One of the best indian buffet in Boston Small buffet but has Great food. The only thing that bothers me is i had a greasy spoon. read more

Mela Modern Indian Cuisine - Indian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I had the Goan shrimp curry entree (hot spicy level). It was so flavorful and delicious. Highly, highly recommend it. The garlic naan and mango lassi were also good. We wanted to try to coconut creme brûlée but they ran out. Our server was friendly and the food came out quickly. read more

I like the fact that the place feels so homey and elegant when I first came in. However, I wasn't as impressed with the food and space as I had initially expected - when I compare it price wise. I would consider this place a bit pricey for the food and space in general. The service was so-so, not as impressed with the hospitality for a fine dining restaurant.. I would recommend you to try the grilled fish dish with sweet sauce (forgot the name), and avoid the lamb rogan josh. read more

I am a vegetarian, I went there on a weekday. This is the worst buffet I ever had. The buffet did not have many options and the dishes which are in buffet are not at all good. Avoid this place if possible. read more

After taking a long break from Indian food I order from Mela to introduce it to my wife. To say we are impressed with the food is an understatement. We now order delivery twice a month and always look forward to it. The butter chicken is outstanding. read more

There are way better options out there. Food was just average. It was too hot inside read more

I used to always go here because it used to be so affordable and the quality is decent. I went to pick up some food the other night and what used to cost me $14max cost me $24 !!! They just from one day to the next upped their prices by a crazy percentage. It used to worth it but I definitely won't recommend this. $18 for a chicken tikka masala here is freaking a joke. I could see myself paying that much for a higher end restaurant but not here lol. 10/10 won't go there ever again :) read more

Average food. 5/10. I was not wowed by the taste. I went there couple of times and I already don't want to go there anymore. This experience is self explanatory for their food. read more

I would give this place a 0 rating if I could! One of the worst places to go for Indian food. Food I ordered was barely cooked and unpalatable. Complete rip off for the price they charge. Absolutely disgusted with this place. The chef clearly does not know how to cook and needs a serious lesson in cooking food that has some semblance of taste. Don't waste your money here to get food that you cannot eat!! read more

We loved the food here. One star less because of the price. They are slightly pricey for the quantity of food.

Hands down the best Indian food I have ever had in my life (including a visit to India and Nepal!). They even have organic options! Go for the lunch buffet though! The price and options cannot be beat, and the quality is unmatched! Also, the service is exceptional! Every time I visit, and every friend I introduce, they instantly become fans! read more

Disclaimer: I'm not a South Asian food expert, so this review should be read with that in mind. The food offerings at this establishment were solid. Our group ordered a salmon kabob, naan, coconut chicken curry, lamb biryani, and a cauliflower/potato dish to share. My favorite, by far, was the cauliflower/potato dish. The lamb biryani was a tad moister than I like and a bit heavy. I didn't try the salmon, so I can't really comment on how that turned out. It looked good though. The waitress was very responsive. She got our order right--all by memory, and she was very attentive to the water glasses, in presenting the bill, and working with us to use a Yelp promotion code. She quickly packaged up our leftover food, and she managed to do all of this while working a number of other tables. read more

The food here is pretty delicious! Although it's not my favorite indian restaurant, I keep going back because the Vegetarian Dinner for 2 is an amazing deal. You get soup, 2 simosas, 2 vegetable entrees, naan, rice, raita, and 2 desserts for $40. It's borderline too much food but we usually have enough for two lunches the next day! The restaurant has a nice ambience and I've never had to wait for a table. read more

By far the best Indian food I have ever had! The service is amazing the staff is so attentive & kind. Very welcoming environment!

Ordered food from Uber eats. Never got my order. Super condescending staff. They were not helpful. Had to cancel order. Would not recommend since food is mediocre and customer service is bad. read more

My bf and I stopped ate at Mela last night. Sidewalk tables only as COVID-19 rules are in effect. We were seated immediately...it was wonderful dining al fresco in a beautiful summer eve. They have such an extensive menu! I opted for the goat korma and my bf had the chicken curry. Both absolutely delicious. Portion sizes were perfect - not too much, not too little. And very fast service! Overall a wonderful experience and I highly recommend. read more

I was not very hopeful given the number of subpar reviews here. But I was pleasantly surprised. I was visiting Boston for a few days on a business trip and came here with a large group. We shared a lot of dishes most of which were very good to excellent. I thought the lamb korma was the star of the show. I normally don't get this dish because it tends to be a bit too heavy with lots of cream, but this was delicious. The lamb rogan Josh was also very good as was the lamb biryani. In fact I can't recall any dish that was particularly mediocre except for the kulfi. read more

