Mela

Service attentive, but the quality of the food didn't reach average Indian Restaurant standards, whilst the prices were astromonical! £180 for two courses for 6 people with soft drinks.
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Simon
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Sunday, January 17, 2010

Great little place tucked away near picadilly circus. Good for pre theatre meal. Service is to a high standard. Was served by a fellow named "Sunny". Took great initiave to ensure we were looked after. Starters are very impressive and I feel different to ones I have had else where. Main course was good too but the standard not as good as starters. Dessert was excellent gulab jaman and ice cream. Overall I would reccommend this place. It's fairly easy on the pocket and the service I recieved from Sunny was great. I would definatly reccommend this restaurant.
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restaurant connoisseur - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, December 28, 2009

Went to Mela on Friday night (27th Nov, 2009). We had booked table for 09:30pm. When we arrived we were told that a table will not be available for 30 mins!!! No apologies, not even a single word of sorry. Why do they take bookings when they know that they are going to have no spaces??? We spent 20 mins standing at the door. Then we were asked to sit at the bar, which nothing but 2 high chairs in the corner facing a huge coffee machine!!! No bar menu at the bar and waiters didnt serve any drinks at the bar...waited another 15 mins near the bar. Ordered papadum, starters and main. The starters were brought together with the papadums and obviously went cold by the time we finished the papadums! Pathetic service. Food was average too!!! The main gost saag was bland & tasteless. Kozhi Varutha curry was good. We ordered kulcha with potato filling and we were given kulcha with paneer filling. Again no apology.

The tables in the restaurant are crammed together, trying to fit it as many people as they can. Very disappointing experience.
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Vijay Palanivel
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 4
Saturday, November 28, 2009

Went to Mela last night using the 50% discount offer - it was a great night and great value. The place was full but we were greeted and taken to our table immediately. Service was attentive and faultless throughout. I have mixed views on the food so can see why some have less positive experience but overall I think it's amazing value and some dishes are fantastic if you choose carefully. Starters were "Murg Kali Mirch" (marinated Chicken fillets) which were tasty and perfectly cooked, and Bhajiya (Potato/Onion Bhajis) which were tasty but very slightly the dry/overcooked. For mains, Gosht Rogan Josh which was tasty but average quality and the "Lamb chop and Boti Kebab" which was out of this world. The Lamb was like pate and marinade was mouth watering with a bit of a kick but one of the tastiest, most succulent dishes. We would return just for this - my husband felt obliged to stop and thank the chef on the way out. With Popadums, a side dish of Gobhi Muttar (a tasty cauli/pea dish), rice, a glass of Red wine and half a dozen glasses of water the total bill was £38 (including the service they automatically add) which was amazing value. To top it off as we didn't eat nearly half of the mains as the portions were so generous, they packed us a doggy bag :) Would definatley recommend, if only to try the tandoori lamb!
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Mr & Mrs Ronald
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, October 28, 2009

I have just booked Mela to take the advantage of the offers during London Restaurant Week. And, I have noticed a very misleading review by Graham....It is soooo unfair that I had to write a line or two to express my own views.

I live two minutes away from this restaurant and I think they serve one of the finest Indian food in London, as an extra bonus to their fantastic taste, they will not rumble your tummy the next day. You can look through the glass walls and see their extremely clean kitchen and hard working chefs preparing tasty dishes. Pop in and enjoy the food, but remember to book it in advance during weekends as they are often very busy. The service is excellent and the staff is very polite and friendly. Mela is an excellent choice for an enjoyable evening.

Regarding the "..salty food" complaints below. The food is never salty for me, but regardless of my humble opinion madam, you did get your money back, did you not. This translates itself as a great apology in London and more than what you would get in most restaurants, say overrated and expensive Gordon Ramsay's Maze you would be forced to pay the bill in full and your opinions ignored as mine was.

And finally, the only excuse I can think of on behalf of dear Graham; he hates Indian food, so please take no notice.
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Bee Keskin
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Thursday, September 24, 2009

We've visited Mela on a number of occasions, always using the special offer on london-eating. The restaurant has always been busy and the service has been great. If you're looking for a great meal at short notice then Mela is a fine choice. We've never been let down here.

My suggestion is to order a variety of plates to share from the starters menu and do the same for the main meal. Their kebabs are great, fish dishes are lovely and curries delicious. Mela's food is down to earth, tasty and nicely flavoured. Whether you're out and about in town, booking a pre-theatre meal or looking for somewhere where you know you'll be guaranteed good food choose Mela. And for an even better deal book their special offer.

Mela is the kind of place to go back to again and again. It doesn't win loads of points for decor or atmosphere, having said that it does just fine in both those departments, but some restaurants, like Mela, you go back to for the good service and good food.
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Dinah - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, August 25, 2009

I thought it was a pretty good meal. Don't understand the review below, but my visit was enjoyable and I will be back. Food was really interesting and the decor was colourful. Prices are less than what you expect in Soho restaurants of this calibre. Top marks!
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sujata patel
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Food is really awful i dont recommend this place.The service is terrible we wont go back there. The lamb curry tasted like some pot noodle snack.

Stay away !
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Graham
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Eight of us went there on saturday evening and had a wonderful meal. We ordered a variety of dishes and shared them out. At the end everyone said what a fantastic food they had tasted and some singled out the tandoori mixed platter and the chicken kebabs for special praise. I agree.

But two items that hardly anyone mentions in reviews -- the pilau rice and the roti and nan breads-- were also superb.

Service was very good too.

If you are in town this restaurant is definitely worth a visit!
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CurryMan
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Friday, February 06, 2009

Mela has pretensions to be a cut above the average Indian restaurant, if the prices and glowing write-ups on the outside are anything to go by. We went on a Saturday night, without booking, and got a table after a short wait. Throughout the evening I noticed that they appeared to try to make out they were more booked than they actually were, as everyone who just walked in got a table within about 5 minutes.

The starters we had were ok. However the main courses, which we had to wait a long time for were poor. My partners dish was tepid and slightly over salty. However my dish, a version of lamb shank, was so salty that I could taste little else. I complained to the manager, and they brought another one, which turned out to be exactly the same. They then brought me a 'rogan josh', which was only slightly less salty than the previous two. They had even appeared to put a little salt in the plain rice. Overall very poor main dishes.

They knocked the price of my dish off the bill, but didn't apologize for anything.
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Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 1
Sunday, January 25, 2009