585025 Sun Jan 04 14:09:35 -0800 2009 5 18 Manhattan 0 4295337 Hi all. I've read several positive posts for both places, have tried neither. Has anyone been to both? Sun Jan 04 14:09:35 -0800 2009 66467 clembeauchamp 1 4295364 yes but they are very different. Roomali is simply rolls and nothing else and it only has a few seats, its normally a take out place although i like roomali alot its delicious, i suggest trying it solo or with one other person when you're looking for a quick meal. Madras Mahal is a vegetarian indian restaurant. I really only go there for one thing, pav bhaji, which is an indian dish which they mash up various vegetables mixed with a lot of spices etc. It's sort of the consistency of mashed potatoes. You eat it on toasted bread. It's a pretty homestyle dish and ive never had a version that tastes the same (ive eaten it in india, at people's houses, in restaurants). I really like the dish and its delicious. They make a solid version. If you're going for south indian (alot of the food at madras mahal is south indian), stick to Saravannas, its by far the best. Sun Jan 04 14:19:10 -0800 2009 4295337 12298 Lau 2 4295683 Yeah, definitely Saravanaas. By far the best South Indian food I've had in New York (caveat that I haven't been to the places in Queens that are considered the best there). Sun Jan 04 16:28:17 -0800 2009 4295364 17058 Pan 1 4295631 They're owned by the same guy, so it's odd that you asked about these two.... like the post above says, they're very different. Dhaba or Saravaana are the two best in the area now. Madras Mahal is good but suffers from a starch driven menu that gets boring quick. Sun Jan 04 16:09:16 -0800 2009 4295337 145096 sugartoof 1 4296420 Thanks, everyone. We wound up at Madras Mahal. I love Saravanaas but wanted to try something new. Sugartoof, you are right on about the starch. Looking forward to checking out Dhaba soon. Sun Jan 04 21:03:58 -0800 2009 4295337 66467 clembeauchamp 2 5157302 I just thought I'd let you all know, I went to Madras Mahal for a late lunch (they are one of the few places in the neighborhood, it seems, that serves lunch after 3 PM on weekdays) with my father on Tuesday, and it was very good. We shared an Iddly Vadai Combo. The Medu Vadai was delicious, the Iddly the usual puffy vehicle for sauce. The coconut chutney was quite a bit better than average, nicely spicy. The sambar was good but a bit watery. For mains, I got a Madras Rava Dosai, which was lovely and spiced just the right amount for me (pretty spicy and got spicier as I got more of the chili filling). My father got the Paneer Dosa, and criticized it for having rather tasteless paneer filling (he just chalks that up to ordering wrong and doesn't hold it against the restaurant, which he was pleased with), though he enjoyed the chutney and sambar a lot, and we got extra, by request. He also ordered Gajar Halwa for dessert. I thought it was possibly the best I've had in New York. They clearly cook it a long time, so that it gets a wonderful soft texture that's almost pudding-like but still maintains the separateness of the different shreds of carrot. I was quite impressed. Thu Nov 05 00:43:48 -0800 2009 4296420 17058 Pan