MANJAL SOUTH INDIAN RESTAURANT — Restaurant in Fair Lawn

We already knew it'd be good the second we stepped in and noticed: (1) nearly all of the tables were full, and (2) every other diner (besides us) was Indian.

We went with our go-to Indian favorites - chicken tikka masala and chana masala. The pieces of chicken in the tikka masala were a little dry, but oh, that sauce. It was creamy and flavor-packed, so much that I let my spoon scrape unapologetically against the bottom in my attempts to get every last drop. The chana masala was decent, with a respectable spice heat. The best part of our order, surprisingly, was the malabar paratha. We randomly ordered it instead of our usual naan, and that turned out to be a meal-changing decision. It's as if naan and croissants mated and had this deliciously flaky bread baby. Eating it left shattered pieces of paratha all over our table, and damned if we weren't trying to eat the crumbs.

The menu boasts lunch specials, but when we went on a Sunday, our server explained that the special of the day was a banana leaf platter with various soups, curries, and rice. We weren't daring enough to order it, but it must have been good because it was on everyone else's table. I also noticed the server came by to refill the curries, which signals a possible 'bottomless' dish.

Service was friendly but a little distractive. It seemed like there were only two waitstaff serving the whole dining space (while also seating new and incoming customers), which meant our server's attention was pulled in lots of different directions as he took our order and answered a few questions we had. Communication was also a little choppy as it seemed we had a hard time understanding each other. That said, his overall demeanor seemed warm, and he was good about checking in on us throughout the meal.

There's a small parking lot in the back, along with limited (free) street parking available...

A Hidden Gem in Fairlawn!

The food was incredible! Every dish we ordered was filled with flavor, spice, and authenticity. The Vegetarian Thali, was my favorite with each dish cooked to perfection. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the food they serve. They even took the time to explain the origins of certain dishes, which added a nice personal touch. Can’t wait to come back and try even more...

The best Indian restaurant in Fairlawn, NJ🤩 the thalis are amazing, and everything is incredibly flavorful, delicious and complex. Great selection: more unique options than anywhere else in fairlawn. The ultimate home-cooked comfort food. Must try banana leaf South Indian thali. I really like it and can’t wait to come...