Mandala Restaurant

Someone from this business manages this listing.

261 reviews

#1 of 18 Restaurants in Akaroa$$ - $$$, Indian, Healthy, Vegetarian friendly

+64 3-304 7714+ Add website

Hours

Sun

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Mon

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Tue

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Thu

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Fri

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Sat

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

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What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

261 reviews

#1 of 18 Restaurants in Akaroa

Travellers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Indian, Healthy, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

“My partner and I had the Duck Breast and Pork Belly.”

“We had the pani puri, the dahl salad, the kokoda and the goat curry.”

“Then very tender lamb cutlets with pistachio crumb.”

“The Dahl salad was so flavourful.”

Location and contact

40F Rue Lavaud, Akaroa 7520 New Zealand

+64 3-304 7714

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Is this restaurant good for special occasions?

Yes

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Details

Manage this business?

About

Pacific Indian Asian Fusion

PRICE RANGE

$15.00 – $40.00

CUISINES

Indian, Healthy

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Dinner, Drinks

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available

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4.5

261 reviews

Excellent

209

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

arbaaz khan

Auckland Central3 contributions

Amazing food

Sept 2020 • friends

I went to mandala restaurant with a friend of mine we had the mud crab cooked in tamarind and coriander source served with rice and my mate had the ginger chicken it was just amazing. we also had the shearing platter it had a little bit of everything it was really good.The service was great and it's a open kitchen so you get to interact with amazing chefs Moni and shomika we will definitely go there again 😃

Written 15 September 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MandalaRestaurantNZ

Thank you Arbaaz for such great feedback. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your mud crab as one of our more special dishes. We love the open kitchen too as the chef's always enjoy having a great chat with all of our guests. We hope to see you again soon!

Written 19 September 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mojo464

Motueka11 contributions

Fabulous Fusion

May 2021 • none

Nice to find a place that knows what the word means. Too often fusion means a variety of cuisines prepared poorly. Mandala was top-notch Indian, with Asian spicing that set it apart from the run of the mill Northern Indian. Pani Puri was a different and tasty start; the Paneer and beetroot rice was terrific to taste and look at and the duck curry was generous, spiced perfectly and went well with the rotis. Room is attractive (and warm on a winter night), dishes are presented beautifully and service was attentive and friendly. Will be a must stop on all future visits to Akaroa.

Written 28 May 2021

Mandala Restaurant

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5 star review! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your meals so much and we look forward to you returning in the near future.

Written 6 June 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Meg

Christchurch8 contributions

Restored our faith in Akaroa

Jul 2021 • none

Following an afternoon exploring Akaroa from the south end to the north we stumbled upon Mandala. Finally! We were beginning to wonder what had happened to the hospitality in Akaroa since our last visit. Mandala absolutely restored our faith that Akaroa is a wonderful place for a special get away. The service was welcoming, friendly, warm and 'nothing was a problem'. The food was absolutely beautiful. A variety to cater for all tastes, good price point, wonderful flavours and promptly served. The cocktails were delicious too! Thank you Mandala for restoring our faith the Akaroa is indeed a special place to visit.

Written 19 July 2021

Jason M

Christchurch46 contributions

Disappointing overall

Apr 2021 • none

We went to the Mandala to celebrate my birthday in April. Six of us in total. I had a look at the beer range before going and the web site says they serve beer on tap which is incorrect they dont. To start off with we had a mix entree's Pani Puri, Lamb Cutlets and Satay Chicken all three where a nice start off which everybody at the table agreed. Three ordered the Butter Chicken, one had the Lamb Rogan Josh, one had the Lamb in black bean and I had the Beef Massamam. The only meal that was good was the Black Bean, the Butter Chicken was average , the Lamb was below average and my Beef Massamam was not nice at all . Every body had a taste and we all agreed that the beef meal had way to much salt with very little other spice . I asked for a med heat and got zero heat no spice and a very salty meal. I rate this place a 2 out of 10 . The service was average and we waited a while t get our second round of drinks even though only a less than 4 tables with customers. Considering how the locals told me the food was good I dont agree at all. Starters are priced at about $20 each and Mains are price at around $30 each so based on that its not worth what you pay, I have better curry at the mall food court than here and its a lot cheaper. We wont be going back until they get rid of the chef or sort out the food.

Written 27 April 2021

Darthvader6

Christchurch9 contributions

Not what we expected

Mar 2021 • none

My husband and I dined at Mandala while in Akaroa over the weekend, the waiter was very friendly, the decor is very nice and charming. We decided to have the duck curry and the goat curry, something we would never have at home and they both sounded wonderful. On reflection, and having talked about during our meal and afterwards, we were both disappointed with our choices, as we could not taste the duck or goat in either of the curries, they were so heavily cooked in the spices, they were cut up into small cubes and it was very hard to see what the meat was. The roti bread was also disappointing. The chai tiramasu was very nice, but not worth $16.00. Mandala restaurant, if we can give you some advice, the meat needs to be chunky, cut back on the spices, so people can taste the meat, also you need to offer homemade naan bread.

