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Curry Mantra, Owner Asad Sheikh's Indian in Fairfax - Falls Church and Vienna Locations Have Closed


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I am the world's worst writer when it comes to descriptions of food (I need to take Monica Bhide's class!), but tonight we went to what we thought was Star of India formerly India City Grill in Fairfax City and apparently it has been sold again! They have retained the same chef Surendar Kumar (formerly of Connaught Place) plus added someone else who has added southern Indian food to the menu as well. Like I said I am awful at describing but I am great at eating. They have added Indian street food to the menu which I had never seen before. A puffed rice, slightly spiced cold appetizer that was unlike anything I have ever had before at an Indian restaurant. It is something I will definately have again. They also had a wrap called a Kati Roll which had chicken tikka, onions, green peppers and other assorted vegetables which made for a delicious combination. We weren't adventurous ordering so we had butter chicken, chicken vindaloo, and a vegetable korma but all were out of this world.

The shopping center where this is located is ugly as sin, but the new owner has done a wonderful job of redecorating the inside. Fairfax City does not have many restaurants which you would go twice to, much less write about. This one deserves to stay... Anyone else want to check it out and give their opinion?

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The shopping center where this is located is ugly as sin, but the new owner has done a wonderful job of redecorating the inside. Fairfax City does not have many restaurants which you would go twice to, much less write about. This one deserves to stay... Anyone else want to check it out and give their opinion?

The dining room is definitely a fire room, bursting with oranges and reds and very cozy. I liked this place as India City Grill and missed its incarnation as Star of India, but hopefully Curry Mantra will stick around for awhile. It won't be for lack of trying, as they are promoting the bejeesus of the place and it seems to be working - Tom S. has been by for a favorable first bite mention and T. Kliman gave it a long mention in a recent chat. Plus, we were there redeeming a Restaurant.com coupon, they seem to have had a Living Social promotion going on at some point, and I've seen advertisements/coupons in the Clipper, its affiliate Double Take Deals, and in this year's Entertainment Book. So someone there is doing their homework! I only looked up the reviews after we got home, because the very attentive and kind staff kept asking (different people) if we were there because of the mentions in the papers. The staff are well-trained, providing by far the best and friendliest service I've gotten at a suburban Indian eatery. I don't know if they are on their best behavior because of the recent reviews, but we felt incredibly welcomed.

Now the food...the menu has a smattering of both northern and southern indian dishes. We started with the dosa, which was perfect. Lightly crisped but springy with a simple potato and onion filling, served with a cool coconut dip and a big bowl of moderately spicy sambal. Really fantastic!! Our curries, however, were merely fine. Well, they averaged out that way. The bangain bharta is actually pretty interesting - much less mellow than I'm used to, which I think surprised and dismayed me at first, but I ended up liking it quite a bit for its tangy and picquant character. The lamb korma, however, was boring. The sauce was thin but fine for dipping and the lamb wasn't tough or stringy, but none of the flavors stood out. Also, I didn't care at all for the rice, as it was too moist, maybe? I guess I prefer my basmati to be very dry. The curries are cutely presented, though, on their own holders over a candle flame. The mango lassi is nice - adequately mango-y and not too terribly sweet, but expensive at $4 (that was noticeable because everything else was quite a bargain). The naan is slightly blistered, fluffy, and buttered, and the gulab jamun is served warm in a big bath of syrup, and both were quickly gobbled up.

So there is a lot to like about this place. The staff are certainly working very hard to make it thrive! We were encouraged to come try the weekend buffet, which apparently features more diverse offerings than the weekday buffet, and I think we might just take them up on it sometime.

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Four of us had a "meh" dinner there tonight. I used a $50 Restaurant.com discount which I paid $10 for. What a deal! It even included alcohol, which is how we got over the $100 minimum bill.

The puffed rice app mentioned above was just OK, we all thought. I enjoyed my Chicken Tikka Masala, although there was very little spice. The chicken was cooked well, although the meat portion seemed a little skimpy to me. Mrs. DrX's Shrimp Tikka included tasty sauce, but tough and inedible shrimp. She said if it has just been us at dinner, she would've sent it back (this is saying a lot because she doesn't send food back at all). A friend ordered one of the specials which included several Southern Indian dishes. I don't remember them all, but he enjoyed the sampler very much. It came with a young coconut with a straw, so we all felt festive with it on the table.

The restaurant was very warm, so it wasn't pleasant to loiter after the meal. Maybe this was the plan. Service was gracious and everyone was very friendly.

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According to Wapo, Curry Mantra 2 (now open in Falls Church, 1077 W. Broad St.) has an open kitchen.

