mary eats

Chakraa
Seoul, Korea
Subway: Itaewon station, exit 2.
Phone Number: 02-796-2255, www.chakraa.co.kr
Hours: 12:00p.m. -3:30p.m., and 5:30p.m. -10:30p.m. Everyday
Price: $$ Curries from 10,000won
English Menu: Yes
Atmosphere: Bright, relaxed
Overview:
Itaewon is this restaurant’s newest location; smaller and distinctively brighter then others around Seoul. Appetizers are delicious. Samosas are light containing a spicy pea and potato filling. Vegetarian curries are closer akin to gravies than a hearty stew of veggies and cheese. Tandoori selections, alternatively, prove mouth wateringly delicious. A blend of spicy and salty, yogurt marinade covered succulent pieces of perfectly cooked fish. Perhaps the best reason to visit charkaa is the price. Most vegetarian meals are priced under 10,000 with fish, chicken, and meat meals not much higher.

Moghul
Seoul, Korea
Subway: Itaewon station, exit 1.
Phone Number: 02-749-8826, www.yescall.com/moghul
Hours: 12:00p.m. -10:30p.m. Everyday
Price: $$ Curries from 10,000 won
English Menu: Yes
Atmosphere: Garden seating
Overview:
A cornerstone in the Itaewon restaurant scene, for over twenty years people have been coming to this Pakistani-Indian restaurant. The dramatic entry way leads to some high expectations for the food, and Moghul delivers. Skip the samosas (dry and tasteless) and the Nan (more chappati than nan). Fish Tandoori delivered chunks of succulent tuna smothered in a spicy yogurt marinade. Likewise the classic staple Sagg Aloo delivers subtle flavors and a creamy texture. Moghul’s wine list is on the boring side, and beers are of the domestic variety. A garden terrace secluded by trees makes for romantic summer dining.

New Delhi
Seoul, Korea
Subway: Itaewon station, exit 1, Nopsakpyeon station exit 1, walk over the overpass.
Phone Number: 02 797-3648
Hours: 11:30a.m. -3p.m. and 5:00p.m. -10:30p.m (Everyday
Price: $$ Curries from 8-10,000 won, Tandoor 10,000 and up
English Menu: Yes
Overview:
I was once told that pink is the navy of India, and the interior at New Delhi is no acceptation to this fashion rule. Just about everything in the restaurant is pink, the carpet, the walls, the ceiling, even the tablecloth. Better known for its lunch buffet than its interior décor, New Delhi has become a top spot for cheap Indian food. The staff is incredibly friendly and the service is efficient, but many dishes miss the mark. While the tandori chicken looked mouthwatering, the palak paneer left much to be desired. Fluorescent sauces accompanying overly dried samosas didn’t fare well in my book, but the extra helping of ghee and minced fresh garlic spread over the nan put a smile on my face. Hailed by some as the best place for cheap Indian in town, you will have to decide.

Wazwan
Seoul, Korea
Subway: Itaewon station, exit 3 Up the hill, next to the Mosque.
Phone Number: 02-798-1253, wazwan.50megs.com
Hours: 12:00p.m. -3:30p.m., and 5:30p.m. -10:30p.m. Everyday
Price: $$ Curries from 10,000won
English Menu: Yes
Atmosphere: Bright, relaxed
Overview:
Wazwan, reviewed in the Korea Times by Moi.