Masala Indian House opened last week in Champaign, and on Saturday, I went with my husband to see what the new restaurant on Neil Street was all about. It’s located in the space that was formerly DNB Dumpling Noodle BBQ, which was previously M Sushi, and before that was Yori Q, and before that Kamakura.
We sat in the bright dining room and ordered a few things from the menu.
We ordered the chicken korma ($12.50) and also the chicken jalfrize ($12.50), a tasty, lightly sauced chicken dish with broccoli and onions. The chicken korma was good; it was savory and mild but not as flavorful as I hoped.
We ordered some carbs, too, because carbs are life. The garlic naan ($3.99) had pungent clusters of minced garlic that tasted yummy on the soft bread.
The order of samosas ($4.99) had two piping hot, golden pyramids filled with softened peas, potato, and onion, and they tasted good.
We also ordered the bhel puri ($5.99), served cold with a few salted crackers. It was not spicy but had a hint of warm cumin. I liked the contrast of the crispy rice noodles, puffed rice, and crunchy peanuts with the soft tomatoes and raw onions.
Lastly, the lamb keema naan ($5.99) was stuffed with little crumbles of flavorful lamb, and it was great. I especially liked the naan’s pizza crust-esque texture and taste.
Take a look at the menu.
The new Indian restaurant is open six days a week and has the same owners as Señores Tacos truck. For more info, follow the restaurant on Instagram.
Masala Indian House
715 S Neil St
Champaign
M-Sa 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. + 5 to 11 p.m.