And Curry Mantra 3 is will be open (was it later this year?) in Cedarpark Shopping Center in Vienna. This is literally around the corner from me, so I'm looking forward to it's opening. It'll be interested to see how this site fares because the shopping center is a shithole with no redeeming qualities. Many people avoid the center due to the loitering dudes and uncomfortable looks they give. Either Curry Mantra will be the turnaround, or they'll be closed in 1-2 years.

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And Curry Mantra 3 is will be open (was it later this year?) in Cedarpark Shopping Center in Vienna. This is literally around the corner from me, so I'm looking forward to it's opening. It'll be interested to see how this site fares because the shopping center is a shithole with no redeeming qualities. Many people avoid the center due to the loitering dudes and uncomfortable looks they give. Either Curry Mantra will be the turnaround, or they'll be closed in 1-2 years.

I am not sure if you mean that if Curry Mantra is not the turnaround, then it or the shopping center will be closed in 1-2 years. Either way, I am not convinced.

While Curry Mantra might turn out to be a positive influence on the Cedar Park Shopping Center, it is unlikely to be a make-or-break influence on the fate of the shopping center.

Don, you may take this down or figure out where else to put it based on what follows...

I agree with you that there is an unnecessary amount of loitering, and there have been a couple of incidents at hispanic-themed restaurants that give cause for concern.

On the positive front:

Neighbors has its "local" cigarette-smoking clientele in a separate bar area, but has become something of a community meeting place (Vienna Youth Inc. Football, Vienna Little League baseball, other groups) for league-wide events such as meetings and player drafts. The menu, reflective of what I believe to be new ownership, includes a couple of pretty decent kabob platters. Cedar PC is a very respectable family-owned computer repair facility. I would go, and have gone, there, gladly over visiting the Geek Squad at Best Buy, or equivalent. Awardstore Sports (think trophies, etc.) is a family owned business that has been there for probably over 20 years. They could probably do well elsewhere, as they do not rely so much on walkup business, but possibly the rents there are helping them stay viable as a brick and mortar operation. Pizza Boli's is probably getting a run for their money from Donato's up on Maple Ave., as they both serve and deliver thin crust pizza, but they have been pretty viable for a good number of years. The food places obviously do not rise up to the expectations of where you prefer to eat, but there is a market for them.

All said, Curry Mantra may add to these relative "positives", which I hope it will, or it may come and go without otherwise affecting the fate of this shopping center as much as the generally prevailing demographics do. If it is good enough, it will survive as has Neighbors, and may possibly thrive. The negative vibe coming from the immediately surrounding populace is not as bad as you make it out to be.

If you want to discuss how much of a mecca the shopping center could be, absent the current "negatives" and what might be done about it, that is another topic entirely.

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On Friday we visited the newest Curry Mantra location on Route 7, next to Bikram Yoga, and preceded by various middle-eastern cafes/restaurants. A close inspection reveals that the menu at 2 is slightly different than the menu at the original, with the prices maybe a tad higher at the new location. We were there at noon, the buffet won out because it looked good and was more economical. Since I don't know Indian names for some dishes, I'll describe some in English - (i) vegetable pakora, (ii) lentils, (iii) spinach and cheese cubes, (iv) and (v) two different mixed vegetables, if I recall, there were green beans and potatoes, and there other seemed awfully similar but didn't have potatoes, (vi) butter chicken, (vii) goat curry, and (viii) tandoori chicken. Flavor wise, I thought the food was good. Some observations, the only piece of butter chicken I had was from the breast and it was a bit dry, and the goat curry had quite a bit of connective tissues (which might scare off some people). Since this joint is just down the street form Haandi,which also does buffet for lunch, one would probably compare the two. I think the prices are similar, but I don't ever recall having protein other than chicken at Haandi.

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Tom, if you ever need to get laidissimo, take your date to Curry Mantra 2. Look to your right when you walk in - I've never seen a name written larger than yours except at Lustine Chevrolet (I went to high school with Amy Lustine, incidentally).

I had back-to-back, reasonably identical meals at (the Falls Church) Haandi and Curry Mantra 2, last night and this evening - I could have made them more identical, but I just didn't. For emergency carryout, I've been to Haandi no less than 20-30 times in my life, and have a great deal of respect for it as a neighborhood restaurant; I'd never been to Curry Mantra 2 before.

