Late-lunch Indian curry with Indian rice in Samseong: India The Durbar

Indian curry — the kind of magical food you keep craving even when you're not thinking about it.

There's no good curry place near my house, so every time I get a craving I end up traveling at least to Ilsan, sometimes all the way into Seoul. I actually love the hunt for places worth the trip. Today's post is about a spot with great prices and even better food — a proper, authentic Indian curry restaurant.

Where is India The Durbar Samseong Station Branch, and where do you park?

India The Durbar Samseong Station Branch is an Indian restaurant on the basement level at 15 Samseong-ro 84-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, right in the alley next to Coex. It's open daily 11:00–23:00 with last order at 22:30, has nearby public parking (the Yeongdong-daero 85-gil public parking lot is recommended), and takes group and Naver reservations.

We drove there, and since there was public parking not far away, we could eat comfortably. Finding parking in Gangnam isn't easy, so the accessibility alone was satisfying at this Samseong Station Indian food favorite.

What comes in the ₩64,000 A Set for two?

Ongi's pick for Coex Indian curry

India The Durbar A Set for two, ₩64,000.

• Chicken mushroom soup
• Samosa (appetizer)
• Green salad
• Tandoori king prawn
• Tandoori chicken
• 2 curries (choice from the full menu)
• Naan, rice
• Special lassi or red wine

Spoiler up front: the portions were genuinely huge, so even two big eaters barely managed to finish it all. Keep in mind that the basic lunch set alone is more than enough for a full meal. Anyone who loves eating needs to come try this Samseong Station Indian food spot right now.

Green salad, side dishes and mushroom soup open the course

The salad arrives! It comes drizzled with a refreshing fruit sauce — just toss it together and eat.

Side dishes to cut the richness. This is my first time seeing pickled radish at an Indian curry place.

Truly nutty mushroom soup. It's not light like an instant packet soup — it's rich, thick, and full of flavor. The start of a magical course that soothes a hungry stomach~

Giant samosa, tandoori chicken and tandoori king prawn

A giant samosa. It feels like a fried dumpling filled with curry sauce! One is about the size of a woman's fist, so this alone might fill up light eaters. Massive portions from the very first appetizer.

Wow~ the tandoori chicken and prawn came out perfectly grilled. Spices were rubbed inside the prawn. It was a new flavor of India I was tasting for the first time!

The tandoori was seasoned just right and the meat came off the bone easily, making it a fantastic course to pair with curry. When you want Coex Indian curry, this is the place — India The Durbar.

Two curries: chicken korma and prawn makhani

The two curries arrive. We ordered chicken korma (mild) + prawn makhani (a classic prawn makhani), and just like every household has its own seasoning, every Indian curry restaurant has a slightly different flavor — real eating pleasure!! The portions are genuinely huge, making this a truly generous Samseong Station Indian food spot where even big eaters can eat happily.

Fluffy butter naan also makes an appearance. It wasn't burnt or too hot, so it was perfect for dipping straight into the curry. We visited during a late lunch hour (around 4pm) and customers kept streaming in — clearly a popular spot. Ongi feeling spoiled here in Seoul haha.

Korean rice or Indian rice: which to choose

Time to try Indian rice! We could choose between Korean rice and Indian rice, and since it had been a while, I picked the Indian rice. It's characteristically drier and less sticky. The portion was huge too — almost to the point of wondering if they're really allowed to give this much, ha. Of course, I ate it all happily.

Cutting the naan into bite-sized pieces and dipping it generously into the curry. Especially with makhani-style curries — if they're too sour, you don't want to come back, but this one has no sourness at all, just a sweet, hearty flavor that makes you want more. India The Durbar, a Samseong Station spot that does Indian curry right.

A snapshot of the exotic dining room too. Everything is set up neatly, so you can have a pleasant time from the moment you walk in until the meal ends. And a wonderfully full stomach as a bonus!

Verdict: big portions and properly authentic Indian curry

Strengths of India The Durbar, a Coex Indian curry favorite

• 1. Public parking nearby
• 2. Super value lunch set
• 3. Extremely generous basic set
• 4. The owner has a very heavy hand with portions
• 5. Highly recommended even for Indian curry beginners

First off, having public parking nearby meant we could park comfortably even on a weekend and enjoy our meal. That's not easy to find in the middle of Gangnam. The portions were incredibly generous and the flavor was excellent too — a place that keeps making me want to come back!

Anyone curious about a great Coex Indian curry spot, anyone wanting to try an Indian food course, or any Indian curry lover — I strongly recommend India The Durbar!