Cheese nachos and plain naan at Mandala, a Hapjeong Indian restaurant

I went to Mandala Indian Lounge, a Hapjeong restaurant run by a local owner that feels exotic but still suits Korean tastes well.

As someone who worries spices might be too strong, I went to try this Hapjeong curry specialist that turned out to be very approachable.

What kind of place is Mandala Indian Lounge in Hapjeong?

Mandala Indian Lounge is an Indian restaurant on Dokmak-ro 3-gil, in the alley between Hapjeong and Seogyo-dong, Mapo, Seoul. It's run directly by a local owner and serves authentic-recipe curries and clay-oven naan.

Mandala Indian Lounge is on the 2nd floor.

Inside Mandala: a lounge that feels like India

The moment I walked in, I felt a clean, cozy lounge atmosphere. It had the distinctive charm of the Seogyo-dong restaurant alley combined with an exotic interior.

Even the paintings on the wall, the tissue box, and other little props all had that local feel, so I enjoyed looking at each one. The owner speaks Korean well and is very kind, so it felt like a comfortable place to eat. When I visited it was early evening, so the space was calm and quiet, but apparently at night it turns into a party atmosphere with cocktails and wine — quite the twist.

That's why, besides regular tables, there are also bar tables, and the shop was stocked with all kinds of alcohol.

Lunch sets, vegetarian dishes and what we ordered

Mandala Indian Lounge has a lunch set during the day, and since there's no break time, an early dinner is also possible.

Looking through the menu, I thought a friend of mine who eats strictly vegetarian would find a lot of options here, so I'd like to recommend it to her. This time I ordered a range of things, from a light appetizer to a signature main curry dish.

• Cheese nachos
• Lamb masala
• Plain naan
• Bowl of rice

Cheese nachos at Mandala — also a great beer snack

The cheese nachos came out first, and they looked even better in person than in the menu photo.

Savory cheese powder was sprinkled over crispy nachos, topped generously with crisp, fresh onion, bell pepper and olives. The vegetables were crunchy, and eating them with the nachos gave a bit of a taco feel — delicious.

Dipping them into the spicy sauce that came with the cheese nachos really got my appetite going! I also liked the thoughtful touch of giving us tongs so our hands wouldn't get messy. The cheese nachos weren't filling but were tasty, and I thought they'd be perfect as a beer snack.

Lamb masala — tender lamb with no gamey smell

The main dish, lamb masala curry, came with a generous amount of lamb. Even though the curry sauce was a proper masala base, its distinct spice aroma wasn't overpowering, which I appreciated. Honestly, this was my first time at an Indian restaurant run by a local owner, so I was a little worried. But it was so good that my friend and I agreed, while eating, that this must be a popular Hongdae-area Indian spot, since the spices weren't too strong and it tasted great.

The lamb in particular was cooked so tender it melted in my mouth, with absolutely no gamey smell. I'd had bad experiences with lamb having a strong smell before, but this lamb curry was so good I wanted more.

Overall, the flavor felt deep and savory, similar to a familiar hayashi rice, making it a Hapjeong curry dish that even someone trying Indian curry for the first time, like me, could enjoy without worry. My friend, who's also sensitive to spices, loved it so much she mixed it with the rice and finished it all, haha.

Plain naan from the clay oven, with a bowl of rice

Plain naan, an essential with Indian food, came out freshly baked from the clay oven. Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside — exactly my style.

It's plain and tasty on its own, but even better piled with a generous amount of the rich lamb masala sauce.

The regular bowl of rice we ordered was also great for mixing with the lamb masala.

The sauce was so good that next time I'd like to try it with turmeric rice or long, fluffy basmati rice instead. Eating even the rice as Indian rice would probably make the Hapjeong Indian food experience feel that much more authentic.

Is Mandala Indian Lounge worth a visit in Hapjeong?

If you're looking for a place doing Hongdae-area Indian food that suits Korean tastes well, try Mandala Indian Lounge!

When you're tired of eating the same things every day and want something different and exotic, check out this Hapjeong curry spot with your friends for a great atmosphere!