Monalessa's Kitchen Indian Restaurant — Restaurant in Fall River

We went on their opening day and it wasn’t too overcrowded, there were about 4 customers dining in so we sat at the last booth. Because it was the first day we didn’t set expectations for everything to be perfect. Food was great, flavors were amazing. Their Biriyani was fresh and flavorful.

Service wasn’t great for me. We were not given any beverages nor asked. I had to go into my car to get my own water bottles. The server was busy, I didn’t want to fuss-but we were only visited twice at our table for the 3 hours being there, every other guest had been catered to our entire visit there multiple times (we watched). Guests who came in after us somehow ordered before us, received drinks and meals before us, left before us, we still didn’t get any water lol.

We’d be sitting waiting for food then ate, overall took us about 3 hours being in the establishment. Again, time wasn’t the problem. We didn’t mind waiting. But other guests were being communicated with, small talk, talking over beverages being recommended drinks, meanwhile we hadn’t been asked what we wanted to drink the entirety of our visit? Shame. I was there with my daughter, the gentleman by the door called her handsome and I laughed, but no one seemed to still ask about our drinks? Or food? After 3 hours no “sorry it’s taking a while”, nothing was said to us. After people who came in after us had already had their leftover food packed up and left before we had even received our plates we wanted to ask why we out of all people in here were being avoided? My cousin felt that it had to do with race. We were the only minority there, everyone they had catered to were fair-she is tender hearted, but it’s sad for someone to even think that way in a restaurant.

I wasn’t sure if it was because we sat in the last booth? We felt like they weren’t prioritizing us because of their lack of interested in OUR business. It felt unfair. It felt uncomfortable. As much as I wanted to ask for everything to be packaged to-go, I sat there with grace and patience.

Food was great. I’ll order take-out the next time I go, I refuse to dine-in again. As a minority who was looking to support a business this was not the experience I was expecting. The workers seem nice. But didn’t care to tend to us like they tended to their...

Absolutely phenomenal! I don’t normally write reviews unless something really blows me away — and Monalessa’s Kitchen definitely did. I’m vegetarian and tried a variety of dishes, and every single one was outstanding. The flavors were so fresh and comforting, and you could tell everything was made with care.

Matar Paneer – Creamy, rich, and full of flavor. The paneer was fresh and soft, and the peas added just the right texture. It’s definitely one of those dishes that’s hard to stop eating.

Samosas – Classic and perfectly done. The outside was golden and crispy, and the inside was packed with well-seasoned potato goodness. The chutneys they came with really brought it all together.

Onion Pakora – Hands down, the best thing I tried. This was next level. Crispy, flavorful, spiced just right — I seriously haven’t stopped thinking about them. If you only try one thing, make it the onion pakora.

Garlic Naan – Warm, fluffy, and packed with real garlic flavor. It was so good on its own, but also perfect for scooping up all the sauces and curries.

Malai Kofta – The koftas were soft and perfectly cooked, swimming in a creamy, delicious curry. My only personal critique — and this is totally just my taste — is that I would’ve liked a touch more salt. But that’s just because I tend to like my food on the saltier side! Otherwise, it was fantastic and so cozy.

Tikka Masala Sauce (side order) – I’ve had a lot of tikka masala in my life, and this sauce — just the sauce! — was honestly one of the best. Creamy, flavorful, and so well balanced. I would order it again just to dip everything in.

The staff was also super kind and welcoming, and you can tell they’re passionate about what they do. This place may be new, but it’s already a gem. I can’t wait to go back — I’m already planning my next order. If you’re even slightly considering trying this place, just do it. You’ll be...

My heritage is Indian-adjacent so I’ve had plenty of Indian food, both home cooking and restaurants. I don’t know what mitzvah I performed to deserve such a great place so near to me. We used to go to the BBQ joint that was at this location, and the decor was bare minimum. The new owners have spruced it up simply and tastefully. Our server was attentive and charming without being intrusive, and he was conscientious about checking allergens. He actually kept apologizing because their usual server wasn’t there. We never would have thought we had anything but the A team.

It’s on the pricey side, but we brought home enough leftovers for at least two more meals. The bhindi masala (okra) and lamb saag were spot on. In some places a chicken yellow curry is almost an afterthought, but their chicken Chettinad had a surprisingly lovely balance of seasonings. If I hadn’t been so stuffed, I probably would have gone through all the naan (warm & fluffy) and puri (comically inflated and perfect texture) just dunking them in that gravy. Despite having already eaten more than I should have, I ordered the rice pudding. Their version was relatively light (in a good way) and the flavors were subtle (also in a good way). This might throw you off if you’re expecting the dense European version, but I’d love this on a hot summer day. Speaking of which… if I ask nicely, could we get some kulfi when the weather warms up?

I don’t usually leave detailed reviews, but we really want this restaurant to flourish. We’ll...