You may have noticed that India’s Tandoori – Hollywood isn’t on our 2018 LA’s Must-Visit Restaurants list. That’s because we were simply craving Indian food one night and instead of ordering in like we usually do, we pulled up Yelp and looked in vain for walkable Indian restaurants. That’s when I was blinking a few times at my screen when an Indian restaurant I hadn’t seen before showed, with a location that was only 0.3 miles away! Now, here’s the humdinger. Once we finally discovered where the restaurant was, we realized that the Himilayan/Indian restaurant that was there before it was gone. This location had a frequent turn-over for restaurants. Sometimes, it would be the same management, but simply a re-branding, so needless to say, we were a little skeptical. But, cautious as we were, we still tramped on down to eat at India’s Tandoori Hollywood.
As soon as we walked in the door, we were greeted warmly by the owner and seated. It looked similar to the last restaurant it had been and when he was refilling our water at one point, we sheepishly asked what the deal was. He said that this was an entirely new restaurant, separate management, with no connection. Cool. As we read the menu and enjoyed the authentic music, we realized it was a local Los Angeles chain with a few other locations. The atmosphere was peaceful: the music was nice, the decorations were on point, and the staff was quiet yet attentive. The service was warm and wonderful by the owner himself. We sat near a difficult pair of people who he handled with care and patience which impressed us even more.
The menu is a good size, boasting appetizers, desserts, curries, biryani, tandoori, naans, and more. The prices were very decent and reasonable. Two samosas for $3.50, curries between $10-13, naan at $2.50, and so forth. We went for dinner, though they also have a lunch buffet and a very reasonable lunch special for $9.95.
Chutneys
Papadum on the house
Alright. Onto the food! Before we even ordered, we were started with some papadum and some of the most vibrant and flavorful chutneys we have ever had. Ever. There was a beautiful mint chutney, a sweeter red one, and a spicier pickled chutney. Man. I tell you, we would come back JUST FOR THOSE. So dynamic. We started with two alu samosas (vegetarian–peas, potatoes, etc.). The dough was delicious and crispy, not burnt or over-fried. The insides were flavored with mild spices but still very tasty.
For our main meal, Fit got a medium-spiced saag paneer and garlic basil naan, with a side of chai tea. Hungry got goat biryani. Verdict? Well, it was great. The saag was deep, rich, and earthy with its spinach and garlic. The perfect bite was using a ripped-off piece of naan and just scooping a big spoonful of the saag paneer into and biting down. The love and care that it was cooked with was evident. The chai was lovely, warm, and swirling with the cardamom flavors you would expect. Hungry’s biryani was also abundant with flavor. Everything was cooked well–no crunchy rice or poorly-cooked goat. He really got his hands dirty, as you usually have to with goat, since there are quite a few bones. We also got dessert on the house! A sweet, cinnamon-flavored rice pudding. A very nice way to end the meal.
Over and over, throughout the meal and experience, I asked Hungry, “what do I not like?” And every time, I would come up blank. The food alone is worth coming back for, but the prices and service make it unbeatable. We will be back many times, for lunch and for dinner, and we will be bringing friends and family! 5 stars for this wonderful, non-assuming restaurant called India’s Tandoori Hollywood. We’ll be back! As always, stay hungry and fit!
Your mum says, ” Sounds GOOD … for you guys.” Wish she could handle the spice. I’ll be there for lunch as soon as I get my car out of the shop. Thanks, you giys.