 / chicken curry, lamb curry, or prawn curry ₩11,500

• Chow mein: vegetable ₩10,900 / chicken ₩11,900 / mutton ₩12,900 / prawn ₩12,900
• Desserts: dahi plain yogurt ₩5,000 / 2 gulab jamuns ₩3,500
• Drinks: black tea ₩3,000 / milk tea ₩3,500 / lassi ₩4,000 / mango or strawberry lassi ₩4,500 / mango juice ₩3,000

Trying Set B butter chicken curry

Set B comes with butter chicken curry, chicken tikka, green salad, butter naan, rice, and lassi.

Let's eat!

Green salad and chicken tikka. The green salad is bright and refreshing, with mango and orange notes =)

Chicken tikka is boneless chicken! I love tandoori chicken and wondered whether to add it, but I looked it up and learned that chicken tikka is the boneless version of tandoori chicken, haha. It is so tender and beautifully seasoned. Cut off a piece and eat it as is~ then dip it in curry~

Butter chicken curry—this is it! This is the flavor I had missed. Curry and naan… they are a pair, a pair.

Have it with rice too. Fish out a piece of chicken, put it over the rice, and eat them together!!! I also mixed it all around so the curry could soak in nicely.

The onion kimchi that came alongside was so charming. Spicy and sweet, yet clean-tasting.

The butter naan had the faintest fragrant syrup-like aroma. Even on its own, it was nutty, sweet, and chewy. So appealing! And I always finish with lassi!!!

The pairing of buttery flavor and onion kimchi

The buttery flavor comes right through in the curry, and just when you think, “Is this a little buttery?” the sweet onion kimchi resets the aroma. The tender, well-seasoned chicken tikka was appealing too, as was the chewy naan with its sweet aroma.

How does this course sound: eat at Deli India, browse Gentle Monster glasses, sing a round at a coin karaoke room, do a round of escape room, then work up a sweat at Jumping Battle!!!