Rate-A-Restaurant #401: Holi Organic Indian Cuisine

Restaurant: Holi Organic Indian Cuisine

Location: 2131 Colorado Blvd. (Eagle Rock)

Type of restaurant: Indian

We stipulated: Maria and I continue "New Food Sundays," inspired by the Los Angeles Times' latest 101 Restaurants special issue. Holi is located in the same spot as Penny Oven, and we knew we wanted something fast and nearby -- and we hadn't had Indian food in a while.

 

They stipulated: Holi is only open for takeout between 4 and 9 p.m. "We make all of our food from scratch using only organic ingredients. Order delivery from any delivery platform or order through our site direct then come pick up your food whenever you like."

 

What we ordered: Chicken with Pickling Spices (A traditional North Indian curry made with a ginger garlic paste and Indian pickling spice) $13.95; Chicken Tikka Masala (Traditional spiced tomato and creamy curry) $13.95; Aloo Tiki (Wood oven-roasted potato patties served with green chutney) $5.95; naan $2.50.

High point: The naan was amazing, almost like a Wetzel's Pretzel style flavor.

Low point: The cinnamon cola I was hoping to also get was not available.

Overall impression: These take-out only restaurants have become more commonplace during the pandemic, but I don't quite know what stands out here beyond being organic. It's OK, but not too memorable.

Will we return:  I wouldn't rule it out, but we have other go-to Indian restaurants.

Rate-A-Restaurant #395: Bridgetown Roti (Downtown)

Restaurant: Bridgetown Roti

Location: 672 South Santa Fe Avenue (Downtown)

Type of restaurant: Indian/Caribbean

We stipulated: Maria and I have instituted "New Food Sundays." Every Sunday, a new restaurant. Inspired by the Los Angeles Times' latest 101 Restaurants special issue, we're on a quest to find new eats. Bridgetown Roti seemed like a good place to start.

They stipulated: There's no actual restaurant. You pick up the food outside a nondescript building in downtown's art district. Also: "In March 2020, when most things came to a standstill due to COVID-19 including LA’s busy hospitality industry, Chef Rashida transitioned her years of culinary experience into a Caribbean food pop-up business. Rashida decided she would sell patties from the front of her home with the help of her wife, Shanika. After the chef figured the home pop-up concept could work in her favor, given there's no need for a large team of employees or leases. Word spread across Los Angeles of the unique and flavorful dishes coming out of a little house in Boyle Heights. Pre-orders went live, items sold out, and suddenly there was more demand. She received a Discover grant, moved into a commissary kitchen in the Arts District called Crafted Kitchen, and slowly started growing the Bridgetown Roti team. Bridgetown is entirely family-owned and run, and the food is reminiscent of that very important fact. We proudly represent Caribbean lineage and with our food aim to share the history and culture of such a resilient people."

 

What we ordered: Oxtail and Peppers (Curry braised oxtail, green pepper sofrito; $8), Mom's Curry Chicken (Curry chicken thighs, crispy Weiser potatoes, turmeric spiced cabbage, cilantro, and scallion; $15).

High point:  The Mom's Curry Chicken roti was delicious, and I couldn't help but eat it all at once.

Low point:  Bridgetown Roti was offering a holiday discount, but repeated attempts to use it failed. I even contacted the restaurant, to no avail. I finally gave up using it.

Overall impression: We love supporting small, independently owned businesses and restaurants, especially with unique flavors and twists on cuisine.

Will we return:  Perhaps, although first we have to try more new restaurants!

Rate-A-Restaurant #343: California Chutney Tandoori Kitchen (Pasadena)

Restaurant: California Chutney Tandoori Kitchen

Location: 45 N Raymond Ave (Pasadena)

Type of restaurant: Indian



We stipulated: Looking for a quick bite in Pasadena, we had heard good things about Chutney and wanted to give it a try.



They stipulated: "Our favorite cooking technique is roasting in the Tandoori Oven. We considered offering a variety of Indian curry dishes that you can find in many restaurants, but decided to focus mainly on Tandoori Cooking and do it with integrity. By offering a variety of chutneys we really wanted to encourage people to explore new flavors and have fun with it."



What we ordered: Chicken Tikka Naan Duo ($8.75), Mixed Naan Trio (1 Braised Chickpeas Naan and 2 Paneer Tikka Naan, $12.95), Tandoori chicken rice bowl ($7.50), two individual naan ($3)



High point:  The sauces (aka the chutney bar) offer up a wide variet: Cinnamon pineapple, mango ginger, tamarind apple, roasted chili, cucumber yogurt.



Low point:  The duo and trio pricing is confusing, and not necessarily a better deal when you're ordering the cheaper veggie naans.



Overall impression: It has promise. The idea is essentially Indian tacos, but naan may be too thick to do it. That's a bit too heavy and overpowers the other flavors. Also, getting chicken tikka wasn't a good idea in hindsite. The idea of California Chutney is adding your own sauce -- but tikka is already so saucy. (We should have stuck with tandoori chicken). The Paneer was good, as was the tandoori; skip the tikka.



Will we return:If I'm nearby and need a quick, fast meal.

Free L.A.: No-Cost Lunch at India Sweets & Spices

(Flickr pic by Sean Bonner.)

There is such thing as a free lunch. As Los Angeles magazine notes, India Sweets & Spices' annual free lunch buffet happens today, Aug. 7, from noon to 7 p.m.

Details:

For the last 25 years, India Sweets & Spices owner Kumar Jawa has been celebrating his son Raj’s birthday by giving out free food to the public. (Which pretty much makes Raj our all-time favorite birthday boy.) Well, get your party hats and forks ready, because it’s that time again. From noon to 7 p.m. on August 7, diners can grab a tray and hit up a free (free!) lunch buffet at the Atwater Village branch of Indian food favorite, India Sweets & Spices. Dip your naan or puri into a bowl of paneer or dal (lentils)—oh, and wish Raj a happy birthday if you see him.

Happy birthday, Raj! Save a samosa for us.

India Sweets & Spices
3126 Los Feliz Blvd.
Atwater Village
323-345-0360

Rate-A-Restaurant #242: Bombay Cafe

Restaurant: Bombay Cafe

Location: 12021 Pico Blvd. (West L.A.)

Type of restaurant: Indian



We stipulated: We happened to be on the westside (a rare visit for us) and Indian sounded appealing.

They stipulated: "Featuring home style dishes from the North, South and center of India, the menu includes several vegetarian items as well as 'street food' introduced to Los Angeles by Bombay Cafe. All are designed to communicate our enthusiasm for one of the world's greatest cuisines."



What we ordered: Palak paneer ($8.95), naan ($4), mirch-masala tikka (chicken) ($13.95), rice ($5.95)



High point: The naan was nice -- thin and buttery. And the paneer was a winner, with a nice sweetness to it.

Low point: The chicken tikka was too dry and a bit tough. (Nice minty dip sauce though.)



Overall impression: It's hard to come by decent Indian food in Los Angeles proper. (We still swear by Electric Lotus, but even that is hit or miss.) I'm afraid the Bombay Cafe is too pricy for its small portions. Two orders of naan equaled $8 -- that's just wrong.

Chance we'll go back: Unlikely -- it's not close to us, and the high prices turned us off.

For a complete list of our nearly 250 restaurant reviews, check out Franklin Avenue's companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.