Overpriced restaurants in the West End are a dime a dozen, but Mela offers great Indian food at reasonable prices.

The Venue
There are three venues in the Mela restaurant group besides this location on Shaftesbury Avenue, including one in Herne Hill, one in Redhill and Chowki restaurant in Soho. This Mela location is a riot of colour, with bright wall hangings and gauzy fabrics draped over almost every surface. Although not a very large restaurant, they make the most of the room with two levels of evenly spaced tables. Large windows at the front let in light and let diners keep an eye on the traffic passing by.

The Atmosphere
Although Mela is centrally located on Shaftesbury Avenue, it’s still a well kept secret from tourists. A bit too far from nearby touristy centres like Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Soho, most of the people who eat here are locals who work nearby and come in for lunch (no doubt attracted by the set lunch offer of £7.95 for two courses and £10.95 for three) or a post-work dinner. That said, there’s a varied clientele, everything from lone businessmen to couples bonding over the shared delight of a first date curry. The welcoming staff are spot on with recommendations along with little details like topping up your wine glass.

The Food
The menu at Mela is really well priced considering its location, with most mains well under £15 and quite a few for under £10. Ever mindful of the state of their customers’ wallets, they’re constantly offering deals and promotions, such as the aforementioned set lunch along with vouchers for free wine and money off the bill.

Starters range from £4.25 to £6.25 and include Bhalla Papdi Chaat, a veggie friendly option of lentil dumplings and puris, served cold and topped with minty yoghurt and pomegranate seeds. It’s a fantastic blend of textures and flavours, the standouts being the puffy, crispy puris. Prawn 65, another starter, is slightly spicier, but the garlicky prawns are plump and fresh. From the Tandoori menu (£8.95 - £13.95), the chicken is so tender that you don’t even need a knife to eat it, it practically peels off in bite-sized pieces onto your plate.

A selection of mains range from £8.50 for vegetarian dishes to £24.95 for a lobster dish, but most are about £11 to £12. Palak Ke Koftey (£8.50), one of the four vegetarian curry choices, is made up of large round spinach and paneer dumplings in a thick sauce, flavoured heavily with aniseed. Murgh Tikka Makhanwala (£10.95) is the quintessential chicken dish, with large chunks of chicken in a creamy tomato sauce, whilst Jhinga Hara Pyaz Masala (£14.95), a king prawn dish, is spicy and peppery. Lamb Chop Korma Achari (£12.95) is a pile of lamb chops scattered with bright red, stuffed chilli peppers. You’re meant to eat these with your hands, and like the chicken kebab, they’re so tender you don’t really need any cutlery. Wet towels are provided after the mains if the thick, tangy sauce gets a little messy. There are a variety of sides, but Pulao rice (£3.25) and Peshawari Naan (£3.50) are perfect for soaking up the sauce – and some of the spice. If you haven’t overdone it on the mains, a gooey, sugary Gulab Jamun topped with a tiny scoop of ice cream is a great end to the meal.

The Drink
Mela takes their wine seriously, and each main course has a suggested wine matched to it with an in depth explanation of the taste. A 2007 bottle of Sancerre is pale and light, but strong enough to complement the intense flavours of the food. Champagne, spirits and beers are also available, along with soft drinks and lassis.

The Last Word
Despite being in Central London, Mela has the feel of a friendly neighbourhood restaurant. The prices are reasonable for its location, especially considering the food is so good, and you can quite happily eat until you’re stuffed without spending a fortune.

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