Masala, 2 Allen Street

I’VE yet to meet someone who doesn’t love Masala.
A two-time winner in Capital Times’ Best of Wellington Readers’ Survey this year, Masala is a must visit for anyone in need of a spice up. Voted Best Indian Restaurant and Best Take-Away Indian two years in a row, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Believe me, I go every week.
Plus, the service is fantastic and the food is authentic.
To treat ourselves for lunch mid week, my friend and I chose matching entrees of prawns. Marinated in herbs and spices and cooked in a tandoori oven, the morsels were marvelous and popped with every bite. The dipping sauce of mint and yoghurt complemented the spicy prawns.
As our starters arrived, so did two other friends so we pushed two tables together. Perfect.
For mains we chose the Aloo Gobi and Malai Kofta with garlic naan. The first, made with potato and cauliflower, tasted fantastic with tomatoes and spices. It’s not surprising that it’s “an old favourite”, according to the menu.
My mate’s Malai Kofta was a winner. The cottage cheese, nuts, potatoes and spices were rolled into delightful balls swimming in creamy, sweetish gravy – ideal for dipping with naan.
The bonus of eating lunch at Masala is it’s really affordable.  And all mains – starting at $6.90 – are served with complimentary rice and naan bread.  
To wash down the distinctive Indian flavours of our meals we ordered a mango lassi each for dessert. The yoghurt-based drink was moreish. I could easily have one three times a day.
With Christmas approaching, Masala comes highly recommended as an end of year party venue. It’s festive, delicious and caters for groups of all sizes.
www.masala.gen.nz