MANGLA
149 Spital Hill, Sheffield, S4 7LF
Opening Times:
Sun - Thur 5:30pm to 01:00am
Fri & Sat 5:30pm to 02:00am
"Easter Saturday - Nailed On For A Good One?"
Date of Visit: Saturday 26/03/16 - 6:00pm
The Royal Oak (Earsham Street) once again served us well, with Sam Smiths Soverign Bitter still being dispensed for just £2.10.
Poppadoms & Pickle Tray - no charge.
Seekh Kebab - £1.20
Onion Bhaji - £1.00
Mixed Kebab - £3.40
Chicken Madras - £5.30
Chicken Balti - £7.40
Bengan Bhaji - £4.80
Chapatti - 50p
Plain Roti - 70p
Two of us rated the Seekh Kebab 3/5 the third in our party doling out 4/5. They just weren't as spicy as normal. Two of us rated the Onion Bhajis 3/5. I scored the Shami Kebab 2/5.
Old Ironguts was pleased with his Chicken Balti 5/5, awarding it the full mark. One of us rated the Chicken Madras 3/5 the other giving it 2/5. The Greyhound rated the Bengan Bhaji 3/5.
The Chapattis were good, not so the leather like Rotis.
Awarded March 2015
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MANGLA
"The Longest Day - Bar One… Ramadan Ramifications?"
Date of Visit: Saturday 20/06/15 - 6:00pm
Date of Visit: 03/09/36 - Saturday 3rd Ramadan, 1436 A.H. - 6:00pm (Hijri Calendar)
We found ourselves revisiting Mangla exactly 8 weeks since our last visit; what could have changed I hear you say? Well, there is a new menu for starters, sporting increased prices. We thought that the new menu offered less choice than the previous one. I may be able to confirm this later after studying both. The restaurant appeared to have had a new lick of paint, which was long overdue as the walls were looking a bit tired.
The Royal Oak (Earsham Street) was once again our pre-curry watering hole for this restaurant, with the Sam Smiths Soverign Bitter costing just £2.10 on this visit.
Poppadoms & Pickle Tray - free, as ever!
Seekh Keebab £1.20 - an increase of 20p
Bruchi Lamb £6.30
Chicken Dopiaza £5.30 - an increase of 50p
Bengan Bhaji £4.80 - an increase of 90p
Meat Methi £5.30 - an increase of 50p
Chapatti 50p
Plain Roti 70p - an increase of 10p
Coriander Roti 90p - an increase of 10p
Not massive increases, but it is going to cost you roughly 10% more to dine here on the new menu.
On the 3rd day of Ramadan, would the food be as tired as the staff were probably feeling or would Mangla continue to light the way?
The Seekh Keebabs were good, but Zaika's eclipse them. We were all in agreement that they scored 4/5.
Old Ironguts was pleased with his Meat Methi and scored it as a "very good 4, maybe a 5 star dish". It did look the best of the 4 main dishes that we ordered. The Bruchi Lamb was ok, but where was the sauce… there was virtually none - a very, very dry dish and 3/5. The Chicken Dopiaza was definitely lacking in onions and was rated 3/5. Dopiaza by name, and just two small pieces of onion in the dish! The Bengan Bhaji didn't seem to hit the heights of the visit in October 2014 and was again probably in the "good 3/5" area.
The Rotis and Chappatis were as good as ever - the Chapattis been of excellent value, size and quality.
Maybe Ramadan was taking it's toll? Whatever, Mangla wasn't up to it's five star best and we have downgraded the restaurant to four stars following this visit.
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"Same As It Ever Was… Excellent!"
Date of Visit: Saturday 25/04/15 - 7pm
Poppadoms & Pickle Tray Free
Vegetable Samosa 80p (1 piece)
Seekh Keebab £1 (1 piece)
Chicken Pakora £2.20 (5/6 pieces, I didn't count them)
Vegetable Dopiaza £4.30
Chicken Methi £4.80
Mutton Karahi £11.90 (500grams - 2 person portion)
Pilau Rice £1.70
Coriander Roti 80p
Plain Roti 60p
We've been dining at Mangla over a period of fifteen years now, and in that time we've never had a bad meal. The fare has varied - from the good to the sublime, and the restaurant is one that we heartily recommend to curry aficionados. A massive plus point, is that it is also a lot cheaper than your average South Yorkshire curry house. For instance, last week my meal came to £15 - tonight it was just £8.10… great value!
The Seekh Keebab was as good as ever - if you ever visit this restaurant then you are guaranteed a good starter with this dish. It was good 15 years ago and that is still the same today! The Vegetable Samosa was a little bit of a disappointment, being described as lacking in any real taste and spice less. The Chicken Pakoras were a little on the dry side, not the succulent juicy pieces of chicken that you would expect.
One of my friends had the Mutton Karahi to himself. His initial plan was to take half of it home in a takeaway container - however, I think the dish was that good that he polished it all off in the restaurant!
The Vegetable Dopiaza was excellent, a wide range of fresh vegetables in a nice sauce. The Chicken Methi was on fine form, with lots of good quality chicken pieces in the dish.
The rice and breads were as good as ever, the Coriander Roti a pleasant change.
We had our pre-curry real ale in the Royal Oak on Earsham Street. Sam Smiths Soverign Bitter at £2.20 a pint.
We had our pre-curry real ale in the Royal Oak on Earsham Street. Sam Smiths Soverign Bitter at £2.20 a pint.
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MANGLA
"The Mutts Nuts!"
