Mint Leaf Lounge & Restaurant

Had a great experience. The food was good and 2 for 1 cocktail deal was good. Compliments to Dhayalan Paul, the head chef.
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Dr Balaji - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Very good tasty food , expensive drinks but this is the City....wont rush to go back as felt that overall prices should be about 40% lesss....
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Stephen Harrrington
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 4
Thursday, February 03, 2011

I've been here twice for lunch and both times thought it was very good. The first time I had the City menu which has limited choice but is good value at £14 for two courses (or £18 for three). The food then was good and the portions adequate. Today I ate off the main menu which is expensive at c.£9 for a starter and c.£17 for a main course - but with the 50% off deal it was good value for money. My tandoori duck breast was excellent (although under-salted) and my main course of lamb shank even better. The portion sizes were perfectly decent - I felt very full afterwards - and the service friendly enough. Overall I think this place has a great vibe, excellent and unusual Indian food and provided you go for a set menu or get a discount, it's reasonably priced.

Given all the other reviews, maybe the lesson is to go at lunchtime early in the week when it's not full, rather than fighting with the hordes in an evening.
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Nick
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Nice food (and that's the view from an indian!). Heavily restricted menu especially for veggies. The rudest staff I have seen - they treat you like something they scraped off their shoe (and I am not exaggerating). If you can overcome this and the stuffy city type atmosphere then it's great. City menu for lunch looks stingy but it's just right. But again - awful service and rude. Don't try and ask for the bill to be split between people - you're in store for some tutting. Alas service is included so you can't pay for what you thought of it.
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4 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A mid week dinner at mint leaf in the city - and my first impressions of this restaurant were not good. First off I do not understand the need for giving credit card details when booking a table for 2 on a week night (as it turned out the place was never full while we were there) and also the need to call me back a few hours later to confirm the booking. Anyway things did not improve upon entering the bar to very loud thumping dance music, the place was not busy and ot was only 7pm.

Service was fine, apart from the look on the waiters face when we asked for tap water and a slightly long wait when trying to get the bill.

Now the food - what we ordered and ate was pretty good, the tandoori chicken and the crab & fish cakes were very good but came out of the kitchen in less than 5 minutes which always worries me. Mains were also good with the lamb curry and side lentils being the highlights.

The wine list was very extensive and we had a good bottle of pinot noir from Trinity hill in NZ.

My main issue with this place is the prices - 2 starters, 2 curries a and a couple of sides came in at about £80, add another £35 for the wine and the service and this place was very expensive for what you get. The wines were all at least 4 times shop prices. £64 for cloudy bay sauvignon blanc ? - I know several other restaurants in the city where you can get it for at least 20% less.

Overall pretty good food but at vastly over inflated prices in a strange night club type atmosphere.

Doubt that I will be back !
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Chris - View all reviews by this user
6 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 5
Wednesday, March 31, 2010

We were in a group of 8 on Friday night and took advantage of Mint Leaf's 50% food offer. Will never step in to that place again. So pretentious and is a con.

1. The waitress was constantly trying to pour wine and water in our glasses which were always half full and even after telling her that we would help ourselves she just carried on. Ended up paying £18 in water! for 3 bottles and bottles of wine -1 which we struggled to finish!!!

2. 50% food off offer is a joke as we spent £262 and all of us came out hungry. The portions are pathetic -- Offer is from a reduced menu and the sea bream was probably one of the smallest sea breams ever caught. A friend had Aubergine starters that consisted of 3 pieces of aubergines at a price of £7.50, My other friend has Chicken with a coconut curry with Noodles which were invisible. Usually she doesn't say a bad word but even she was outraged as it was her birthday. The amount of rice is insulting and the choice of dessert also. We had Mango and Ice cream costing £7.50 with seven (yes seven pieces) of small tasteless mango and 1 scoop of ice cream.

It is quite obvious that they intice you with this 50% food offer but it is quite clear that other tables ordering from the A La Carte Menu were given standard portions.

Suppose they have to considering they must have paid at leat £60 per head for the privilege.

3. The food tastes ok but is very spicy and is obvious that it is made to taste this way to entice you to have more in the way of drink.

I can't stand restaurants that try and intice you with offers such as this which quite clearly are a complete rip off and the fact that all eight of us felt hungry and most of all cheated said it all.Two of us ended up eating a portion of chips when we got home. Worst of all it was in aid of one of our birthday's.

This is clearly a place for city folk who have more money than sense and unfortunately our naivety got the better of us on this occasion but never again.
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Robin
1 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Monday, March 29, 2010

Well this was a surprise. On entering the restaurant I thought I had made a huge mistake. Loud music, city workers crowding the bar and a near empty restaurant section left me wondering if I had gone to the wrong place but from the moment we sat down, I could not fault the food or service.

Crab and mackerel fishcakes were subtly flavoured and light and the tandoori paneer perfectly cooked. For mains, we had the lamb curry which was quite excellent. Not one bit of fat or gristle, just succulent meat in a flavoursome sauce and a very generous portion too. The plaice fillet was also superb, light, flakey flesh and delicious. Side orders of Indian breads (hot, fresh, not too doughy), daal and smashed potatoes topped it off.

In summary, one of the best curries I have had for some while. If the Bombay Bicycle Club want to know where they have gone wrong and what they should be aiming for, they could do worse than to come here.

The one possible gripe would be the price (£9 starters, £18 mains) but as they seem to have a permanent 50% discount off the food, the price we actually paid was very reasonable.

If you're looking for a top end curry in the City, this is up there with the Cinnamon Kitchen.
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A Siva
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Expensive? A bit, but this isn't Brick Lane after all and the food is very good. £15 set lunch for 3 courses is reasonable and the use of seasonal British ingredients such as herrings and mackerel can only be a good thing. Who wants defrosted fish from India? Not me. Light, well thought out menu that sparkles with novel items and presentation on the plate that is alluring.
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pauline
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, August 26, 2009

This a real treat...food is delicious, service is fantastic...oh and its a beautiful restaurant.

50% discount card welcome too!!! Includes main menu and special of the day.

Definately recommend.
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R.A
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Friday, July 31, 2009

Great place, great food but very expensive. The 50% offer will bring prices down to a more realistic level.
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7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 4
Monday, March 09, 2009