In my tour of Asian restaurants in Bloomington this weekend, I'd say Mandalay was probably my least favorite. Â
The atmosphere was okay- kind of diner-ish. Â The waitstaff was, however, amazing. Â We must have had the pickiest, noisiest, most annoying table ever and the waitress was a gem. Â
The food was okay.  I had pho, which is apparently their most popular dish, and I didn't think  it was anything special.  In fact, it seemed pretty bland to me.  I also thought the prices were a little high, but at the same time, I wasn't able to finish my meal (which is pretty rare for me).
I do truly love this place and while I've had a number of entree items, I've gotten the pho most of the times I've been here because it's both delicious and pretty much the best you can get in town. I do vary up the appetizers - the tea leaf salad, the clear rolls, the samosa and the chicken satay are all excellent.
I appreciate the small and homey feel of the restaurant as well - they are always quite friendly, which isn't always the norm in Bloomington.
If you are reading this on a Monday or during the last week or two of the year, you'll probably be sad to learn they are closed. But come back later! You'll be glad you did.
The mango shake, is by far the best I've had so far in Bloomington and Indy.
I had the chicken coconut curry and its a bit sour for my personal taste and my bf had crispy chicken salad which I think it's pretty good since I used to write off anything that says salad. The salad had onions, cilantros, cucumber and crispy chicken. pretty unique I'd say.
They have menu that comes with pictures of dishes which is really helpful and foreigners friendly or when you're lazy to read the dishes details.
The servers although friendly, I feel like we were rushed from looking at the menu to ordering to collecting our plates and check. This is prolly not a good place for people coming in for long chatty hangouts or dates.
Mixed feelings but I'd come back to try out other dishes.
I love Mandalay! When I was vegan I really appreciated all of the clearly marked menu items. My favorite appetizer is the bean fritters with the chili sauce. Yum! They also have a few smoothies that are really good. I almost always get the yellow beans with fried onion. So good! Really, anyone who has tried this dish (especially if they are a vegetarian) orders it the next time! The service ranges, but I think that accompanies the chill environment. The co-owner/waitress, Marla, is so sweet and is willing to work with you on modifying a dish to your taste. Very helpful and they pack up all your leftovers at the end. :) My only complaint is that the vegetarian dishes are the same price as the meat dishes. You can't tell me that that beef costs the same as my beans. But the food is just too good to stop me!
Review Source:A review of Mandalay needs to be divided into two parts: Â the Pho and the Non-Pho.
1)  I am a Seattleite for whom Pho is not just a occasional "ethnic" treat but a main staple of my diet.  While it is true that the Pho at Mandalay is a buck or two more than in Seattle or other big cities, it is by far the best place to get Pho in town.  The broth is incredible, the veggie plate is abundant and fresh, and the noodles are cooked perfectly. Ask for your beef rare if you prefer  'pho tai' when you go to a Vietnamese place.  Read my review on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fphofever.com&s=8fef519f067dc07f41e2e7da9cc4894b8eb57c9955c1a6a4bf5cac40766c895a" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://phofever.com</a> for more.
2) Â The non-Pho food is exquisite, if you know what to order. Â It is a very interesting combination of ingredients that includes Indian, Thai, and Vietnamese flavors. Â Noodles are their specialty - try the N9 for a delicious Burmese take on Pad Thai with thick homemade noodles that resemble udon noodles. Â The appetizers, for me, are the show-stealers. Â Try the paratha, clear rolls, tea leaf salad, and samosas. Â Very, very satisfying stuff that could easily substitute for an entree or two.
Finally, the owners of this restaurant are truly great people that treat their employees and customers like family.
This is a sweet little place with really good food. We wanted to try some of the more "authentic" stuff on the menu so we ended up having the pork with mango pickle and the dish that has the dried and salted fish (I could never pronounce the name).
Both dishes were really good, although the fish in the second dish was just a bit too strong for my personal taste. My dining partner loved it. I had no idea what to expect with the pork, but it was surprisingly mild and something I could eat a ton of without getting sick of it.
It was Friday night and the place was very busy, so we felt a bit rushed by the servers, but otherwise the service was friendly and attentive.
I was pretty disappointed the Mandalay. thinking it would be excellent judging from all the stellar reviews on yelp. Â The food just did not taste good. The pork curry w/ mango pickle which had huge hunks of tough pork in it and all the food tasted like the way the restaurant smelled...stale. Â Can't speak of the service since we ordered takeout. Maybe I just went on a bad day, but I wasn't impressed.
Review Source:I decided to try Mandalay Restaurant after my former roommate suggested that I taste their avocado shake. (At the time, I was basically only eating avocados.)
However, on my first trip to Mandalay, I didn't even get one! Maybe I'll try to make them myself first. I did order the fried rice with tofu and egg. It was surprisingly delicious; perfectly filling and salty. My boyfriend got the pho, which he reported to be excellent. He's from Seattle, where cheap and tasty pho can be easily found. Mandalay is the first restaurant in Bloomington where he's encountered good pho.