Haandi's Mehti Paneer ($12.95) vs. Curry Mantra 2's Saag Paneer ($16.00)

Haandi's Hyderabadi Aloo do Peeza ($10.95) vs. Curry Mantra 2's Aalo Gobi ($15.00)

Haandi's Raita ($2.95) vs. Curry Mantra 2's Raita (Unknown)

Plus, Curry Mantra 2's Naan ($3.00) - I've had Haandi's a gazillion times in the past.

First, note that Curry Mantra 2's prices are 30-40% higher than Haandi's. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that Curry Mantra 2 might be the most expensive Indian restaurant in the DC area other than Rasika. I emphasize "might be" because I really don't know, and haven't researched it, but my goodness this restaurant is expensive considering the real estate, boldly cracking the $20 barrier with many a dish.

That said, the two dishes I got from Curry Mantra 2 this evening were better than any two dishes I've ever had from Haandi, and I say that with some regret given that I have a soft spot for Haandi as a Rescue Restaurant - but it is what it is, and it's really not a close call. Both of my dishes from Curry Mantra 2, as well as my naan and raita, were in Passage To India territory, and I believe Passage To India has always had the best traditional Indian cooking in the DC area (and yes, that includes Rasika, which leans toward the modern, but excludes K.N. Vinod who is more of a restaurateur than a cook right now).

Curry Mantra 3 will be opening soon in Vienna. Indian cooks don't appear out of thin air, so it's going to be interesting (but most likely unrealistic) to see if consistent quality can be maintained across-the-board. That said, whoever cooked my food at Curry Mantra 2 is one of the best Indian chefs in the area (and I would love to know who it was) - based on this one meal, I just can't see picking up the phone and calling Haandi anytime soon.

To the left of Curry Mantra 2, as you're walking in, will be the second Fro-Yo place in teeny-tiny West End Plaza (the first being a Robek's, which counts as Fro-Yo in my book). This establishment will be called either "Orange Monkey," or simply, "Monkeys." I know that sounds weird, but the "Orange Monkey" sign is crossed out with a black magic marker, and "Monkeys" is hand-written right next to it. Your guess is as good as mine.

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This food is so good that it's scary.

Remember I said this down the road.

The cooking at Curry Mantra 2 right now is breathtaking.

Wow.

I accidentally phoned Fairfax instead of Falls Church this evening. As I feared, Curry Mantra 1 right now is nothing like Curry Mantra 2 - oh, it's good all right, but not mind-blowing good. Follow these chefs, wherever they go - it isn't the restaurant; it's the cooks. One (or both) of these people is an incredible talent.

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There's a Groupon right now. $20 for $40 worth at Curry Mantra 2 (see various conditions on webpage, such as no lunch buffet, dine in only).

Buy it. This is the best Indian cooking in the DC area right now.

They also deliver to my house, and the one time I ordered delivery (umm, last night actually), the gentleman showed up in a black server's vest and tie and made me feel like a hobo! It's also hard to believe they valet park.

Right now, I would take the long-cooked food at Curry Mantra 2 over Rasika, and maybe even Passage To india. Maybe not the experience as a whole, but the curries? A clear winner in my eyes - there is magic coming from this kitchen.

If you want just one example of what I'm raving about, try the Chicken Badami and Aalo Gobi with an Onion Kulcha (this should probably be balanced with a green of some sort).

It pains me that I'm the one doing somersaults over this place, and then they have this. (Well, not really, but I'd be lying if I said I haven't noticed, especially when Rasika has this (which I really appreciate)).

In case it's not obvious to everyone ... go here, not to Curry Mantra 1. And go here before they open Curry Mantra 3. This is a fleeting opportunity that may not be here much longer - enjoy it while you still can. I've been going here at least once a week because I know it's not going to last forever.

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Anyone try the Palak Anar? Does it compare to Rasika's Palak Chaat? Will it hold up on a 5-7 min car ride home?

I am sad to say that they are day and night. At Curry Mantra you get a large platter of lightly battered spinach with a sparse amount of sauce drizzled across the plate and a smattering of pomegranate seeds. More sauce would have helped, but the biggest issue is that some of the leaves clumped together because of the batter and were leaden. This is not a bad dish, just not in the same ballpark as Rasika's.

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Went two weeks ago and used the above mentioned Groupon. We got the Palak Anar and agree with Sthitch. Needed a bit more sauce and I think much less batter. I haven't tried Rasika's version so can't compare. We had two entree's off the 'Seven Wonders' section of the menu: Kofta Curry and Chicken Badami. Portions were huge as each dish came with rice and a side of chickpea stew. YMMV, but we were stuffed with 1 app, 2 entrees, a side of naan and we got 4-5 more meals out of the leftovers. My +1 and I both thought the Kofta Curry was the winner. The ground lamb balls were covered in a tomato-based sauce and everything was nicely seasoned with the ginger and cilantro. The boiled egg in the middle provided a nice texture change-up. The chicken badami was good as well, but thought the gravy flavors a bit muted. The chicken chunks were ample, yet the breast meat further limited the potential of the dish. In the end, quality and quantity together make this worth a repeat visit even without a coupon.

