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Written by Juan Incognito
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Masala
2-12 Allen St
Wellington  | A lonely store front
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04 385 2012
Good Parts: The Onion Bhaji is amazing.
Ordered: Onion Bhaji $4.50, Daal Makhani $5.95
Rating: 85%
I seem to be doomed to review a variety of restaurants from non-traditional New Zealand sources and while this provides me with a balanced yet diverse diet it does constantly tempt me to break out all manner of stereotypes when writing. But I am better than this, well, till I run out of inspiration and have to resort to such cheap tricks, which may not be far off (taking bets now). I guess I just like food that I did not grow up eating, how wonderfully cosmopolitan of me. So it should be no surprise that I chose to review Masala, an Indian restaurant in the city.
Masala is a Wellington institution, it has been one of the better Indian restaurants in the city for some time now and is a frequent haunt of those who like reliably good Indian food. I will admit to having a soft spot for the restaurant, however it is not often that a restaurant remains reliably good for a sustained period.
In recent years I have made more of an effort to eat vegetarian food when eating out, I am not sure why, but it may have had something to do with there being a lot of good looking vegan women out there. Or I could just be an increasingly boorish chump who hates the meat industry of this glorious country (hypothetically, really. I love you guys, keep on trucking.)
With such a moral motive I ordered the Daal Makhani, a bean and lentil dish with an onion based gravy. It was quite tasty, the beans and lentils compliment each other nicely and the spice kick is fantastic. Served with rice and garlic naan bread. This is a great value dish during the lunch time period, at only $5.95. Eat vegetarian, it tastes good and is cheap.
The real reason for patronising Masala is the Onion Bhaji, which is spicy onion rings dipped in a batter then deep fried. Now I may be the target audience, being a New Zealander who has long enjoyed both onions and deep fried food, but damm, this is amazing. It is the type of food that once started it is almost impossible to stop eating. If sharing with a friend I will increasingly resent their consumption. I feel like an addict. No other restaurant in town can match Masala's version I believe.
The service at Masala is wonderful. The staff are friendly, effecient and always helpful. They round off an already great experience.
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