Satya Chai Lounge — Restaurant in Waitematā

I had an incredible dining experience at XO Mangal last night which was a pop-up restaurant, located in Auckland's K-Road area. It offered a unique fusion of Indian and Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine running out of Satya Chai Lounge. My partner and I were thrilled with our choices from the menu. The Hot & Numbing Buttermilk Fried Chicken was my favourite dish - every bite was packed with flavour, and I devoured it down to the last bone. The Crispy Eggplant with Szechuan Pepper and Black Vinegar was also a standout - it was delicious and incredibly flavourful. The Masala Fries were another highlight and a must-try; the kebab spice mix, harissa, and garlic yogurt were a delightful combination. The Corn Ribs with Curry Leaf, Coconut, and Masala Rub were cleverly cut into quarters to resemble ribs and were full of flavor. I also appreciated the spice in the Lamb Kofta. The Pork Belly Vindaloo - it was so spicy, but I loved it. To balance the spices, we enjoyed the Watermelon Chaat Masala, which was refreshing and tangy. The Basmati Rice was an excellent side that complemented the main dishes perfectly. To end the meal, we indulged in the Smashed Baklava Sundae made with Baklava, Candied Nuts, and Salted Caramel. It was the perfect sweet treat to cap off a fantastic meal. The service at XO Mangal was exceptional - our servers were quick, attentive, and friendly.

The only constructive feedback I have is that the dishes came out too quickly, leaving us little time to savour each course. However, this could be because we arrived earlier, and the kitchen had the capacity to get the dishes out quickly. Overall, I highly recommend XO Mangal to anyone looking for quality and tasty food in an easy and moody atmosphere. Their pop-up menu changes weekly, so it's worth returning to try new dishes. Don't miss out on this limited-time...

[Review by a Vegetarian]

First of all, don't run away from this restaurant just because decor looks a little weird and ambiance a bit run down. In fact, Satya probably serves the best South Indian Food fare in New Zealand. It looked to be decently popular among locals. Looking at the entryway, and the rather peculiar decor of sarees arranged across the wall and over the ceiling, we walked in with very little expectations. Fortunately, everything after greatly exceeded our expectations.

We ordered the Masala Dosa, and Onion Uthappam, which were both fresh, great tasting, and of outstanding quality. Service was prompt and courteous and the items were served with a copious amounts of aloo (inside the dosa), sambhar, and coconut chutney (can be an issue in some Indian restaurants). The portion sizes are extremely good and the other chutney served (Ginger) is of homestyle quality. I would easily rank the restaurant among the top 25 for dosas and top 20 for uttapams (yes the list is tall because I've tried the dish in hundreds of locations).

The other item we ordered on the menu: the Idli + Sambhar was of average quality and tasted as if it had been reheated rather than freshly steamed.

Bottom Line: We tried a few restaurants in Auckland and this was hands down the winner in terms of value and quality of food. I would definitely return in a heart beat to get a Masala dosa, and uttapam. It's really nice that they do takeout because the place itself seems a bit dingy with all those sarees hanging from the ceiling [Shrug of the shoulders]. They could seriously make use of a renovation, which would no doubt boost their image among outsiders and tourists. I would give the restaurant 5 stars if it weren't for the decor, ambiance, and my lack of knowledge of the rest of the menu. But definitely don't run away when you see...

I went to Satya Chai Lounge not long ago. Particular seats are being given to particular people (Discrimination) and made us wait for a long time and still gave us the worst seats after that, where as he promised other seats which was slightly better. Since i am quite tall 6 feet my legs where not able to adjust on there corner bench and table and my wife along with me got uncomfortable to as she was opposite side and if i make a little extra room for myself she was getting squashed . When the other seats got empty and was our turn to move after half n hour, he suddenly made a gesture and i went to him and asked "was it for me??" and he said yes as those other seat he promised is actually for someone else and was booked in advance. I told him when i called to 2 days before for booking you told me you don't do bookings. What a lie - as he just wanted us to order and get stuck at that place On top of that Charged me wrong for the beer. When i told the manager that the beer display price is $8 not $16, then he just said that he knows the price and whatever he is charging is right. I told him to go and check first, he said " No i am not going to do that, as he said he knows exactly what is the price of a particular beer" Food was extremely cold as well when it got to us. Then he even almost overcharged me with an extra $8 on top op the overcharged beer. When i told him about the total again even according to his calculations(of wrong beer price) then he dropped those $8. Told him on his face that my first experience was absolute DISASTER. HE didnt even say SORRY and just said give me 2 days and i will call and discuss . I asked him discuss what? He said "please provide me your number". I thought he will actually call me back for an apology. Guess What he never bothered and never called.

I am never going to this...