We went as a group of 12 people and had a really great experience. The chef personally came to our table and genuinely asked how the food was, which was a very nice and thoughtful touch. You can really tell they care about the quality and customer experience. The food was extremely good. I especially loved the shrimp pulav — it was flavorful and perfectly cooked. The pachi mirchi dish was excellent, and the gobi starter was super tasty and crispy. Overall, the food and hospitality were both amazing. We all really enjoyed it and would definitely visit again!
Vegan Restaurant
Spice Mantra, Ballwin
· $$$$ · ballwin · Strict-vegan verified
Fully vegan
Editor synopsis · 0 reviews
Diners overwhelmingly call out the signature dish as the must-order. The vibe reads as vegan restaurant — service is consistently described as warm and unhurried. Common gotcha: queues form at peak times — go early or late.
Excerpts
We went as a group of 12 people and had a really great experience. The chef personally came to our table and genuinely asked how the food was, which was a very nice and thoughtful touch. You can really tell they care about the quality and customer experience. The food was extremely good. I especially loved the shrimp pulav — it was flavorful and perfectly cooked. The pachi mirchi dish was excellent, and the gobi starter was super tasty and crispy. Overall, the food and hospitality were both amazing. We all really enjoyed it and would definitely visit again!
Just tried the newly opened Indian place in Ballwin and here’s the scoop: Had the Spice Mantra Special Chicken Curry (medium) — bold, rich, and authentic. You can feel the heat (Indian medium, not American dampened down). The sauce was great, though a tad oily, and I wish there was more chicken relative to sauce. The rice was mild — pleasant, but I wanted more aromatic flair. I suspect they used ponni rice, which makes sense given the South Indian flavor leanings. The standout was chili garlic naan — garlicky, slightly spicy, chewy in the best way. Pros: solid concept, strong flavors, good naan, promising start. Cons: sauce heavy, chicken-to-sauce ratio off, rice could be more expressive. I’m planning to revisit and try more dishes — would suggest it for anyone who enjoys authentic Indian flavor with some character.
Just tried the newly opened Indian place in Ballwin and here’s the scoop: Had the Spice Mantra Special Chicken Curry (medium) — bold, rich, and authentic. You can feel the heat (Indian medium, not American dampened down). The sauce was great, though a tad oily, and I wish there was more chicken relative to sauce. The rice was mild — pleasant, but I wanted more aromatic flair. I suspect they used ponni rice, which makes sense given the South Indian flavor leanings. The standout was chili garlic naan — garlicky, slightly spicy, chewy in the best way. Pros: solid concept, strong flavors, good naan, promising start. Cons: sauce heavy, chicken-to-sauce ratio off, rice could be more expressive. I’m planning to revisit and try more dishes — would suggest it for anyone who enjoys authentic Indian flavor with some character.
Great Masala Chai! Definitely opened up the space from the Mi Lupita layout that previously occupied this spot. Lights were very bright. As a personal preference, although light fixtures were beautiful, I would have liked a bit more subdued lighting. Just a preference. Chicken Tikki Masala was good. I got American Mild. Spicy with sweet top note. Garlic Naan was good. It was softer than I would like. I prefer Naan that is a bit on the crispy side, but it was flavorful. The biryani rice served with the Masala and with my son's Chicken Curry was wonderful! Perfectly cooked. It just delicately fell with no chewiness or sticking together. Loved the cardamom with the anise accent flavor. It really paired well with the Tikki Masala. The Rasmalai was a bit of a let down. Not much flavor and very dense. I asked about the Kheer and the waitress was very knowledgeable about explaining the different types of Kheer. I wanted to try it, but unfortunately they did not have it or the next dessert down on the Dessert list available. So, I went with my 3rd choice, the Rasmalai. Same thing happened when my son was excited to try the Mango ice cream, one of about 5 ice creams offered. Unfortunately, we were told none of the ice creams were available. So, he ended up not ordering dessert. I would caution that you are VERY clear when ordering your spice level. My son asked for spice level 2, or one up from mine, and his entree was uber spicy. We ordered another Mango Lassi to offset the spiciness of his Chicken Curry & asked the waitress about it. She mistakenly ordered him a Level 3, but on the receipt it said Spice level 4! So, be warned. Having said that, he liked it but could not finish it because it was just too spicy. Overall, it was good and we would probably go again if our go-to Indian restaurant, Saffron, wasn't open which is why we tried this out tonight, but not overly excited. Worth it to try if you like Indian food, especially Southern Indian food which I believe this is.