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We ventured to Curry Mantra 2 on a busy weekend night. The place was hopping, and we were lucky to be seated at dinner prime time without a reservation.

Mushroom Tikka ($6): We could not get past the monotone presentation. The occasional fleck of chopped cilantro and adjacent chutneys failed to alter the big, heavy thud of brown patties and brown mushrooms. Rather than beige, a brightly contrasting plate would make all the difference with a first impression. Beyond looks, the temperature was ideal, and the seasonings of the potato patties deliciously balanced and interesting. A hearty and satisfying starter. Those chutneys, by the way, will blow your mind. The tamarind was the best I've ever had.

Okra and Goat ($19): From the "combination of vegetables and protein" menu, I selected okra and goat. Assembled to order, I may have inadvertently bypassed the long-cooked protocol. The texture of the okra was outstandingly chewy, but the goat more chewy than I prefer, and the seasoning lacked slow-cooked depth. Next time, I'll orient towards the entrees noted above and especially Seven Wonders selections for the experience most indicative of the chef's capabilities.

Lamb Curry ($18): Deep, rich heat, with fall-apart tender lamb. The visually interesting, clear glass bowl somehow kept the warmth of the dish throughout dining, a boon. An outstanding rendition, and enough food for two or even three meals. Like the okra and goat, this arrived with a heaping mound of tri-colored basmati rice, haldi aloo (tumeric potatoes), and chana dal (yellow lentils).

Bread Basket ($12): Absolutely worth ordering, and another candidate for the next day's savory lunch.

Service was attentive, although understandably rushed given the frantic pace of the dining room. We noticed that nearly all patrons had the door held open for them on the way out, a gracious gesture making us feel noticed and pampered.

With tremendous value via large portion size, lots more to explore on the menu, and the giddy delight of two more Groupons to spend, we will be back.

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According to Todd, 3 just opened in Vienna.

You know what? I've heard somewhat lukewarm reviews from friends eating at Curry Mantra 2 in the past couple of weeks (after I was doing somersaults, urging them to go), and this may be why. People whose palate I trust went, and didn't rave about it. I myself have gotten some less consistent cooking from Curry Mantra 2 recently (I've had the Chicken Badami at least three times, and last week, it just wasn't as good - nor was the Saag Paneer) - it made no sense to me; now it might.

Follow the cooks, not the restaurant.

I guess ... consider my glowing recommendations ... expired, or at least tempered (but not with fenugreek). Curry Mantra 2 was like a comet, sailing through the night sky. :(

Any restaurant writer will tell you that this is one of the most frustrating things that can happen - you feel like your reputation has been sullied, your judgment questioned, and you find yourself scrambling to hedge and explain that yes, it really *was* that good. I swear it was! No, really! As your friend says, quietly, "It's okay. I believe you."

I hope Curry Mantra puts their Chefs de Cuisine on their menu from this point forward - it matters, and it matters a lot, or at least it matters to me. This is one of the reasons I'm not a bigger fan of Passion Food Hospitality - it's challenging to keep up with their game of Musical Chefs (although to their credit, they *always* list their chefs on their websites, so I'm in a unique position, having to keep the thread titles updated). I understand the need to build a brand, but it's hard to be enamored with a company. That's why I don't love baseball anymore: free agency loused up everything for fans wanting to identify with a team. 1970 Orioles, sigh.

But Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic step up and save the day.

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I hope Curry Mantra puts their Chefs de Cuisine on their menu from this point forward

Speaking of menus, Curry Mantra's reads as if someone had written a bad parody of an Indian menu. Scanning over it I cannot shake the voice of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon reading it to me.

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According to Todd, 3 just opened in Vienna.

I called to get the opening date for Curry Mantra 3 (to add to the list of restaurant openings). No one answered at Curry Mantra 3 so I called Curry Mantra 1, and the staff person said Curry Mantra 3 isn't open yet. I asked when it will be opening, and the person said the end of this month or first week of July.

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So, I went, even after reading the review that were recently posted and was disappointed that I wasn't going to get in during the heyday. But, I was still happy with my meal because I was with a good friend, but would rather just go to Kohinoor Dhaba in Crystal City, b/c it's closer and better. The space is really nice and has an open kitchen, which is unique for an Indian restaurant. It's in a plaza that has a very nice Indian grocery in the back, as well as a Pakistani store with halal meat.