Written 30 March 2021

Mandala Restaurant

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your feedback, It is always hugely insightful and of great value to understand our customers views and opinions of our restaurant. We feel deeply sorry and saddened that your experience was less than perfect over the past weekend. It's a great shame your did not enjoy our goat and duck curry's as there are a huge fan favorite, both of our special curry's are the most spicy on the menu so we would never recommend them to anyone who generally don't enjoy spicy food. Our mild curry's are our butter chicken and beef massamam and all our stir fry's are mild too. As stated the meat in both curry's are marinated in their perspective sauces which ensures the most tender meat, this process also adds more flavor to the meat. Generally in the goat curry this brings out the goat flavor and in the duck it does slightly alter the flavor to enhance the dish overall. Unfortunately we would love to offer naan bread's however our building insurance does not let us have a tandoori oven and we would never sell pre-made naan's. This is also the reason we don't have a fryer hence the lack of chips/fries and other fried goods on our menu. We do really appreciate your feedback and would love to see you return again and enjoy the same experience as the vast majority of our guest have.

Written 31 March 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Abe Koogler

Wellington18 contributions

Didn’t live up to the reviews

Sept 2020 • couples

After reading previous reviews we decided to visit Mandala which was disappointing and money waist, food is beyond average . If you like to eat and pay for ton of dry rice -that’s the place to go. Flavours was unenjoyable of every dish, the takeaway place that we visited before was way better . Will not recommend to dine here and not going to be back

Written 30 September 2020

MandalaRestaurantNZ

Hi Abe, We appreciate all feedback we receive be it positive or negative. We appreciate you taking the time to leave us a review however we are a bit surprised by your review as we have not received any similar feedback in the last month. As you did not raise the issue with staff at the time I suspect you perhaps might have got the wrong restaurant by mistake. Feel free to send us an email as we would like to make sure no other customers leave feeling dissatisfied for any reason. Thanks restaurant@mandalaeats.co.nz

Written 30 September 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Adam

Nelson12 contributions

Poor service, cold curry

Nov 2020 • none

We really enjoyed our time in Akaroa and was looking forward of having a great dining experience before we leave so we decided to come to "Mandala" which was a wrong peak. The menu looked good as a previous reviews as well and we enjoed the start of our experience by feeling welcome by a friedly staff member but when the curry arrived it was cold and really wasnt taste any good so we complained aboit it and was hoping for some care but the friendly attitude from the waiter was gone straight away and we stayed ignored. Very disappointed ,waisted time and money. Will not come back again.

Written 22 November 2020

MandalaRestaurantNZ

Hi Adam, Thank you for taking the time to leave us some honest feedback. With your feedback we endeavor to improve the customer experience for all in the future. We know we can never please everyone and understand that perhaps sometimes mistakes may happen. We sincerely apologies for your experience in our restaurant! It would be fantastic to have you return in the future to experience our usual 5 star food and service that we are known for. Feel free to contact us regarding your visit. Thanks again, Christopher Barker, Restaurant Manager

Written 24 November 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Phil P

1 contribution

Delightful Experience

Nov 2021 • none

Described as Pacific Indian Asian Fusion this restaurant did not disappoint and the range of menu options was extensive and varied. Visited for my wife's birthday she described her overall dining experience as the best she can remember from anywhere in the world. I had the Pani Puri for entrée. I had not tried this dish before and I enjoyed it immensely. For my main I had the goat curry which was spiced beautifully to suit my taste. My wife chose Prawn Dumplings for entrée and for her main, Scallops, also from the entrée menu. We both finished off with the Warm Caramelized Apple Samosa. Anyone who observed our clean plates at the end would have understood how much we enjoyed everything offered. We deliberately chose to be seated at a table with a view of the kitchen and were amazed at the calm, quiet and professional way the work was carried out in there. All staff who dealt with us were pleasant and efficient without appearing forced and the maître de was a true professional. Everyone appeared to be enjoying what they they were doing. We would certainly recommend this restaurant to anyone as there is bound to be something available to suit any taste and the atmosphere was delightful. We will certainly make it our first option on any future visit back to Akaroa, in fact, this restaurant would be a good reason for us to go back. Booking was able to be done hassle free online.

Written 13 November 2021

Jeanette C

Dunedin10 contributions

Don’t have the Mud Crab

Apr 2021 • couples

My husband and I dined here on 2 April. He had the king prawns and I had the mud crab (both recommended by the waiter) which was described as tempura battered crab. I naievely thought it was battered crab meat but actually it is the crab shell battered which is a nightmare to eat. The sauce and rice was fine but the whole dining experience terrible. I’ve travelled the world and never had such an experience. Perhaps go for something simple such as the butter chicken. As far as ambience this place has it, but be careful what you order and don’t take any notice of the waiter.

