cultural shock in westwood area

[foodie5]

does anyone have any recommendations of Persian/Indian food- or any unique place in westwood area?

[pallas810]

Ambala Dhaba is not food. It is guk that is overspiced and oily. This is exactly the quality of food that makes people believe Indian food is 'super spicy' when truly good Indian food are those dishes that are spiced differently from each other (i.e. the same spices do not go in each dish!)

As for Sherezad, I concede that the fresh bread is great. But if you are willing to be verbally pummelled by a waiter who insists he is right when he messes up your order - then kudos to you. I prefer to enjoy what I ordered and not be bullied by the waitstaff. Sherezad has good lamb kebabs - but their waitstaff are untrained brutes!

[tannazie]

i second pomodoro -- not that adventurous, but solid italian food, sweet cozy setting, and very attentive waitstaff.

Also Attari Sandwich Shop, if you want Persian, but not the same old Kabob. It's a small eatery with a cute little courtyard. They sell sandwiches of kuku (like a green spongy fresh-herb frittata), kotlet (breaded fried chicken cutlet), hotdog, and a few others, as well as an ash-e-jo (barley soup) that is really cozy and delicious. It's more of a lunch place though -- not even sure they're open for dinner. It's just off Westwood, on Wilkins.

[JBC]

Agree with you on both Attari and Pomodoro and would add that Fresh Corn Grill's corn is absolutely delicious at about $2.75 as a side dish.

http://www.freshcorngrill.com

[lawrence]

had a discussion about javan last month. i tend to like most of their food and wide selection. but there's debate about better persian places, as there always is. =)

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Mateo R]

I think Sunin has goood Lebanese dishes and reasonable prices - a good take out place.

[westsidegal]

at sunin, i'd stay away from their microwaved, soggy, falafal sandwich.

[epop]

i wouldn't eat anything from sunnin, for the record. if they microwave their felafel imagine the rest of their food. i ordered from there and left w/o eating it. + i love lebanese food

[lawrence]

i used to live right around the block from sunin and while i visited every couple of months or so, i wasn't convinced it was a strong example of Lebanese food. meat dishes tended to be on the dry side. i've heard the appetizers are really where it's at. but prices are cheap; i saw it more as a "fast food" ethnic place.

[westsidegal]

shamshiri, too, serves freshly made bread.
they installed an oven in the dining room that turns out the bread all day and night.

[jcwla]

Shahrzad is the best Persian because of the fresh bread.
I have not yet been to the new place called Flame near Paris Pastry.
For Indian, a cute little minimalist joint called Bombay Bite on the west side of Gayley btn. Kinross and Weyburn is nice and inexpensive.

Other acceptable (non-large-chain) restaurants in Westwood (ending in the south at let's say Ohio) include Pomodoro, Sprazzo, Mary & Robb's, Mio Babbo (but can be very slow), Damon & Pythias, Gardens on Glendon, Palomino, Sak's, Tengu if you have money to burn, and there's a Clementine outpost at the Hammer.

[wilafur]

sharzhad and shamshiri are both good persian places on westwood blvd, just north of santa monica blvd. further SW is javan on Santa moinca bvld and butler-ish area.

[foodie5]

I actually mean any kind of interesting food. Any unique place that anyone considers a gem in that area.

[Bazza90036]

On the Indian tip I'm surprised no one has mentioned Ambala Dhaba. Authentic northern indian jewel hidden away set back from the street at 1781 Westwood Blvd very close to Sunnin.

Its the sister resturant to it's store in Artesia and serves a wide array of great homestyle indian including the house speciality of Bakra (Goat curry). Reasonable prices $10-$20 per head.

[jessiebelle]

there are tons of great persian restaurants on westwood blvd. below wilshire. they have been rated in the l.a. weekly to read more about them. i also like Javan on Santa Monica. very clos to westwood village.

[epop]

LA Weekly knows little about persian restaurants. they're all similarly mediocre, by persian standards

[epop]

persian or indian? that's more unclear than saying american or guatemalan.

specificity would be helpful

[westsidegal]

i may be in the minority on this board, but my personal favorite for persian food in westwood is shamshiri on westwood blvd.