Masala Mantra - The Indian Bistro — Restaurant in Jacksonville

Last night my husband and I came in for dinner since our original plans for the fair failed due to the approaching hurricane. It was our first time and we were overwhelmingly impressed with the entire experience. Let me go into a few explanations:

Cleanliness: While a fairly new restaurant the dining room was clean as a whistle, very ornamentally pleasing to the eye, organized, and with very pretty table top setting. The color scheme gives a relaxing touch to the experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed that at the bar the tv wasn't on an obnoxious sport channel that took over the ambiance of the restaurant.

Service: We were immediately greeted upon arrival and seated. Given is was slow due to weather, there was someone in the dining room the entire time. Very friendly and patient. You'll be given a chilled bottle of water to share at the table plus choice of other drinks. When everything was brought to the table, it was handled professionally and not laksidaisical because it was slow like you'd normally experience in restaurants. None of that "I want to go home" vibe was pushed on us. Plus, we were checked on by two team members (I think the owners) so we didn't have to wait on anything and still were able to add to the experience with both.

Food and portion sizes: the food was prepared in a reasonable time span and, oh my goodness, SO FRESH. Everything hot we ordered came out piping hot, fresh, and the presentations were so beautiful and colorful. Not to mention the aromas of the spices and herbs used were a lovely addition to what we ordered. Our meals came out on clean plates/bowls/skillets. Care was given by warning us when something would be too hot to touch or hot on the inside. The portion sizes aren't overwhelming, and definitely not underwhelming. Our appetizer, meals (I had a curry medley in Tikka Masala, my husband got a sampler from the front of the menu) were generous enough to make us full and have a little left over to enjoy for later. Everything still held quality the next day. I enjoyed what I had so much that I have already found my "Go to meal" on my first visit! If you get a curry, definitely add the Paneer, it is a delightful addition to the curry. Everything was authentic in flavor and cuisine, and nothing is "watered down". The owners take pride in their food and it shows.

Togo's: I noticed they were available for delivery (I think door dash) as well as traditional online ordering. While dine in was dead Togo's had been steadily busy and orders were coming out promptly and ready. Of course there were a few that came too early but even then they still got their food in a timely manner, and all orders were presented at the bar when ready for pick up. There is also seating at the bar and by the doors if you're waiting on your Togo order.

Restroom: Clean, spacious, and has a changing table for babies & toddlers.

If you're looking to be adventurous, wanting to try something new, or just over all want good, authentic Indian food, come here. You will not be...

The I-95 gods tormented us on the Saturday after Christmas. South Carolina, which prides itself in tormenting drivers with an inadequate highway south of I-26, created a monster traffic jam that extended to every possible alternate route. The resulting four-hour southbound delay killed any hope of reaching our planned dinner stop south of Daytona Beach before bedtime.

So, we pulled into a Georgia rest stop and started searching for a restaurant that would meet the requirements of four fussy eaters with conflicting dietary needs and tastes. We wanted something no further south of Saint Augustine, and within five minutes of I-95. We needed to cater to a Presbyterian pescatarian, a devoted carnivore, and an assortment of strong dislikes and mild allergies that required careful accommodations.

After considerable mousing around the Internet, we found Masala Mantra Indian Bistro. There were lots of good reviews, though many were praising the takeout. It sat in a suburban strip mall, not the usual venue for great Indian food, but it had parking and it was close to I-95 and I-295.

Given the positive reviews, how bad could it be?

I have eaten at some really good Indian restaurants in and around New York City and Boston, but I have been disappointed at the quality of Indian food when venturing beyond the Northeast. Until now. Forget the fact that we were dining in a suburban strip mall near the Jacksonville airport, these were some of the best Indian dishes we have experienced.

We had two different breads, an assortment of appetizers, and three different entrees. The chicken saag (medium) was flavorful and perfectly spiced. The butter chicken (mild) was wonderfully tender, swimming in a tomato-based sauce that begged to be sopped up with the bread.

The ambiance reflected its suburban strip mall setting, with the headlights of parking cars piercing the frosted glass of the windows. This restaurant is not for your first or second date, unless your relationship has absolutely no need for romantic settings. However, if on a fourth or fifth date your partner whines about the plastic water glasses and the lack of tablecloths, instead of noticing the wonderful food, my advice is to terminate the relationship before you require a divorce attorney to extricate yourself from an unhappy situation.

There was definitely a family restaurant vibe, with several large tables occupied by extended South Asian families (a very good sign). The service was a bit inattentive, and the atmosphere was less than charming, which explains why the takeout is popular. However, the food overcomes all, earning Masala Mantra five...

Ever since India's Restaurant closed I would cry on a weekly basis, mourning my special Friday night dinners at my favorite Indian restaurant. I attempted to substitute with the many other Indian restaurants in town, but they were just barely holding me over. I need not cry anymore! My husband and I just left Masala Mantra restaurant full and satisfied. We started with samosa chaat; the samosa crust was light and crisp, the filing was perfectly seasoned. Then we shared veggie biryani, and malai kofta, both were equally tasty and fresh, not greasy and heavy. To top it all of, this place has a real tandoor oven! The onion naan was literally the best we have had in years, yes YEARS. This is authentic Northern Indinan cuisine. No, I haven't been to India, but between my husband and I, we've been to 30+ Indian restaurants, we know our stuff.

One of the owners, Bobby, came over to chat us up, while we were waiting for our main entrées to arrive. He and all the people there were very friendly and helpful. They are new in town and didn't know anything about Jacksonville before moving to town, which is (if you were wondering) how they ended up near the airport instead of Baymeadows; it was the only location available at the time. He and his and family own another Masala Mantra in Cape Coral. 5 🌟 for food and service! I highly recommend you stop in to try their delicious food, and welcome them to Jacksonville, you'll thank me later!

edit: I've been going to this restaurant weekly since I first left this review. Only once did they momentarily disappoint me. We ordered the dal makhani and it was super watery. It looked like they had strained out half of the lentils. I immediately showed my waiter, and he quickly returned with a dish overflowing with lentils. The servers there really want you to be happy with your food. I've seen a couple of silly 1 reviews here, and I wonder if the reviewer bothered to ask their server if the dish was supposed to be that way. It's sort of unreasonable to leave 1* reviews for businesses when you don't give them a chance to make things right. Business these days rely on reviews to grow, leaving them a 1* review is like saying YOU WANT them to fail. Be kind to your fellow humans. If you ask them to fix something and they refuse in a rude way, that might justify...