Northern Indian restaurant in Arrowtown near the Arrow River, run by a family from Punjab — tandoor dishes, jalfrezi and Sammi's cashew-and-coconut naan.
Mantra cooks northern Indian food in Arrowtown, at 9 Arrow Lane, a short walk from the Arrow River and the Buckingham Street shops.
The menu is built for sharing, which makes it a sensible booking for a group. There are dishes from the tandoor, family standards like jalfrezi, a proper vegetarian section rather than a token one, and a run of house-made chutneys and sides. Sammi's naan, filled with cashews and dusted with coconut, is the one people come back for.
Wine and beer are both well chosen - a cold one alongside a vindaloo does the job - and the sweets are worth leaving room for, particularly the gulab jamun.
Open seven days: lunch 12.30pm to 3pm, dinner 5pm to 9.30pm. The same operator runs Curry Handi Express at Jack's Point for takeaway.
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