The Mint Room — Restaurant in Bel Air

We decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day at the Mint Room this year. We had reservations somewhere else but we craved some quality Indian food and an upscale dining atmosphere, so we were delighted that we were able to make reservations online the day of at the Mint Room. We loved walking into the elegant place with beautiful lights and an upscale ambiance. We were greeted by the host who seated us quickly at a table in the middle of the dining area. When we inquired about a booth, we were told that booths were only for reservations. Normally we would just be happy being in good company but we hadn’t dined out in awhile and on such a busy night, we really wanted to enjoy the experience. We showed the server our reservation confirmation email and were told that once a booth was available, we would be seated there. After waiting a few minutes and reviewing the menu, we were surprised when a couple who entered after us was seated at the next available booth. We inquired about the booth again and were told it’s for reservation only. We pulled up the reservation confirmation email again to show the manager. We were then told that as Google reservation calls were received, they were written down on a notebook and that they had over 40 reservations that night. However, our name was not on the handwritten schedule. We were a bit disappointed and debated leaving. At that moment, the very friendly female manager apologized for the seating confusion and seated us in the special table on the other side as the guests of honor. She personally took our orders and took care of us all night. We were honored and happy that she went so far to ensure that we had a pleasant experience. Her customer service skills were excellent and she was very personable considering all the chaos of the day/more than usual crowd for the special occasion. She provided great guidance and recommendations.

The food was so flavorful! We ordered the samosa chaat and the lentil soup as appetizers, followed by the baigan bharta (vegetarian eggplant dish) and the akhroti gosht (lamb dish) with garlic naan. Mmm mmm mmm good! Although I love spicy foods, I opted for the 5-6 spice level so we would both be able to enjoy the dishes (since he is not big on spice). I was surprised how delicious it still was even though it wasn’t my usual spicy level. It’s clear that quality is of utmost importance to this place. The samosa chaat was the perfect blend of chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, samosa and spices. The lentil soup was warm and soothing. Both entrees were served with a side of fluffy white rice with saffron sprinkled on top. The entrees were cooked perfectly! The baigan bharta was the perfect texture and taste to make the mouth tingle and soul smile. The lamb was cooked so well that I even enjoyed it (I am not a big meat or nut stew person). The mango lassi was refreshing - not too sweet or overpowering. The portions were generous, so we had to take half of it to go because it was way too good to waste.

The staff was very friendly and patient. It was quite a busy night and hopefully it stays that way because this place is definitely...

We spent $125 on carry out . Prior to placing the order I called and asked if all the entrees came with rice to which they replied yes. I asked if the tandoori Chicken came with sauce and they said yes.

Upon opening our meals we were missing one side of rice and the sauce for the tandoori chicken. I called the restaurant and asked again if all entrees came with rice as it’s not specified online . The Manager Manny answered the phone and said yes all entrees come with rice . I let him know we were missing the rice to one of the entrees to which he then replied and said all the entrees except for the one we ordered came with rice.How convenient , if I would have know I wouldn’t have spent $25 just on chicken. Keep in mind I asked twice if my meal came with rice . Then I asked about the sauce & he proceeded to say he would check with the person who bagged my order.

He called me back and proceeded to argue that the sauce was in the bag . It was not . we ordered 2 orders of the veg samosas , each order comes with a brown and green sauce meaning we received 4 sauces 2 green 2 brown . He tried telling me that 2 of those sauces were for the tandoori chicken. If that were the case then now I would be missing sauce for 2nd order do the veg samosa .

The manager was extremely unprofessional. This was the first and last time we will be ordering from...

The food was amazing and portion sizes. Cocktails were top notch (even with a lil extra strength). I ordered the Lamb Chops, Butter Chicken, Vegtable Samosa, Peachy Tea, Blue Shark, Khatta Limeade, and Masala Gosht (Medium). The Lamb Chops were cooked perfectly with just enough char, seasoned well and tender as ever. Butter Chicken was not spicy (as requested) but flavorful nonetheless, creamy and authentic enough without the spice. It reminded me of the festivals my grandfather would take me to as a child. Masala Gosht was spicy enough for me, not overpowering but just enough to feel it while still be flavorful. Khatta Limeade was strong and tart, while still being able to drink it with no drawback. Peachy Tea was sweet but not too sweet, more so refreshing. The Vegtable Samosa was good, flavorful and paired with two sauces. I didn’t prefer the mint sauce, but the tamarind sauce was really great with the Samosa. I just wish they had Mango Chutney, other than that the menu was appeasing with a list of different flavors for each dish. I am completely satisfied with what we ordered and the service provided. We were served by Alex, he was patient and attentive to our requests...