Written 2 April 2021

Mandala Restaurant

Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review after attempting to break trip advisor terms of service by engaging in extortion of our restaurant. We do not appreciate being told to give you perfectly good food for free or you will post a negative review on trip advisor. We had three tables that evening order the mud crab, 2 of which were right next to your table and they loved it. They also paid full price for the exact same dish as you. Crab is one of them dishes people order with the expectation of getting a little messy, I am sure you wouldn't complain if your fingers got a little sticky if you ordered a rack of BBQ ribs or chicken wings? Crab is also a dish in which you should have some knowledge of eating before attempting to order. The utensils and crab crackers provided make the dish an enjoyable experience. I would suggest watching a few 'how to eat food' videos on youtube before ordering such dishes in the future. You also asked our waiter 'What's popular?" to which he told you what was popular. Telling you what dishes other people like is no guarantee that you will enjoy it. I am allergic to fish and many times in restaurants I am told that the fish is fantastic by the waiters. No matter how good it might be it will make me violently ill. We kindly would like you to return to the restaurant and pay back the money you extorted from us.

Written 29 April 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Matt L

Christchurch15 contributions

Indian fusion delight !

Feb 2021 • none

Absolutely delightful service, menu, fusion of flavours in ways I havent seen before. Absolute bonus having 4-5 desserts on the menu as well which my wife loved. Small error with ordering my main, dish was sent back to the kitchen, I was given poppadoms to eat while it was cooked again and was super yum. Great service, atmosphere and I cant wait to return.

Written 15 February 2021

Mandala Restaurant

Thank you Matt for taking the time to leave us such a great review! We are so happy to hear you both enjoyed your evening with us. Apologies again for the small error and we are delighted you loved your meals in the end! We hope you have you back again soon!

Written 17 February 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

CraigMcnell

Christchurch5 contributions

Expected more

Feb 2021 • none

Booked table of four with friends, exciting weekend trip to Akaroa. We had a reservation at newly established restaurant in Akaroa with the best reviews. Unfortunately in reality there was nothing that we expected. Instead of a great dining experience we've got a plane, below average and tasteless food , not the best service as well. We would rate it as a cheap eats place , lots of cheap eats places in Christchurch are much better than this 'restaurant'.

Written 26 February 2021

Mandala Restaurant

Hi Craig, Thank you for your review. I'm sorry to hear you had such a underwhelming experience, but I really appreciate you bringing this to my attention. We're sorry you had a bad experience and assure you this is pretty rare for us. Luckily we have managed to secure more staff for the coming weeks as we have been unexpectedly busier than we had planed. As for the food being tasteless we are sorry you feel that way. Thanks again!

Written 5 March 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

salts

Sidmouth13 contributions

Great place for very good food and service 👌

May 2021 • friends

What a gem arrived in akaroa had a Great first night watched the rugby storms outside raining like .... So met some friends and went to your restaurant the next day ,Very impressed by the waiting staff new there wines and menu, we ordered 2 chicken dishes the same mine i asked for a bit more spicy and my partner had the vegetables option. All very nice well presented and hot the vegetables cooked perfect the chicken very nice and the sauce was good, all in all with some beers from our local area in chch craft beers Cassels was a great night And we met the chef owner made it a great evening

Written 30 May 2021

Mandala Restaurant

Thank you so much for leaving us such an amazing review! We are so happy you all enjoyed your evening at Mandala. It is fantastic to receive such praise. Thanks again and we hope to see you again soon!

Written 10 June 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

David W

Auckland31 contributions

Best goat curry in Akaroa?

Jan 2020 • none

Friendly, efficient service - admittedly we arrived before it got too busy. Food tasted great - especially the scallops and the goat curry. Music was a little loud for our liking, so we sat outside, in the rear courtyard, where it was easier to talk. Very pleasant surroundings.

Written 29 January 2020

Chimp Ran

104 contributions

wonderfully Asian & european

Sept 2021 • couples

got biryani and beef checks, two very different dishes. both dishes excellant spice levels on biryani just what was requested. big portions some left over for tomorrow. good fast polite service. keep up the good work

Written 9 September 2021

Margy M

419 contributions

Exceptional Food

Sept 2020 • none

This chef/owner/operated restaurant delivers authentic flavours from the Asian-Indian continents. We eat here regularly and have found all dishes are beautifully presented and full of flavour. The ambiance is relaxed with a hint of Indian music in the background (please always keep that going). The staff are amazing with their prompt, professional and friendly service. We had the shared entree platter for two, followed by the nasi goreng.

Written 18 September 2020

MandalaRestaurantNZ

Thank you Margy for such a fantastic review! It is always a pleasure having you dine with us! Don't worry we will continue to play the top Indian hits for you! Muni and Shomika are delighted to hear you enjoyed your meals. Thanks again and we shall see you soon!

Written 19 September 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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