Bollywood Cafe

Want the best Indian food you've had in your life (unless you've actually been to India of course)? Bollywood is the place. Though the space looks like an American interpretation of what an Indian restaurant should look like, the food is second to none. It's always best to go here with several people and sample everything because there's just too much great stuff to pass up when it's just one or two people. Anytime Griffin and I have gone by ourselves, we always over-order, but we're always happy to have leftovers! The creme de la creme starts off with an order of the vegetable samosas (fried potatoes and peas for those unfamiliar with Indian cuisine). The main course for us usually consists of garlic cheese naan (a soft, thick bread served warm), chicken tandoori (red in appearance, but tastes like bbq chicken) or chicken tikka masala (grilled chicken in a creamy yogurt-based sauce), jasmine rice, and some aloo mataar to top it off (potatoes and peas again!). If it is just a party of two, Bollywood offers a tandoori for two that is fantastic. This sampler platter comes pretty much with all of the above, but also adds in an onion pakora (think Awesome Blossom), and the pudding desert, which if you like rice pudding, you'll love. Bollywood opened a second location literally blocks down Ventura from the original Studio City shop and called it Bollywood 2. I haven't checked out the new store yet, but I am curious to hear what the differences are, if any. For those on the other side of the hill, Star of India on Melrose is as close to Bollywood quality as we've found so far, but still it could never compare. If you aren't up for driving across town though, it will still do you right. Both places deliver and usually cost $30-$40 a couple, with leftovers of course.

http://www.bollywoodcafela.com/
http://starofindiala.com/