This is really the worst Indian food I have had in Boston in years. First, the food was just bland. Too goopy without any intersting taste or spice that you would normally expect from Indian food. For lovers of Indian food this place will be a definite disappointment. Second, I found two long dark hairs in my chicken tikka masala. The waiter was not even apologetic. And the manager would not give me a refund. Second, the restaurant claims to have vegetarian options but a quick look in the kitchen showed they cook all their food with lard. Disgusting. And non vegetarian. I really dont recommend this restaurant. read more

I fucking H8 buffets. They remind me of Fung-Wah bus rides, bad dates, and terrible food. Mela's lunch buffet isn't bad. I just had lunch there (alone :( ). I don't even like Indian food. I have no idea why I walked in here, but out of the 10+ options, I liked most of them. Fuckin' yummy-yummy. My only complaints: The tables were a little too close to each other. I didn't feel like I was having lunch alone. I could hear the WORST wasp conversations. The Tomato and Coconut soup kind of tasted like Spaghettios with coconut mixed in. :'(~~. And right before I left, 2 men walked in and they had ponytails. I guess that's not the restaurant's fault, but I waited around for a minute, and they were still served. That's not cool. read more

I'm still reeling after my experience here. I'm such a lover of South and South East Asian food, and this place is certainly among my top 2 fave Indian places now. The short of it is, food=fantastic, decor=makes me like pink, and service=best I've ever seen! --FOOD-- We did the dinner for two, like many others did. You, too, should do it. Papadams - Came with the usual mint and tamarind chutneys, and I think it was the best tamarind chutney ever. Pistachio Shake - oh. my. god. Mulligatawny Soup - Simple. Good. Slurped it right up. Meat Samosas - Huge pieces, perfectly browned, lukewarm, probably pre-cooked, and hard to eat. If I were you, I would throw out those South End restaurant manners and just eat with your hands. Naan - I kept asking myself, "What is that amazing fresh baked smell??" These smelled quite amazing, and there's no garlic in it! How can anything without garlic smell that good!? Grill Meat (Tandoori) - Not as dry as I've had it before, so that's a plus. Lamb Mushroom Do-Piaza - This was a verrryyyy well-made dish. The meat itself wasn't chewy, which is amazing for stewed curries. I suspect they cook it on the side, but nonetheless, it was a pleasant surprise. Madras Machai (swordfish curry) - I'm dreaming about it! Perfectly cooked swordfish chunks that actually tasted like good quality fish. My fave dish of the night.! Badami Khulfi (ice cream w/ saffron and nuts) - The taste was good, but it was really really icy. Coffee - Gotta include this, 'cause weak-ass coffee means laziness. But the result? They passed just fine. As for spiciness, the bf and I both did "medium," but the bf could've gone for "hot." If there's any way we can describe it ... - "mild" - can't really do spicy - "medium" - can use Sriracha and Tobasco with little problem - "hot" - can't taste the Sriracha/Tobasco! Also, if you don't like spice much, a friend suggests ordering the Butter Chicken. --SERVICE-- So! For the (few) mediocre parts of the meal, the service more than made up for it. We were eating with a few of the bf's colleagues. A couple of them were late, but they seated us anyway! I haven't had that treatment in a long long while. Also, no one was pretentious, waiters were reliable and friendly, everyone looked super sharp and professional, and the manager kept walking around as a sign of reassurance. At one point, the manager came over and asked if I wanted a chair (I was sitting cozy on a booth with the bf and a colleague). I actually liked where I was sitting, so I declined, but he seemed super concerned for my comfort. It felt so incredibly well-run. read more

We have been ordering take out from here for a number of years and LOVE their food. Our favorite dishes are the Shahi Navratan Korma (Veggie Korma), chicken vindaloo and the aloo naan. Delivery can take awhile, so plan accordingly. But if you have the time, the food is worth the wait. read more

Poorest service. Never again! Just got back from the restaurant. The experience was bittersweet - more bitter than sweet. The service was terrible, overpowering the good food that it was. Greeted by a grumpy cat in the guise of a woman. Oh! Did I say 'greet'? Strike that. I'm not sure if it was karma or the manager doesn't pay well, we were served by a horrible(fill-in all synonyms) waiter who doesn't seem to serve us with what we need unless we asked him minimum 3 to 4 times. Found it hard to even get a spoon, waited for 10mins to get it. When we asked other waiter, he replied "I don't serve your table". Way to go! In the end, our celebration for a birthday & job went down the drain. I'm sure they served "Non-Indians" better. Do they pay $2 more/dish? Just curious. EDIT: Looks like all those reviews that complained about terrible service go in to the "Not Recommended" section. Check it out! read more