Unfortunately, it was a few dollars more than I think the food was worth. Most of the dishes are $10-12, but I don't think rice and a few veggies are worth $10. The ambiance left something to be desired. The decor was fine, and it'd probably be lovely to sit outdoors in nice weather. However, they were playing loud country music, which was odd.
Overall, I'd give Mandalay Restaurant three stars for food, but I have to take away two stars due to the price and atmosphere.
Favorite bloomington restaurant, hands down.
Although it's the food that keeps me and my circle coming back weekly, I'll start by saying that the ambiance and service are great. unpretentious, no gimmicks. fresh, modest flowers on the tables, homey vernacular decor.
Marla is as described, such a mom! There's no place I feel so sincerely welcomed. She even told me i should park behind her car when 4th street is full.
All the vegetarian items are addictive. the fried onions with yellow beans are something for the imagination. The free appetizer is something i crave at all hours of every day.
Saying "Mandalay!" is like yelling "fire!" among my friends. They take it very seriously and get pissed if you're kidding.
I loved this place while I lived in Bloomington. I could eat the pork curry with mango pickle for the rest of my life, every single day, and I would die a very very happy man.
This is a perfect mom-run joint. In part I loved the place because the waitress is such a mom. She would serve the rice in your plate and also gave me a soothing lemon tea with honey on a day my throat was killing me(it really works!). She would also give you a tasty free appetizer. And then once you are done she will pack up your leftovers nice and tight for you to take home and enjoy the deliciousness the next day. Even my own mom does not pamper me like that.
The food is really good, and the pork curry with mango pickle is my hands down favorite. Make sure you tell them how many "stars" you want on the spiciness chart. I always went for 4 and the mom/waitress would always double check to see if I could handle it. Yes, I grew up on indian food. Yes, I can handle it.
Now that I have moved away from Bloomington, I truly miss being pampered like a baby at Mandalay and I truly miss its spicy deliciousness.
Josh R. just about summed it up for Mandalay. Â The family that owns it is really nice and their girl that runs around the tables is adorable! Â It's a cute spot to chill at if you're in the mood for random (mostly Burmese) Southeast Asian dishes. Â But if you're going for authenticity, I'd suggest sticking with the Burmese choices. Â My favorite are the curries! Â Just a note though- if you like spicy food tell them to make it spicy beforehand, otherwise all they bring out is the Sriracha sauce.
Review Source:Eat at Mandalay! I stumbled upon this quaint restaurant about a year ago and since then I've eaten there more times than I care to admit. The food is amazing and the owners are really nice and clearly passionate about the place. The wife, Marla, your server--every time--went to culinary school in Burma (Myanmar). She taught her husband how to do everything so he's always in the back cooking (also she'll talk your ear off if you're interested). You can tell she cares about the food because she won't let you make certain substitutions or use the wrong sauces with the wrong dishes because it wouldn't be authentic.
Burmese cuisine is deliciously influenced by those of China, India and Thailand. If you like any or all of these styles of food then you'll be into this place. Dishes are very savory and never too greasy. Though, if you have finicky friends or parents, there are dishes available to those more comfortable with Americanized Asian food, but if you're going to a Burmese restaurant why not try some kick-ass Burmese food? Ask her for suggestions. She'll do you up right.
My personal favorite is the Burmese take on the Vietnamese staple Pho. This full-flavored noodle soup is served steaming hot so they can throw in the raw, thin-sliced meat of your choice and it will cook on its way to your table. It comes with a plate of fresh items to dump in at your discretion which add to the flavor and texture of this dish, as well as bottles of hoisin and chili sauce. It's also one of the cheapest things on the menu. If you're a big eater they also serve it in a large size in a bowl that's bigger than a small child. I've found that this is the perfect size to split between two people for a cheap lunch (really fantastic on a cold, dreary day).
The not-so-fishy Fish Soup is another of my favorite menu items. It's rich and filling and comes with a pleasing array of ingredients to sprinkle on top. If someone else at your table is getting pho then she'll be sure to let you know that the hoisin and chili sauce are not for you, you're not allowed to put them in your soup. That's what the chili powder is for, silly. If you love fish then this dish will blow your lid off, if you're kind of into fish (like me), you'll love it, and if you hate fish then you might just discover how it can be served without tasting like the briny deep.
The appetizers are all pretty great. The samosas are my favorite in town. But if you find yourself constantly debating whether or not you should get an appetizer with dinner, worry no more. At dinnertime they always serve you these tasty squares of fried chick pea flower with homemade sauce even if you don't ask for it.
As was mentioned above, the avocado shake is really something special. It involves sugar, milk and an entire avocado. This might not sound the most appetizing but trust me, it's terrific. If you want a rich dessert with all those good fats and other superfood benefits then this is your jam.
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