Mamagoto – the ‘fun Asian eating’ place, opened recently in Vasant Kunj, at the DLF Promenade mall. It occupies the site recently vacated by Tasty Tangles – so there seems to be some Oriental karma about the location.

Catching up with friends took me to the Promenade mall over the weekend and we came upon Mamagoto at lunch time, with a crowd milling around the entrance. A waiting period of about 45 minutes later (during which time we downed a couple of beers and sushi plates at Izakaya, down the corridor), we were ushered in. I’d written about Mamagoto a couple of posts back (or at my current blog-rate, a couple of months ago). The somewhat mixed results of the food, but the overall good feeling from the previous visit made me want to try them again – and ensure that the order comprised new dishes.

The vibe here is decidedly muted – the vibrant colours and buzz of the Khan Market location aren’t quite there yet. Possibly, having to set up on the remains of an earlier restaurant may have limited them in terms of layout and permanent fixtures. The food however, was better. The Thai green curry was richly aromatic, and a lovely colour and texture consisting of the coconut milk and generous portions of lemongrass (If you want a more diluted taste, just add more rice!). The lamb massaman curry was creamy and sumptuous too, although it could have done with more spice and bite, and a little less cocounut milk. The lamb, a little inconsistent, had some chewy little pieces. I did not try the pan-fried noodle bowl that one of us ordered – I’m told it had nothing to complain about apart from being a little bland (that’s easily remedied right?).

While there’s work to be done on amping up the fun score here, it is still worth dropping by if one is around. Let’s hope the location works out better for Mamagoto than it did for the previous occupants.