Best chaat in Los Angeles?

[mstinawu]

There's been surprisingly little discussion on where to find a great place for chaat is Los Angeles. I've heard whisperings of good Indian food in the Artesia' Cerritos area, but any good chaat places in particular? Anyone?

[ns1]

ended up at Surati Farsan Mart this weekend and massive thanks to the hounds for the rec.

I wasn't completely blown away by the pani puri but they were good and I'd order them again. Mango lassi didn't have enough yogurt taste for the wifey.

BUT the veggie samosas were probably the best we've had, fantastically spiced. And the masala dosas that came out looked AMAZING. I'll definitely be back for some dosas/puri/samosas.

Anything else great here? There's also a MASSIVE selection of deserts/pastries, any recs for an indian sweets noob?

[boogiebaby]

Their jalebis are excellent -- they make them thin and crispy, instead of the thicker, slightly chewier punjabi ones (and this is coming from a Punjabi!) I really like their bhel puri. The dosas are excellent. Love their dhokla too.

[TonyC]

Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se in Artesia.

dabeli, pav bhaji, piyush, etc. I've always had a plan to eat through their entire menu, as curated by the house, but ... it kinda adds up.

[Moomin]

I'm not crazy about Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se. I still think Jay Bharat and Surati Farsan Mart do comparable menus much better.

[Bazza90036]

Not saying it's anything like as good as the chaat in the Diwana Bhel Poori House on Drummond St in North London......but every time we have the craving (about once a month) my wife and I head to India's Sweets and Spices....(the one on Fairfax just above Pico) and order the "Special Chaat".

Prob not as good as some in Artesia....but needs must when the devil drives ; )

[Kalivs]

That is so funny! My childhood memories are filled with Sunday evenings on Drummond Street. We used to drop off my Aunt at Euston & then head to Diwana's for pani puri & Dosas. Somebody would wait in line for sweets at Ambala's. The place on Los Feliz is not bad. I think it's called Mother India.

My go to place is in South Extension, New Dehli. There's a place in GKII called panjabi by nature that uses vodka for their pani

[Bazza90036]

*SMILES*
Mine too!!

[mstinawu]

India's Sweets and Spices? Is that a chain? I'm guessing it's different than the India Sweets & Groceries in Torrance..

[ns1]

chain or franchise who knows, there's a bunch of them.

[mstinawu]

Or maybe just a bunch of people who really lack creativity about naming their business. =P

[ns1]

Any recs in LA (ie not Artesia) for pani puri?

[Kalivs]

Good pani puri? No. Passable pani puri? I go to my local India sweets & spices. Frankly, you are better off buying one of the kits & doing it yourself. There used to be truck that hung out after all the Indian shows...but that was a few years ago

[ns1]

Funny, I actually went to IS&S yesterday and got their pani puri. Passable but completely outclassed by the ones I got at the mall in Hyderabad...

[Servorg]

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/...

[ns1]

Thanks...guess I'll have to check it out when I hit up zam zam...

[mstinawu]

I've passed by that place a few times. Never stopped in.. Looks like I might have to stop by next time. Thanks!

[BrewNChow]

Everything Samosa House does, Bawarchi does much better. YMMV but that's the popular consensus

Just don't let the eccentric chef get under your skin.

[Moomin]

Not really. I've made this argument before, they're both pretty average (which is to say, great for the neighborhood, average when compared to restaurants in Artesia), and pretty equivalent.

Incidentally Samosa House West has expanded and is presently offering Gujarati and Rajasthani thalis. Both are good, not perfect, but the best you'll do without driving to Artesia.

Also, Samosa House West has had a new chef for about four months. She's very good. Probably better than Grand Chef Sabherwal, as he insists to be called at Bawarchi.

If you want chaat and are willing to drive you really should go to Artesia and stop at Jay Bharat and Surati Farsan Mart.

[BrewNChow]

Haven't tried the new chef, but at least until then Samosa House was a pretty clear step down from Bawarchi, samosas included. I had a lot of curries from SH that were downright inedible. The veggie chicken tikka masala, which is awesome at B, was horrible at SH. It tasted like someone spilled a jar of sugar into it and went "oh, well."

[Moomin]

Grand Chef Sabherwal is from Uttar Pradesh, the Bhojak family at Samosa House are from Gujarat. Most of the differences between the restaurants are intentional (Gujarati food is often INTENSELY sweet).

Having said that, both of them serve a weird Brick Lane hybrid north Indian menu. Neither of them is actually all that great. For great indian food, drive to Artesia.

[boogiebaby]

Little India is in Cerritos. I like Surati Farsan, which is a Gujarati place. I like their pani puri, bhelpuri, and samosa chole. Ambala Sweets and Snacks makes good bhelpuri and dahin puri.