Hyehwa Indian curry with friends, butter chicken Set A: Meono Kkameona

Why I tried Indian curry for the first time in Daehangno

Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch (머노까머나 대학로점) is an Indian curry place whose sign I kept noticing every time I walked around Daehangno, so I was always curious. I met friends in Daehangno after a long time, and wanting something new instead of our usual picks, I finally went.

Honestly, when I think of curry, I've only had Japanese soup curry or Korean-style curry, okay? So Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch was my very first Indian curry challenge.

Where is Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch, and what about hours and parking?

• 📍 2nd floor, Ihwa Building, 236 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul (5 minutes from Exit 4, Hyehwa Station, Line 4)
• 🕛 Daily 11:00 - 22:30
• ✔️ 1 hour of free parking (Asia parking lot)

Go up to the 2nd floor of Ihwa Building and you'll see the entrance to Meono Kkameona with its red wall. I always wondered what the name meant, and apparently "Meono Kkameona" means "hope" in Nepali.

It's introduced as a place cooked by chefs from India and Nepal, so I was even more excited to try Indian curry here for the first time!

When we walked in, a staff member from the region greeted us, and suddenly my expectations shot up😳

Inside Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch: atmosphere and seating

The inside was quite unique: between the brick interior walls there were lights, statues, a gorgeously decorated horse, and traditional-looking furniture and props. It felt less like an ordinary restaurant that just sells Indian food and more like stepping into another culture, so there was fun in looking around even before the food came.

The seating was more generous than I expected, and there are group tables too, so it looked good for get-togethers with friends.

What comes with Meono Kkameona Set A?

Meono Kkameona Set A comes with chicken soup, samosa (fried pastry with filling), green salad, jumbo shrimp, tandoori chicken, curry, naan (flatbread), rice, and either lassi (yogurt drink) or wine. Set A can be ordered for 2 or more people, and we picked mango lassi and original lassi for drinks!

The dishes started coming out one by one, and since it isn't just one item but everything from salad to tandoori dishes, the table filled up fast. The fresh items like the green salad were especially nice to have between the spiced dishes.

First Indian curry: is the butter chicken curry too spicy?

The curry I chose from Set A was the butter chicken curry, and one bite in, it was so soft and delicious. Since I'd never properly had Indian curry, I'd worried, what if the spices are too strong?

It was creamy, and then a new spice flavor I'd never felt in the curry I usually eat hit me at the back of the taste!...

The spices weren't necessarily hot or harsh, yet it felt different from Korean curry. The naan also came out bigger than I expected, and it was chewy and nutty. It's tasty on its own, but of course you have to pile the curry on top, hehe

Meono Kkameona tandoori chicken: red, but is it spicy?

The tandoori chicken at Meono Kkameona was just as good as the curry. It looked bright red, so at first I wondered if it would be super spicy, but to me the grilled aroma stood out more than the heat.

That slight smoky, fire-grilled flavor was really good. Eat some curry, pick up a piece of tandoori chicken, tear off naan and go back to the curry...

It was such a fun meal because the food was all new to me. The yellow turmeric rice was fluffy and tasty too.

How was Meono Kkameona Daehangno Branch as a first Indian curry?

I'd always been curious about this place, and I finally tried Meono Kkameona! It was as delicious as I'd hoped. The curry was soft with that distinctive new spice flavor, and it was especially good eaten with the chewy, nutty naan.

Daehangno is where I often meet friends or come for plays, so if you're looking for a slightly different restaurant near Hyehwa Station instead of your usual, I recommend Meono Kkameona. Next time I'd like to try the other curries I missed this time 🫪