Masala Darbar, Surry Hills

New restaurant Masala Darbar in Surry Hills has been busy and quiet in a mixture that is typical of new restaurants. I go on a Sunday that is incredibly quiet and we are the only ones in a restaurant. I didn't know what to expect but I was happy I was patient as the food was incredibly delicious.

The beauty about Indian Food is that it's very homely, full of bold flavour and typically full of my favourite kinds of bread - naan and roti. Matt really loves Indian food and loves that there's so many items on the menu at Masala Darbar that is unknown to us. He loves trying new dishes.

The menu at Masala Darbar is quite extensive and so I would recommend getting some suggestions from the staff. A fellow foodie suggested her favourite dish at Masala Darbar was the Dosa so I had to order this dish. When I looked at the menu though, there's about 10 different Dosa dishes.

Matt and I opt for the traditional Masala Dosa ($12) which is a dosa stuffed with spiced potatoes and also comes with some condiments. The thin and crispy crepe-like texture is made from a fermented batter. The spiced potato is hidden inside the dosa but is slightly yellow from tumeric. It's a nice dish to start off with as I quite like Dosa.

Next up is the Paneer Pakora $9, which is sliced homemade cheese stuffed w mint chutney, dipped in spiced chickpea flour batter and fried. This is an amazing entree and Matt basically devours the crispy cheesey pankora. I quite like this dish and I've never had it before. I highly recommend ordering this dish.

I can hear the sizzling plate as the Murg Malal Tikka $14 comes out. This dish has Tender chicken fillets marinated in yoghurt, dry herbs and spices and char grilled in tandoor on a bed of onions. The smell of the sizzling chicken is really delicious and full of flavour. I loved the sizzling onions that soaked up all the flavours.

Matt and I also ordered some Garlic Naan ($3) and Malabar Parata ($3.50) to soak up the upcoming curry. I especially liked all the garlic on the naan.

First is the Malabar Prawn Curry ($17.50)  which is a medium curry cooked with aromatic spices, mustard seeds and finished off with coconut milk. There are six prawns in the curry which is a nice amount to enjoy soaked in the mild curry flavours. 

Then there's the Channa Masala ($11.50) which has hot and spicy chickpeas tossed in fresh herbs, garlic, tomatoes, onion, spicy sauce with lemon juice and green chillies. The curry has a nice kick in the after taste but has a prominent chickpea flavour.

Summary: Overall, I really enjoyed the food at Masala Darbar. My favourites were the Paneer Pakora and the Masala Prawn Curry with the naan bread so whether it's busy or quiet - go in and give it a go. The food is delicious and the entrees are quite a generous portion.

Price: $20-30 pp 

Location: 460 Cleveland St, Surry Hills

Opening Hours: 12pm to 10pm Tuesday to Sunday

Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of Bamboo Garden. All photos, opinions and words are my own.