We ordered vada pav, a fried potato patty on a buttered bun. This is probably "the" Mumbai street food (along with the frankie sandwich). In Mumbai, it is hot and very spicy, and served with a cilantro and/or tamarind chutney. Here, it was not at all spicy, but still was the right texture - it was fried perfectly and the potato was nice and soft inside. But, they should really make it spicier, it was seriously bland. They also give complimentary papad with the cilantro and tamarind chutnies. The papad must have been out for a bit, b/c it was chewy instead of crispy. I'm not big on it anyway, they way they give it in Indian restaurants in America. Back in India, papad is served as masala papad, more like a bruschetta with onions/tomatoes/lemon juice/chili powder on top.

For mains, we ordered the Goat Vindaloo - spicy and the Saag Paneer. The goat was good, there was a good amount of meat pieces, some fatty and gristly. The sauce was spicy, but not overly so, I think my friend was happy with it, but I'd have wanted it hotter. It had that nice acidity that vindaloo has. I liked it a lot. The saag was good, too, not my favorite dish in general and a little mild for my taste, but it was good enough. The paneer tasted good. We ordered naan that was made to order (as far as I can tell) and it was better than most. The rice that comes with it is very good - more like biryani rice (not like a biryani dish), with the yellow and orange dye from the saffron.

All in all, not what it was hyped up to be (sorry, Don, not your fault). One thing I do want to comment on is the prices. Yes, it approaches Rasika. But, the difference is that you do get more for your money here in terms of volume. That's the difference. Not that I'm a business person, but Indian diners (especially those not born here) are extremely cheap. I think they should offer two portion sizes - and for example, instead of just $18 for a large, offer 2/3 the size for $14. I will guarantee you that if my mom or dad (or comparable Indian couple) went, at the current prices they would order 1 app and 2 entrees and complain about the value. But, if they had the 2/3 portion for more than 2/3 price, they would share one app and get 3 entrees, and be happy with the value (even though they spent more). There is a line at or above $15 that when crossed makes people feel like it "costs too much for food I could make at home".

S

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So has the chef from 2 gone to 3? There was a write up about it in Arlington Magazine and it looked good, so I would like to follow the chef- if we know where he is?

I don't know; I do know that in a period of about six weeks, I had dinner at Curry Mantra 2 six or seven times (I could get an exact count by checking my credit card receipts, but I haven't), with all but about two meals (one in between, and one at the end) very good to outstanding; absent information compelling me back, I'm done for now, unless I need delivery ($35 minimum delivery order, btw). I apologize if I gave anyone a bum steer. :(

This emphasizes the long-term value of Passage To India. Thank you, Sudhir, for years of consistency.

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So has the chef from 2 gone to 3? There was a write up about it in Arlington Magazine and it looked good, so I would like to follow the chef- if we know where he is?

In case you didn't see it, I posted above that someone from Curry Mantra told me Curry Mantra 3 is not open yet.

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I apologize if I gave anyone a bum steer. :(

I got takeout the night I asked about the Palak Anar, and thought it was amazing. The Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Badami were delicious, and I felt the flavors were really nuanced and layered, as opposed to hitting you over the head (see: Cafe Taj, which I enjoy). The Chicken Badami itself was really rich and creamy, and I thought the sauce was very subtle and refined. The onion nan was some of the best I've ever had, made fresh right on the spot. It was expensive, but the portions were large, and we got 2 meals for 2 people out of our order. I also had a nice conversation with the owner and his daughter who was greeting guests. I couldn't begin to tell you who was in the kitchen...

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Got delivery the other night just to see. I got samosas and kofta curry. Hubby's first comment was that it was expensive. He also didn't know what to order at first as the online menu for ordering is laid out really strangely. I didn't love the dough on the samosas or the filling, I think the ones at Dheli Club in Clarendon and many others are much better, too much potato, but they weren't bad. The kofta curry was really good and a huge portion, with two giant meatballs cut in two, really I still had 4 large portions, so I ate it over a few days. I thought the rice and bread were good and the delivery was super fast. Don't know what Hubby's was like but he finished it with no complaints.

I doubt we will order from here again, it just wasn't his favorite, but I thought mine was really good. The one main downfall was there were no vegetable sides and all the vegetarian dishes were really expensive so I didn't order another dish.

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I got delivery tonight from Curry Mantra 2 for the first time since I last chimed in, and it's as good as any Indian cooking I've ever had.

