"Driving past India’s Tandoori in Miracle Mile is like seeing someone at your high school reunion and thinking, “have I seen them before?” Like Susan from Spanish II, who you completely forgot existed, India’s Tandoori has been around forever—in this case, over two decades—and there’s a good chance you’ve never noticed it on this busy stretch of Wilshire. But the restaurant does serve a handful of purposes, including being an excellent takeout option in a neighborhood severely lacking late night options not ordered through an app. photo credit: Jessie Clapp At India’s Tandoori you’ll find a dining room that looks like a full-blown wedding reception, complete with dramatic orange archways, heavy red curtains, bejeweled tapestries, and dangling chandeliers. Despite the grandeur, the place is usually empty during dinner, since most customers use the restaurant for takeout. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you like peaceful meals and chai for one. During weekdays, the Mid-Wilshire spot serves a $16 lunch buffet from 11am to 3pm, and on weekends there’s an $18 champagne brunch if you want bubbles with your morning daal. Oh, and they serve food until 1am, too, which comes in handy when your Uber refuses to take you through the Jack in the Box drive-thru. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Though the curries and biryani here aren’t life-changing, you’ll find consistently good versions of every Indian takeout dish imaginable, from creamy saag paneer to juicy tandoori chicken, with most of them ready in twenty minutes or less. And if you can’t decide what to order from the huge menu, opt for one of the bargain combo dinners and be on your way. Food Rundown photo credit: Jessie Clapp Alu Samosa These are big, crispy, and dense samosas that don’t skimp on the potato filling. They’re great on their own, but we like to douse them in the tangy tamarind and cilantro chutneys that come on the side. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Saag Paneer This Indian takeout staple is one of our favorite curries on the menu because it’s creamy, spicier than it looks, and comes with plenty of squeaky paneer cubes. You can also easily smear it on every form of bread they serve. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Lamb Biryani What more could you want in a biryani? The rice is perfectly cooked and citrusy, the lamb is tender, and we strongly advise ordering this as rice for the table instead of just plain basmati. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Chicken Tandoori This flame-roasted chicken is juicy, bright red, and arguably a safety hazard because it arrives smoking hot like fajitas pulled from the depths of hell. Although this dish scores high on dramatic presentation and moistness, it could use a little more seasoning. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Alu Paratha There are a lot of bread options on this menu, and they’re all good, but this whole wheat flatbread beats them all with its sturdy pea and potato filling. The savory stuffing is minced to avoid big clumps, making it easy to use the bread to scoop everything else up. photo credit: Jessie Clapp Kulfi Think of a creamy popsicle you pulled from the depths of your freezer: so satisfying when it melts in your mouth but so cold that you probably shouldn’t bite right into it. That's this kulfi. The rich fat content of the frozen milk coats your whole mouth and brings out the cardamon and nutty pistachio flavors. It’s the perfect contrast to a warm cup of chai." - Sylvio Martins
