Hyehwa Indian dinner set with tandoori chicken half: Meono Kkameona

A full Indian spread for ₩17,000 a person. That price gets you curry, naan, rice, and lassi all included. My girlfriend and I had decided to have dinner in Daehangno yesterday. We'd been cycling through pasta places and meat restaurants and someone said they wanted something different. So we ended up at Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch. We walked in around six in the evening and the hall was almost full. Still, we got seated without waiting — lucky, I guess.

Where is Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch, and how far is it from Hyehwa Station?

Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch is about 250m from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station, a 3-minute walk. Just look up at the intersection where you can see Olive Young and Daiso, and you'll spot the dark purple sign right away. It's on the 2nd floor, so it's easy to miss if you're only looking at street level — head up the stairs in the building with the CU convenience store.

• ⏰ Daily 11:00 - 22:30 (open year-round)
• 🅿 Parking available (check fees/conditions at the store)

There's a Naver receipt review notice on every table. It said you get 4 pieces of "momo" per review. Momo is a Nepali-style dumpling. Just write a review and show it to the staff — you'd be missing out if you skipped it.

On the sign, the biggest words are "Indian Cuisine." "Meono Kkameona" is written smaller next to a yellow lamp logo. The deep purple background makes it stand out even before the sun goes down.

Inside the 2nd-floor dining room: seating and atmosphere

There's a waist-high wood carving standing by the door — it didn't look like something newly bought, so I looked twice. There's also a gold sign on the inner wall.

The inside was bigger than I expected. Rows of stained-glass lamps hang along the brick walls, and once they're lit, the mood really comes alive. There are plenty of seats, but finding an empty table was still hard.

On one shelf, brass bowls and a kettle are lined up, and next to them sits a wood-carved Taj Mahal. It clearly shows wear from long use, which makes it fun to look at.

By the window there's a long solid-wood table that could easily seat ten. Would make a good spot for a group gathering, right?

What comes in Meono Kkameona's Set B, and how much is it?

We ordered the Meono Kkameona Set B. It's a per-person menu but only orderable for 2 or more, and it's ₩17,000 per person. It comes with a green salad, chicken tikka, curry, naan, rice, and two lassis. We added a tandoori chicken half on top for ₩10,000. For the curry, we chose butter chicken curry, and for the naan, garlic naan.

The green salad arrived first, with a thick layer of mango-colored dressing underneath. The pickles came in a three-compartment brass bowl — I kept reaching for the radish pickle dusted with red pepper flakes.

Half tandoori chicken for 10,000 won: is the spicing strong?

Next was the tandoori chicken half. A whole plate was filled with red chicken. Half a bird, but it had leg, wing, and breast all included. The skin had char marks scattered across it from the charcoal.

I took a bite — crispy outside, juicy inside. I'd expected the spices to hit hard, but it was much milder than I thought. My girlfriend had something to say too.

This one's fine even if you can't handle spicy food.

When you tear it apart, the grain is still visible like this. It never got dry. Placed on top of the salad, it also cuts the greasiness. If you visit Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch, you have to try this one.

Butter chicken curry and garlic naan: how hot are they?

The star of the night was the butter chicken curry. Cream swirled over the red sauce — looks soft just from the picture, right? It's probably the most crowd-friendly curry on Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch's menu.

Scoop it with a spoon and tip it, and it doesn't run — it breaks off in thick drops. No sharp flavors, just smooth and savory. Barely any heat, so even someone trying Indian food for the first time should be fine.

Mix it into the fluffy yellow rice and it turns into a whole different dish.

We ordered garlic naan for the bread. It comes puffed up bigger than the plate it's served on. The moment you tear it, steam rises and garlic aroma bursts out. Crisp on the outside, chewy inside.

Dip it deep into the butter chicken curry and take a bite. This combo alone might be reason enough to go eat Indian food. I should've asked if the naan comes with free refills.

The lassi included in the set came as one plain and one mango glass. Tangy yogurt flavor — after eating something greasy, one sip resets your palate completely.

Six dishes for 17,000 won per person: the verdict

The set is ₩17,000 per person and comes with six things all at once. Add the tandoori chicken for another ₩10,000 and the table gets so full you end up stacking plates, haha. A lot of people hesitate about Indian food because of the spice aroma. Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch was mild on that front.

Who will enjoy Meono Kkameona most?

• Anyone wanting a solid meal before a show in Daehangno
• Couples looking for something other than pasta or meat
• Anyone new to Indian food who wants to start with something mild
• Anyone wanting a full Indian spread for around ₩20,000 or less per person