I asked the waiter what's a spicy chicken dish he would recommend, he replies...I can make any dish mild, medium, hot, and spicy. Not a response you want to hear when you know they are just going to proportionally add red ground pepper based on your request. Chicken was terrible quality, samosa and cutless sucked, and the lamb chops were really good, veg dishes ok. 1/11 plates that we ordered was really good. Only reason the lamb chops were good was because the were cooked medium. First time I'd been to an Indian restaurant where they cooked a medium well meat dish. That last straw, as good as it was and cartilagious the lamb chop, it was the straw to break the gringo Indian food barrier, this is as gringo as it gets. Goal for EVERY Indian restaurant is to make juicy/tender meat in tandoor that is well done, I understand not an easy task but with this place, not at all happy. read more

What really pushed this place to 5 stars was the service. I entered by myself and was immediately sat down at a table. Once my friend arrived, we were immediately served a complimentary soup. We ordered the Vegetarian dinner for 2, which was awesome. Not only was it a lot of food and a lot of variety for $35, but it was also all delicious! The samosas are brought to you first. They are perfectly made. Fresh, and lots of delicious potato and green pea filling. Next you are brought the mulligatawny soup. It's also very good. It's not too dense with the lentils, and has a great ginger and coriander flavor. Next up: main courses. We got the Palak Paneer and the Baingan Bhartha. Both of which were completely delicious. The Baingan Bharta consisted of pureed egglplant among peas onions and other spices. t was really flavorful. The Palak paneer was creamed spinach with indian cheese cubes. The spinach was really nicely cooked. It was all surprisingly hearty. Then were was dessert and coffee. We got the gulab jamun and the kulfi. The kulfi was pretty standard, but the gulab jamun was PERFECTLY cooked. Definitely recommend it. The syrup that came with it was also spot on. The coffee was a great way to end a large meal. I will definitely come back to Mela whenever I can, this was a great deal. read more

This past summer, I took my parents here for the weekend buffet. What a spread! I've never been to an Indian buffet that included naan and gulab jamun. My parents were raving about it. Since then, they're always asking about Mela like it's a friend of mine: "How is Mela?" "Have you been to Mela lately?" "Is anything new going on with Mela?" Anyway, other than the buffet, I've eaten here probably a dozen times. Some of my favorites: butter chicken, aloo choley (potatoes/chick peas), shahi bhindi (okra), and daal makhni (lentils). This is a fantastic place for vegetarians, as the veggie dishes are usually even better than the non-veg ones. And the prices are very reasonable. They have a vegetarian dinner for two ($35) and a non-veg dinner for two ($45). No normal couple should ever be able to finish either (maybe Tom & Roseanne when they were married). The veg dinner, for example, comes with mulligatawny soup, samosa, choice of 2 entrees, rice, naan, raita, dessert and tea/coffee. So much food. The only thing that stresses me out about this place is that I'm worried it will close soon. During the week, it is often woefully empty while inferior places like Addis, Pops and Stephi's are packed. I live right across the street, and sometimes I watch over the place like Jerry did with Babu Bhatt's "Dream Cafe." read more

Delivery FAIL. I ordered from Mela at 8:11. At 10:00 I became impatient, but they assured me they "would be there any minute." I had plans at 11:00. At 10:45 I wanted to cancel the order, but they said it was "already made." At 11:15 they canceled on me- actually I believed they asked me if I "wanted my food that day." read more

I came for the lunch buffet, and while there's nothing to complain about, I can't find anything to rave about, either. Its best feature is that it's $12 after you tip, and it's all you can eat, which is a hell of a lot better deal than WholeFoods' indian food. The most mediocre thing was the Chicken Tikka Masala, unfortunately. This favorite of indian buffet-goers was sadly pretty bland here, which I'm aware is a pretty big insult in an Indian restaurant, but so it is. It could have been that particular batch, but the masala tasted like a thin tomato sauce with no spiciness at all (even though Tikka Masala is meant to be mild, it usually has a hint of heat) and weak flavoring. Ok, so maybe there was something to complain about, but as I said, it wasn't bad, just mediocre. The garlic naan was delicious, but it took until our second plate to arrive. But at least when it arrived it was plentiful. The Veggie Pakoras were delish, and the mint chutney was actually some of the best I've had, no lie. I was drowning my Pakoras in it. The Saag Paneer was a bit bitter, but the Paneer was good. The Muttar Masala was alarmingly watery, so much so that you couldn't get the sauce on the slotted spoon. It was basically a soup. I would definitely come back to see if the Tikka Masala was just having an off day, but mainly I would go back because it's a decent buffet and I love Indian food. read more

