Midtown Lunch

It’s a new year and naturally everybody is trying to find ways to be healthy… so how do I follow up my January 2nd list of “healthy” lunches? With lunch at an all you can eat buffet, of course! (I’m sorry, I just can’t help myself.) If you’re vegetarian, or love vegetarian Indian food, you are probably already aware of the wealth of riches in the Culver City area. Samosa House and Samosa House East make me forget how much I love meat (for an hour at least) and India Sweets and Spices does some good stuff too. There’s also the most excellent Bawarachi, which does these pretty great fake chicken wings that I’ll get around to posting some day. But if you want some meat with your Indian food, the best option in the area has got to be the $10 all you can eat lunch buffet at Mayura.

Read more »

Not that I know much about people who don’t eat meat, but it occurs to me that Culver City is a great place for vegetarians… especially vegetarians that love Indian food. Veggie Indian food is one meatless wonder I can get down with, mainly because South Asians don’t automatically assume that because somebody doesn’t want to eat meat they also don’t want their food to have flavor… and calories.  The fact that they get it so tasty without relying on the sweet deliciousness of meat fat is just bonus points.  I’m a big fan of India Sweets and Spices (9409 Venice Blvd), but most people will agree that the go-to vegetarian Indian steam table/grocery store combo has got to be Samosa House… and, I guess by transitive property, the glossier Samosa House East- which opened in December just to the (you guessed it) East.

The original Samosa House

But with only 1.3 miles separating these two incredibly similar locations, pure proximity shouldn’t necessarily decide which one you eat at (unless of course you work at Sony and can just walk across the street to S.H.E.)  Sure, those who prefer modern decor will go the East route, while those who prefer the old school feel of the original (plus all the Indian groceries) will go West.  But food-wise they are almost identical…  save for 2 pretty awesome ingredients.

Read more »

I discriminate against no food. And, quite frankly, I don’t understand people who do. Well, that’s not entirely true. I understand why people do what they do. I just don’t comprehend the how of it. I guess what I’m saying is, I understand why somebody would want to be a Vegetarian (although admittedly I understand the pescatarian phenomenon less), I just don’t understand how you could not eat pork (could I be a swineatarian!?) That being said I totally don’t mind good vegetarian cuisine, because often the chefs are forced to make things *more* delicious because they can’t fall back on ingredients like pork belly, bacon, or lard. (“Those all come from the same animal!” “Yeah, right Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.”)

So when I heard there was a Saveur endorsed, $7 all-you-can-eat buffet, in a Culver City Hare Krishna temple, my love of cheap buffets overruled my love of pork. And it was off to Govinda’s.

Read more »

Midtown Lunch: LA has been up and running for 2 weeks now, and not a single post about street food? Embarrassing… so on Friday I set to rectify the situation by heading to the new Downtown food truck food court on S Alameda and Traction run by the SoCal MFVA. I was excited to try India Jones, which had been recommended by Lunch’er Damara during my last week of lunching in NYC. I’m a huge fan of the kati roll (an Indian burrito/soft taco of sorts popular on the streets of Kolkata), and was worried that moving to L.A. would end my affair with the Indian street snack I had come to know and love.

Is there anything this city doesn’t have!?

Read more »