For the record, Lamb Kandahar ($19) and Paneer Tikka ($17). Both dishes are so good that I almost can't believe it.

Those are the facts - actually, they're only my opinions - make of them what you will, but I can assure everyone that there is at least one *amazing* cook in this kitchen, tonight, right now.

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I never gave up on this place, and continue to think that it regularly churns out high quality Indian food. I’ve found that if you ask for an extra purple (tamarind?) sauce, the palak anar is more than passable as a Rasika palak chat substitute. That said, I will report that I had a service snafu on my last takeout order. I usually go early to pick it up just in case it’s ready (it rarely is), but also because I like to watch the kitchen in action. I stood there for a good half hour, plus the half hour after I placed my order, when the owner asked me what I ordered. Huh?! He then told me they ran out of the palak anar, which is what I was there for in the first place. So, even tho I had already paid, had gone over my order when I arrived/paid, and waited in person for some time, they managed to screw me. I was fairly pissed. Moreover, when he realized he screwed me, he somehow managed to complete my order in about 5 minutes. They forgot me. Even tho I'm basically standing in the middle of their service area. Oh well. He made up for it with a 50% discount off my next visit and an order of Saag Paneer to replace the palak anar (his original offer of a 2nd order of samosas was not well received). Alas, the saag panner wasn’t very good, with limp pieces of cottage cheese that could have benefited from spending some (more?) time on the grill to get some char on the sides and corners (Rasika is my guide here…I don’t claim to actually know what I’m talking about). What was a much anticipated treat turned into a bad experience and below average meal (the samosas also weren’t good, while the onion nan and chicken tikka masala always impress).

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Had dinner there tonight. First impression...horrible. Overall impression...OK. The place is small, which is fine, but there was a stick of incense burning at the host stand which overwhelmed any aroma of food. We were sat at the first table just inside the door right next to the incense. My wife wisely asked that we move away and we were sat about 15 feet away, which is the farthest table from said incense. It helped some but I felt like I was sitting next to a heavily perfumed diner for most of the meal. Either they put it out or it petered out, but the odor dissipated (or my receptors became sensitized) so I could actually smell my meal when we got to that point. At the start of the meal (sixish) we were two of four diners. When we left at around 7:30 there were probably 5 tables of 2-4 people. I was slightly surprised it wasn't more busy, but I had a feeling this strip mall would be a tough place for an upscale restaurant to try to make a go, as I've said somewhere up above. They've been open only a week and a half, so things may still change for the better for them.

A gratis platter of 3/4" diamond-shaped fried crackery-type snacks with the requisite tamarind and coriander/mint sauces came to the table. I thought the chips were too small and the plate was too shallow because most of the time my fingers got into the sauce during the dip procedure. The pools of sauce were about 1/4" shallow. The snacks tasted good and the sauces each had a little bite to them. The tamarind sauce was thinner than I usually see it, so just a hint could be attached to the crisp. The green sauce stuck much better.

Mrs. DrXmus had a shrimp curry which we both enjoyed very much. The heat was just right and the flavor was terrific. The 10 shrimp were well-cooked. I had the non-veg thali platter which was also very enjoyable. It included a lamb/spinach, chicken tikka masala, chicken tikka, daal (which was fantastic!), raita, kheer and naan. i enjoyed all the dishes and, except for the raita, would order any of them again. I ordered an onion kulcha because between the two of us dippers, we can't have too much bread.

The food was very good. The waitstaff seemed new and still learning but friendly, although almost to an obsequious degree. Mrs DrX felt that they ignored her and only spoke to me, though, so she was put off by them. The takeout business was probably three times the eat-in business. There were at least 2 bags of food waiting the entire time we were there. and people picking up every few minutes.

To be honest, if we go back, it'll be for takeout, but even having said that, I don't feel that we got value for our money. I know there was talk higher in this thread of getting two meals out of one expensive dish, but I can't see that at Curry Mantra 3. Maybe 2 is different, but if we got two meals out of our dishes, they'd be very small. The reason I hesitate to say I'll go back there repeatedly is that our meal tonight - Mo-Mo's (a dumpling app), thali platter, shrimp curry, onion kulcha and two Taj Mahal beers cost me $70. If we were to stay home (about 1/3 of a mile from the restaurant) and drink my own beer, we'd still be shelling out over $40 with tax for two entrees. I can see a better use of $40 to feed ourselves in the Vienna/Merrifield/Falls Church area.

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I've now ordered online from Curry Mantra 2 about five times. I got my online receipt sent to my email at 6:08, with delivery promised at 6:50.

They are now batting 1.000 at being late *every single time*, and not by a little; by a lot.