This was a top to bottom fantastic dining experience. We were greeted by a tall Indian gentleman with a Mandarin collar and a smile who showed us to one of the lovers' tables at a bay window. The largest wall in the room we were seated in was covered in strips of copper that were raised into decorative curls in places which gave the room a wonderfully warm glow and a fantastic aesthetic. The restaurant is beautifully decorated. We sat down and ordered a bottle of still water while we looked at the cocktail menu. I got some pomegranate martini and the gf got a mojito. These were truly some of the best cocktails I've had in Boston, and it was a pleasant surprise. Not too sweet, sour or boozy tasting. We got the non vegetarian meal for 2: Complementary tasting of garlic potato soup (I love it when they do that) Cup of lentil soup 2 samosas and a small salad with some delicious lemon dressing A meat platter... (this plate is usually why I get the vegetarian option. It's just lots of meat on a plate) Our entrees - I had Rogan something which was a lamb dish and the gf got the lamb korma. Naan Dessert. - pistachio ice cream and that dough ball soaked in syrup thing The food was all excellent, but what gives this place its 5 stars is the service. We were brought our courses with immaculate timing, and any time I did want something I would look for our waiter and he would bring me what I needed without me even asking. Magic? Perhaps. read more

Ok, so the decor is very, very nice and the manager there is very, very nice too. However, the food is not so nice. The portions are large but the food tastes really uninspired. One of the naans was a bit too burnt. My friend asked one of the waitresses if they could bring out any dessert with a little candle stuck in it (we were celebrating a birthday) and the waitress snapped "No!" okaaay. We weren't sure if that "No!" meant: "No,we don't have any candles" "No, we won't/can't do that" or "No, get lost!" Then we had two different waitresses come to our table, each asking if we wanted dessert. Also, the restaurant is a bit cramped, if you want to have an intimate dinner, you don't want to come here. On our way out, I noticed a restaurant patron change her baby's diaper in one of the big windows, so i am assuming there is no changing table in the bathroom. All in all, the food and the service can both use some proper seasoning. read more

A restaurant to me is all about experience of delicious, mouthwatering food & the service. I am totally a food lover! And never in my life , I have left any place without eating. Last night, I made a reservation of 6 & was confirmed the time. Happy & excited We reached Mela at the given time. However , the place was full, sooo we patiently waited there. We waited there for more than 40 mins.... & was assured we would get the seats in five mins. But our patience ended when people who arrived later got the seats & we did not! We raised our concern with d manger in a polite manner but he barely seem to care!!! And asked to wait even longer..... Management & politeness are probably two alien words for the manager of Mela. Disappointed is how I felt about the whole experience!!! I hate to write this, but the manager sld learn basic politeness & some management skills! read more

Mela just keeps getting and better everytime I come here. the staff is awesome and so attentive and nice and very humble. Its cute. The food can not be more awesome. Love the lamb coconut curry, chicken tikki masala, and butter chicken!! (medium spicy please!) Aloo tikka is a nice way to start off your meal ( spicy potatoes fried with a really nice dippng sauce) the wine list is really reasonable. You can get a decent white or red for $30. For dessert, you must get the coconut sherbet. OMG!!! its served in a coconut half shell and is a perfect ending to your meal. they also had these mini cupcake trios which i want to try next time but the sherbet was calling my name. And for an added bonus, if you score a restaurant.com gift cert for $25, it literally pays for your bottle of wine!! ( this is especially awesome if you are able to buy the certs when they have the $2 or $3 sales) Fine Indian dining! Love Mela!!! read more

I've been back to Mela numerous times for their delicious lunch buffet and I always leave happy! The service is usually fast, friendly, and efficient. They always keep the water glasses full. The decor is bright, vibrant and airy which makes it a great lunch spot. The selection is standard but changes frequently. The Pakoras and Samosa are tasty, well seasoned, and the sauces are also great. The Palak Paneer and daal is not the greatest but it still good. The okra and eggplant dishes are usually great. The Chicken Tikka Masala is flavorful and tender. For desert they typically serve kheer which is usually tasty. The spice on most dishes were great and the freshly baked garlic naan was lovely! A great value for only $10 keeps me coming back for more! read more