Date of Visit: Friday 20/02/15 - 9pm
Poppadoms & Pickle Tray Gratis
Vegetable Samosa 80p (1 piece)
Seekh Keebab £1.00 (1 piece)
Shami Kebab £1.00 (1 piece)
Chicken Methi £4.80
Lamb Balti £6.90
Chicken Mangla Dhesi £6.80
Chapatti 50p
Roti 60p
Naan £1.70
Roti 60p
Pilau Rice £1.70
The gratis poppadoms and pickle tray were enjoyed.The starters were fine and sensibly priced. The Seekh Keebab taking the silver medal and eclipsed only by those served at Zaika's.
The main dishes were excellent - the best we've sampled in South Yorkshire.
The sundries were good quality and very reasonably priced.
All that's lacking is Barfi and Rasmali for desserts - and they used to do those a decade and a half ago.
A must try restaurant for anyone who loves currys!
In the last review of this restaurant, I queried whether all was well… my fears were allayed; the place was heaving!
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MANGLA
"Mangla… bursting the Curry spice dam"
Date of Visit: Saturday 11/10/14
Mangla (Urdu) is derived from the name of a small village that was located to the West of and at the foothills of Mangla Fort, prior to the construction of Mangla Dam under the Indus Water Treaty (1960).
The village Mangla, was named after Mangla Devi, a goddess of Hindu worship.
Mangla Dam was constructed between 1961 and 67 at a then cost of $1.5Bn – it is the 9th largest dam in the world.
And so, the curry…
Poppadoms & Pickle Tray Complimentary
Onion Bhaji 90p (1 piece)
Vegetable Samosa 80p (1 piece)
Seekh Keebab £1.00 (1 piece)
Masala Fish £3.80 (2 pieces)
Meat Dopiaza £4.80
Chicken Rogan Josh £4.80
Bengan Baji £3.90
Naan £1.70
Roti 60p
Pilau Rice £1.70
I went off-piste for this one. The Masala Fish was Cod - nice, large succulent pieces in a Masala coating. There were 2 pieces, which together, were probably about the same size as a small fish from my local fish & chip shop. The Bengan Baji I enjoyed and would recommend.
My friends commented that the Onion Bhaji's were ok but nothing special. The Seekh Kebab was highly rated, with the Vegetable Samosa scoring a point less on 7/10.
The Meat Dopiaza was rated at 8/10 and a very good dish. The Chicken Rogan Josh was described as having eclipsed what we previously thought to be the best dish that we had tried at Mangla… the Chicken Madras.
The Nan's were huge, likewise, the Roti's. The Pilau Rice was fine.
Overall, another enjoyable meal at Mangla.
However…
I picked up a vibe that all may not be well. Has the Sheffield City Inner Ring Road, the reduced parking bays and the abundance of new ethnic eateries in the vicinity had an affect on trade. Yes, we ate early. Yes, there were diners at 3 other tables when we departed. It's just that I sensed an air of despondency about the place.
Our next visit to Mangla will be later in the evening, in order to gauge how busy they are at peak times.
And so, the curry…
Poppadoms & Pickle Tray Complimentary
Onion Bhaji 90p (1 piece)
Vegetable Samosa 80p (1 piece)
Seekh Keebab £1.00 (1 piece)
Masala Fish £3.80 (2 pieces)
Meat Dopiaza £4.80
Chicken Rogan Josh £4.80
Bengan Baji £3.90
Naan £1.70
Roti 60p
Pilau Rice £1.70
I went off-piste for this one. The Masala Fish was Cod - nice, large succulent pieces in a Masala coating. There were 2 pieces, which together, were probably about the same size as a small fish from my local fish & chip shop. The Bengan Baji I enjoyed and would recommend.
My friends commented that the Onion Bhaji's were ok but nothing special. The Seekh Kebab was highly rated, with the Vegetable Samosa scoring a point less on 7/10.
The Meat Dopiaza was rated at 8/10 and a very good dish. The Chicken Rogan Josh was described as having eclipsed what we previously thought to be the best dish that we had tried at Mangla… the Chicken Madras.
The Nan's were huge, likewise, the Roti's. The Pilau Rice was fine.
Overall, another enjoyable meal at Mangla.
However…
I picked up a vibe that all may not be well. Has the Sheffield City Inner Ring Road, the reduced parking bays and the abundance of new ethnic eateries in the vicinity had an affect on trade. Yes, we ate early. Yes, there were diners at 3 other tables when we departed. It's just that I sensed an air of despondency about the place.
Our next visit to Mangla will be later in the evening, in order to gauge how busy they are at peak times.
MANGLA
"The benchmark for South Yorkshire restaurants"
Date of Visit: Saturday 05/07/14
Quality is brevity.
Poppadoms & Pickle Tray Liberum
Mixed Kebab £3.20
Seekh Kebab £1.00 (my friends starter)
Chicken Madras £4.80
Chicken Rogan Josh £4.80
Pilau Rice £1.70
Plain Nan £1.70
Chapati 0.50p
My friend and I shared the 2 main dishes, the rice and the breads between us.
Complimentary Pickle Tray and Poppadoms!
The spicy dip (topped up by the professional waiter) that accompanied the poppadoms was the business. An onion dip and a mint dip also served. Excellent!
My starter of Onion Bhaji, Shami Kebab and Seekh Kebab were the best I've had since our last visit to The Kashmir at Bradford.
Freshly made, hot, spicy and with fresh salad - sublime.
The Madras and the Rogan Josh were distinctively different! No common pot (I think) here! Well spiced and containing the key signature ingredients to each dish. Excellent!
The Pilau Rice was light and fluffy. Breads were good, hot and of a decent size.
There's no pomp, no pretence, no table cloth, no music, no alcohol - just as I like it.
At Mangla, the curries do the talking.
Restauranteurs please take note - this is how curry should be!