I ordered strictly tandoor items tonight because I no longer trust their stir-fry cooking. I'm praying that my food - if it comes at all - will not be dried out or whatever else they can do to screw it up.

The Curry Mantra chain needs shoring up badly. And I've ordered from Curry Mantra 2 at least 20 times, so I'm comfortable saying that.

Tonight is the final time - I'm going back to Haandi. And considering how *bad* I think Haandi is, that's really saying something.

They're now 25 minutes late. I suspect they'll call, like they usually do, saying "we got lost."

By the way, remember the cell number I traced to someone who was running a porn website on the side when I Googled the number (when they called me to tell me they "got lost?")

Yep.

10 more minutes, and I'm calling to cancel my order. I've had it with this lousy chain.

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ETA: it is now 7:357:45, I've called to cancel my order, and they're not picking up their phone - if you let it ring long enough, it rolls over to a fax.

Downgraded in the Dining Guide.

BTW, it naturally dawned on me that Curry Mantra 2 probably didn't open tonight because of the weather. This is a classic case of the straw breaking the camel's back - I wish they had flipped whatever switch needed flipping to disable their online ordering system. The downgrade remains - I ordered from here a couple of weeks ago, and even Matt told me he'd prefer Haandi from this point forward. How is it possible for a restaurant to render such a poor rendition of Aloo Gobi that 80% of it gets thrown out?

Curry Mantra 2, for a few, fleeting weeks, had the best Indian food I've eaten in the DC area. Somewhere out there, at one of the three restaurants, may be lurking one hell of a cook. I hope if someone finds him (and it will be absolutely obvious if it happens), they'll post about it here. Until then, I think I'm done with the Curry Mantra chain - okay, maybe their tandoori paneer which, to me, has been fantastic 100% of the time, but it is so, so expensive - $16 for a skewer of baked cheese. Still, I could eat it every day.

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Sigh. Once again ... fantastic. And, they were early with their delivery.

One piece of this maddeningly frustrating puzzle is that with each order, either everything is great, or nothing is great. This tells me that there's most likely one key person present or absent on any given night.

For the record: Lamb Rogan Josh ($18), Paneer Tikka ($16), and Aalo Paratha ($4).

Curry Mantra 2: whatever you did on the night of February 20th, 2014 (other than spitting in my food :)), please keep doing it.

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Sigh. Once again ... fantastic. And, they were early with their delivery.

One piece of this maddeningly frustrating puzzle is that with each order, either everything is great, or nothing is great. This tells me that there's most likely one key person present or absent on any given night.

For the record: Lamb Rogan Josh ($18), Paneer Tikka ($16), and Aalo Paratha ($4).

Curry Mantra 2: whatever you did on the night of February 20th, 2014 (other than spitting in my food :)), please keep doing it.

And fantastic again tonight, with delivery within the time promised.

Chicken Badami ($15), Paneer Tikka ($16), and Shahi Naan ($4), all excellent.

Since I've been hard on Curry Mantra 2 at times, I feel a special obligation to mention when they get things right (which is a lot lately). Do these simple "listing" posts convey any useful info, or do you expect more from me? (I guess my feeling, absent someone telling me otherwise, is that they're better than nothing (and I write things such as this when I really just don't feel up to quality writing which for me is very hard work.))

Regardless, Curry Mantra 2 has been on a hot streak of late.

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Sigh. Once again ... fantastic. And, they were early with their delivery.

For the record: Lamb Rogan Josh ($18), Paneer Tikka ($16), and Aalo Paratha ($4).

And fantastic again tonight, with delivery within the time promised.

Chicken Badami ($15), Paneer Tikka ($16), and Shahi Naan ($4), all excellent.

And again fantastic: Chicken Badami ($15), Paneer Tikka ($16), and Chana Pindi ($14). This is three in a row without a single dish that wasn't excellent. (Stylistically, I can see someone not loving the Chicken Badami because it's something like Chicken a la King by nature - but that's just the way it is.)

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And again fantastic: Chicken Badami ($15), Paneer Tikka ($16), and Chana Pindi ($14). This is three in a row without a single dish that wasn't excellent. (Stylistically, I can see someone not loving the Chicken Badami because it's something like Chicken a la King by nature - but that's just the way it is.)