Right up there with my previous piece of sage advice, "Never go to a restaurant single digit days after it has been Grouponed" is "Never go to a restaurant the week that a Groupon expires" You would think that I would learn from my own mistakes, but no, some people (me) have to learn the hard way. So it's a Tuesday night and the place is packed. Fortunately I had had the foresight to call up a few hours before to make a reservation (I haven't done that in a while - isn't everybody on Open Table now?) Our table's not ready so we head to the bar. Now, this was supposed to be a romantic dinner for two, but my co-worker's wife was out of town, so I took pity on him and let him tag along with girly and I. They seemed to be either very short staffed, or completely overwhelmed, but watching the servers was like watching the keystone cops, running around and banging into each other. No hostess as such, just each one of the servers popping behind the counter when the need arose. Needless to say, they kind of forgot about us, but when reminded they were able to seat us. When this was going to be a party of two, I had gone online and researched the menu and had decided to get the non-vegetarian dinner for two, which is a great deal for $45. Two cups of soup, two samosas, a mixed grill plate, a choice of any two curries, naan bread and dessert for two and coffee/tea. I asked the server if it could be customized for three people, but he said no, it couldn't. He did suggest that I purchase an additional samosa and an additional curry dish, so that's what we did. The mulligatawny soup, was a bit bland (he brought 3 cups). The samosas were dry, the mixed grill plate consisted of assorted tandoori style meats, but they were a bit dry also. The naan bread was excellent as were two of the three curries. The butter chicken was delightful and highly recommended, the shrimp marsala was also really well made. The lamb vindaloo was a bit disappointing though, not enough spice and the flavour was dull. Dessert was a choice of any two from the dessert list. We had the kheer, which is a sweet Indian rice pudding, little watery, but good. Also the ice cream which was tasty and unique. We didn't get offered tea or coffee :( Service was neither good nor bad. He seemed to forget about us for long periods of time, but that was understandable given how busy the place was. But he was pleasant when he was with us. I think that minus the pandemonium of the expiring Grouponers this place would be a cool hangout in the South End (assuming you can get here by car or T, but that's another story). Most of the food is decent, the butter chicken is the standout winner. Unfortunately, they seem to want to be the #1 choice of every coupon-cutter as I see they are on restaurant.com now also and I think I saw them on buy-with-me as well as Groupon, of course, so I don't know when it would be any less busy than it was. read more

I've always walked out of Mela wondering why I haven't discovered it in the past. To be fair I was used to the more hole in the wall style Indian restaurants or takeouts, and just figured Mela was an overpriced, average place with a more stylish interior design to fit itself in the South end. But all of this changed when on a cold night we were desperately needing a quick, reasonably priced place to eat, and since nothing nearby was available, we walked into Mela. We were very pleased with the experience. The service was attentive and the food was delicious. We ordered chicken, lamb and okra. The chicken was very juicy and flavorful, which was not always common. We also loved the okra and already looking forward to ordering them again. The whole meal was pleasant. Price was very reasonable especially for the area. We have since been back twice for their lunch buffet. Again, great value for delicious, fresh tasting food. We will be back again. read more

We revisited Mela individually and as a group, and both times were fantastic. The restaurant can be considered pricey, however we have had a few coupons from online deals giving us more incentive. Mela is located on Restaurant Row and owned by the One World Cuisine (Diva in Cambridge, Kashmir on Newbury, Mantra in Downtown Crossing), it could not be more convenient for standby for our favorite Indian dishes. The lanterns and white sculptures and copper set the ambiance. I think the restaurant is a well decorated one. In addition, we always get a table and are greeted by friendly staff wearing brown shirts with Pure on the front. The mulligatawny soup, made with lentils, vegetables and spices is warming and a nice start $4. The time we visited a duo, we received an amuse, the other visit, when dining as a group we did not. Meat Samosa, spicy turnovers stuffed with minced lamb and spices, with a small garden salad with carrots, cherry tomatoes served with special dressing. I love the sauces that come with the samosas and give additional flavor to them. Two samosas for $5 Although we had plain naan, I highly suggest the fresh garlic naan. We tried the Malai Kofta, vegetable balls cooked in a nut sauce with fresh herbs and spices. I really enjoyed the creamy sauce and there was only two vegetables in the dish, which is a bit meager for $15. As an old standby, we ordered Palak Paneer, cheese cooked in a creamy spinach sauce. It is nice to have a range of choices from Mild to Hot for $14. Next we tried the Daal Makhni, lentils sauteed in butter, spices and topped with coriander $13. The lentils were hearty and the coriander gave that added hint of freshness. I know there is a population which have a negative reaction to coriander and I am glad I do not. The smooth raita yogurt with shredded cucumbers, potato & mint was cooling when we needed to cut the heat of the spices $2. The Lamb Korma, cooked with nuts and raisins in a mild creamy sauce was really delicious and each bit had the sweetness of the raisin $17. I enjoyed the Garlic Beef beef cubes and garlic in a curry, however the meat was a bit gristly and fatty. The flavor and heat of the curry was so good I just isolated the curry to eat with the basmati rice $14. In addition to kheer, we tried the Ras Malai for the first time, a cheese patty, cooked in a milk syrup, almonds and nuts. From here on out, I am sticking to the sweet, cardamom laced rice pudding. read more

