Mellow Manna

At Mellow Manna, a cozy Indian restaurant in the Medical Center, the atmosphere all but requires you to take a load off and sink into any one of the rich and flavorful dishes. Sit at your table and watch Bollywood music videos playing from a flat screen TV in-between scoops of tender lamb biryani. The menu here is pretty big, but make sure the creamy butter chicken makes it to your table with some naan bread that’s basically a fluffy garlic pillow. The vibe at Mellow Manna is relaxed, but the spice here is serious, so you should order dishes at a heat level that’s a notch below what you think you can handle. Or, if you’re committed to having a meal that makes you sweat, be sure to tack on a mango lassi to your order as a fail-safe for your burning tongue. There’s never a wrong time to eat at Mellow Manna, so stop by for a casual dinner, or for a lunch buffet during the week.

photo credit: Liz Silva

photo credit: Liz Silva

photo credit: Liz Silva

photo credit: Liz Silva

photo credit: Liz Silva

Food Rundown

photo credit: Liz Silva

Lamb Biryani

Few rice dishes excite us like the lamb biryani at Mellow Manna. The basmati rice is fluffy and spiced, and the smoky lamb that’s mixed in is incredibly tender.

photo credit: Liz Silva

Garlic Chicken

The garlic chicken that arrives on your table is fried with a load of garlic, and coated in a sweet and spicy soy chili sauce. We’re not sure if the heat or the flavor makes our eyes water more, but we know that we can’t stop eating it.

photo credit: Liz Silva

Garlic Naan

An order of naan bread at Mellow Manna comes with four pieces, but you should get extra because the delicate bread has many jobs as a scoop for paneer or a dunking agent for curry sauce. Or just to be eaten on its own.

photo credit: Liz Silva

Mango Lassi

This cup of sunshine is thick, creamy, and damn near a necessity for giving your tongue a break from the slew of spices found in the dishes here.