Given that I reported Curry Mantra 2 went through a slump awhile back, I feel obligated to say that it has once again become my go-to delivery restaurant in the Falls Church area. Granted, I order much of the same "comfort food" time and time again, but it has been consistently great in recent months. Do try the Tandoori Chicken - not the Chicken Tikka, but the bone-in Tandoori Chicken - it'll set you back fifteen bucks for 3 drumsticks and 3 thighs, but for me, it's worth it. I love what this restaurant is doing right now, and have eaten here more than at any other restaurant during the past three months - during pretty much all of 2014, this food has been fantastic (though I will admit I'm ordering within a very narrow range which is not like me at all - I just can't stop myself from ordering my favorites here).

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We got some takeout last Sunday night (say Hi next time!) for the first time in months and really enjoyed our meal. We went with old standbys: palak anar, samosa, raita, chicken badami, and onion naan. Each was quite good, with the samosas being better than i remember. The badami sauce came out very thin, but still tasty...just harder to scoop up with the naan. I still believe that the palak anar, if ordered and gently combined with extra tamarind sauce and a side of raita, makes a very passable imitation of the palak chat at Rasika.

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We got some takeout last Sunday night (say Hi next time!) for the first time in months and really enjoyed our meal. We went with old standbys: palak anar, samosa, raita, chicken badami, and onion naan. Each was quite good, with the samosas being better than i remember. The badami sauce came out very thin, but still tasty...just harder to scoop up with the naan. I still believe that the palak anar, if ordered and gently combined with extra tamarind sauce and a side of raita, makes a very passable imitation of the palak chat at Rasika.

Funny, I got delivery Monday, and for the first time in a good dozen visits, the cooking was notably different in a very "meh" way, and I'd bet this was their top chef's one night off. That badami sauce is always thin - it reminds me of the sauce you'd get in a package of Stouffer's Chicken a la King (believe it or not, I mean this in a good way) - I just pour it on top of rice and let it engorge the kernels. :) Their raita is expensive!

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We had a pretty bad takeout experience from #2 a couple Sundays ago. When I picked up my order around 7, the restaurant was completely empty, and the kitchen was seemingly shut down for the night, even tho they were technically open for another couple hours. All the sauces we just off in terms of texture and taste. Also, the Palak Anar had no pomegranate seeds or any of the yogurt-style sauce (only the tamarind). I believe they used golden raisins in place of the pomegranate seeds. (Oy!) Perhaps they were all at #4...

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I don't know why it took me so long to try Curry Mantra, but I finally did yesterday after reading about the opening of London Curry House. I needed a better choice for a quick, close to the house, Indian lunch place than Taj Mahal in Mclean, so I went to Curry Mantra 2 in Falls Church for the buffet. I think the crispy spinach had been sitting around too long on the buffet and ended up being spinach crumbs. Besides, I have been spoiled for this dish by the version at Rasika. The samosa was excellent, as were cauliflower. The BIryani showed promise and I suspect if ordered off the menu where the protein had not been picked out of it, it would be much better than what was on the buffet. The tandoori chicken was  perfect - crispy skin and juicy interior. The chicken was made even better by the fact that the green Raita sauce was spicier and had more cilantro than most I've tried around here. Finally, the absolute killer, the goat curry, one of the best I've ever had - juicy chunks of meat and a nicely spiced curry sauce.

On top of what I thought was an excellent meal, the service was terrific. The waitress shared with me what she thought each of the Curry Manta branches did best. She said the one in Falls Church does the best Biryani, but she has not yet tried the London Curry House version.  I'm definitely going back to Curry Mantra to eat off the menu; a Biryani and goat vindaloo await. I live inside the delivery area, but based on the reviews above, I think I will hold off on trying delivery.

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I'm definitely going back to Curry Mantra to eat off the menu; a Biryani and goat vindaloo await. I live inside the delivery area, but based on the reviews above, I think I will hold off on trying delivery.

Assuming you're talking about Curry Mantra 2, don't hesitate to get delivery. It has its off nights, but many more on than off (it's a very obvious, clear delineation of quality when "the chef" isn't cooking, whoever "the chef" is). Curry Mantra 2 is the best delivery restaurant in the area and that includes Hong Kong Palace (that said, I *urge* people to try the pork egg foo young next time they get a Chinese craving - yes, even for delivery). David Chang would love this dish.

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Never made it to CM2, but we visited CM3 and it was eerily empty a couple of months ago when we visited for lunch. I had read The crowds were sparse, so the reports were accurate.

Asad should seek some professional advice; the original CM's menu (other than prices) has remained unchanged since I moved here around two years ago. Second, Kama Sutra is a horrible name for a serious restaurant. Finally, his "high end" prices are just slightly more than the overpriced CM menu. Bear in mind I'm a frequent customer, and enjoy the food, but $17 for chicken tikka masala is about $4 too much for a Fairfax strip mall location.

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