The Mint — Restaurant in Princeton

I very rarely write reviews and when I do has to be because I have had a VERY bad experience or a very good one. Unfortunately, this restaurant happens to fall in the former category. Honestly, I am still unable to comprehend how this restaurant has gotten 4 star reviews- it doesn't even deserve a star. The ambience is honestly ok and cozy. But the service and food is well below average. We went on a weekend and there was only one person there to take orders, and she happened to be quite rude in general and we had to ask for the same things multiple times. The food took a while to come out, and we were served ice cold momos and once we complained about it they took them back in and heated them up. Also, we had ordered Hyderabadi Cut Mirchi which came out half cooked with part of the batter still on the inside. Also, the Hyderabadi Cut Mirchi is listed as, "batter fried slit BANANA PEPPERS topped with onion and spicy ground peanuts" on the menu. The dish we got had no banana peppers (which is why we had initially ordered it since we thought it was a unique take on the dish). My guess is that they have an extensive menu listed, but use same items for the dishes listed. As in the Hyderabadi Cut Mirchi is the same as the Veg Pakoras. Although I have no way to prove this, I am quite sure about it since what we got was more like Veg Pakoras and NOT Hyderabadi Cut Mirchi. Then we ordered, Hakka noodles, which I guess they overcooked (read as basically burnt) because of our prior complaint. But at this point we had already placed the rest of our order and were just waiting to leave the place. The entrees were also below average. The kadai paneer looked more like paneer tikka honestly (and goes back to my extensive menu but same items theory) and the paneer was actually kind of hard. The Mughlai malai kofta was ok and basically the only thing my family and I actually ate. The last thing worth noting about this place is that they automatically include gratuity (20% I believe) in your bill, which considering the service and the food quality is most definitely not worth it or well deserved. Please don't waste your money and go to this restaurant because I know I definitely won't be going back for sure.

Edit: After looking at the response from the restaurant, I am even more sure that this restaurant is not worth going to. Yes, we complained about the momos (which should not even have been serve ICE cold in the first place) and the mint leaves (which I believe should be present in MINT lemonade in the first place but then what would I know the difference between sugar water and lemonade). As for not complaining later, well we are sorry for not constantly complaining and making a scene about every dish we were served. We naively thought quality and basic temperature checks were part of any restaurants standards if they wish to maintain their license. Also, as the restaurant has mentioned, our visit was most definitely during Mother's Day weekend, except for the fact that for the majority of our time there, there were only two families present and almost all of the tables were unoccupied inside(so I know for a fact that you were not working at full capacity or even remotely close to that). As for the gratuity part, we do not mind paying it and were aware of the 20% rate before coming, but I am definitely saying that it was NOT...

Terrible experience. Never again. We sat there for 10-15 minutes before we even got menus. I had to keep looking for a staff member to bring some. We ordered one appetizer, two entrees, two breads, and raita. I also asked for ice as there did not seem to be an ice bucket available and I wanted my wine to stay cold. No one brought ice until I asked for it again 15 minutes later. The appetizer took some time, but that was fine as we were warned that the food might take a little time. About 10 minutes after clearing the dish from the appetizer, one entree came. I asked if the other was coming out and was told it was. After 10 minutes we shared a piece of my entree as it was getting cold. There was no bread or raita. I asked for my raita and again asked about the second entree, and mentioned that mine was getting cold. They said it was coming. Another 10 to15 minutes went by and the first entree was now ice cold. We again said something and was told it was coming. After another 10 minutes, we stood and started putting on our coats to leave. The hostess then went quickly in the back and brought out the second entree and one bread. A few minutes later the second bread came out. We had requested our food medium to spicy. Everything, but the appetizer had no spice at all. The paratha paneer tasted funny, so after one bite I didn't eat it. For the second bread, they brought us Naan instead of Roti. When I asked about it, the server agreed it was Naan. I explained we ordered Roti (we are not supposed to have white flour). He just stood there. We said to forget it. There was no explanation as to why the second entree came out over a half hour after the first.. Except for the appetizer, the food had very little flavor. The service was terrible. Our bill was nearly $73 with tax. What a waste!...

The Mint is probably the best Indian restaurant in the greater Princeton area. We have been frequenting it since the days bygone, when it was still Mehek, but last night was our first visit since its "Mint" reincarnation.

The menu: more than extensive, numbering many a dish not commonly seen in other local Indian restaurants. It is not your typical chicken tikka masala and naan eatery. Thus, the restaurant's motto "Exotic Indian Food" lives up fully to its name. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options are available, with a good selection of tandoori (clay oven) specialties.

But the most important aspect of its all is the superb food quality. The freshest ingredients, the thorough preparation, everything just tasted deliciously and was nicely presented.

The service was quite good, and even the widespread hospitality issue/plague of not coordinating the dishes within one party (e.g., your appetizer arrives before your companion's) was handled efficiently.

The prices are on the lower end; combining it with the restaurant's BYOB practice, it results in the budget-friendly dining experience. This holds particularly true for Princeton (with its higher than usual prices).

The parking: you can either park in the Spring St garage (about 7 minutes' walk to The Mint) or park in the back of the restaurant. For that, you have to download "Princeton Park" app, look for free spots displaying specific parking numbers, et voilà. Our two-hours parking cost $1.85.

Highly recommended. We will most definitely be coming...