The 2 stars was for the service really I always have good service eating inside the restaurant since Mela's opened on Tremont but a couple of months back I felt like eating some great Indian cruisine did a delivery service I didn't feel like moving at all and I figured why not delivery they were only down the streetfrom my house when I got my food I was told by the delivery guy that the owner does not deliver in dominant Black areas funny I live 5 minutes away it didn't make any sense I could see the milage out area problem. But anyways this will be the last delivery or eat in I spoke with the manager myself and he said he will call me back welp! He never did but that's okay Mela will Never ever get they're racist Hands on my money at all they can employ Blacks but I guess they stop right there when it comes down to delivering food to Blacks... read more

It's quite a delightful place with very nice decor and location. The hostess and the wait staff was really friendly. The menu is fairly traditional but somehow the taste was quite a bit for the non-Indian palate. If I were a betting person, I would wager that chef was not an expat. Two of us went for their vegetarian platter for two (soup, samosas as appetizer, two entrees, naan as bread, rice, a selected list for desserts and tea/coffee). Here is the good part: entrees you get to pick. Now a bit of the down part: naan bread cannot be replaced with roti and a dinner for two is served with only one naan. Seems like a minor oversight - annoying nevertheless. Slightly bigger issue was that one of the entree (malai kofta) was on the saltier side. Might want to give them a heads-up on your salt comfort level. Matar paneer was ok on salt but was ok on taste as well. Somehow the gravy and the peas just did not jive together and there were hardly any cheese pieces for a serving for two people. Serving portions were reasonable and rice and other items were pretty good. read more

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In short, although the food is good, the prices are not in line with the overall experience at Mela. The decor, flatware, and menu all say "fine dining," but the waitstaff are in matching t-shirts instead of a uniform. Most of the waitstaff are also, as illustrated below, socially awkward (or just plain unfriendly) and appear to have little to no training. I walked in without a reservation, and received several glares and a prolonged awkward silence. I asked if this (no reservation) would be a problem, happy to walk back out and find dinner elsewhere. Staff mumbled, "Yes," while poking at the computer. I was then immediately seated. My parter ran late by about 15 minutes, during which time I was treated to more unfriendly looks by the staff. Immediately after my partner arrived, someone arrived to take our order (yes, I was ready, but my husband had just sat down & opened the menu). The waiter who ultimately took care of us seemed to be the only person in the place who knew what he was doing (a great example of a diamond in the rough). I had the malai kofta, which, to be fair, was excellent. My husband was happy with his dish, as well. This indicates that there is a lot of great stuff going on in the kitchen; it's too bad that the dining room experience diminishes enjoyment of the food. P.S. The dining room is way too crowded; waitstaff could barely get by to serve dishes, and anyone who ventured to the restrooms encountered a pedestrian traffic jam on the way back to their table. Taking out a few excess tables would do wonders. read more

I've only been for the lunch buffet but enjoyed the offerings and definitely overate! I would initially say the plates were too small, but then considering how full I got, this is decidedly not true and will help you with your portion control. If it were less expensive, we would frequent Mela for takeout and casual Indian dinners. It was pretty empty when we were there. read more

I love it when someone does something creative with Indian cuisine. Mela did, without going overboard. Everything we had was very good... the chat, the goan shrimp curry, the papadum. Nothing was greasy, so we came out feeling good, too. The service was really nice and unintrusive. My group of seven were very happy. I look forward to returning. UPDATE: I returned and the service and ambience were still great, but the food was definitely three stars. Too salty,, for one thing. Papadum still delicious. read more