Crispy Tamarind Glazed Pork Belly: Masala rubbed pork belly seared crisp,with daily pickes and cilantra-pineapple yogurt.

Badmaash Indian restaurant in downtown Los Angeles is a place I had heard some good things about, and I am pleased to report that this small yet comfortable eatery is doing a few things different with Indian food. Billed as an Indian gastro-pub and only serving beer and wine, the liquor menu is as compact as the food choices, but everything we tried was spot on. The place is owned and operated by two brothers with Toronto roots and they wanted to bring their vision of Indian food to the streets of Los Angeles, and it won’t be long before other branches pop up. They have done their research with visits to all the hot and trendy places in London where the best Indian food can be found, and after an 18 month build out process they have been open since early summer.

The place is quite small although there are an additional fifteen or so seats upstairs. Downstairs the tables are spaced very close together, so if you have a hot date and want to engage in some intimate conversation, this might not be the perfect venue. Indian art adorns the walls and a Bollywood movie is projected on to the wall, and the service is prompt and efficient.

When it comes to the beer, at Badmaash you really can’t go to wrong by ordering The Kingfisher Indian Beer ($6) which goes perfect with this kind of food, but there are some good alternatives such as the popular Stone IPA from Stone Brewing and the Oaked Arrogant Bastard Strong Ale from the same brewer. However, if you are into the Belgian stuff, then there are a couple of choices including the sublime Lips of Faith Coconut Curry Hef ($24 for a 22oz flagon).

The wine list is much smaller which is perfectly acceptable for a restaurant like this with six reds including a couple of malbecs, two pinot noirs, a cabernet and a Spanish Tempranillo from Zamora, and seven whites which thankfully include a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and a Riesling (always a good option w/spicy food) from Columbia Valley, Washington. Bottle prices range from $27 up to $48.

However it is the food that you go to Badmaash for, and top of the list has to be the old standby Chicken Tikka Masala ($13) that is one of the best I have tried. Start out with an order of the Punjabi Samosas, especially good here. I tried all three on the menu plus a special thanksgiving version that was featured on Bon Appetit, and enjoyed the Butter Chicken ($7) version best, deep fried heaven.

Spiced Lamb Burger: w/spiced mayo, crisp white onion and tomato on biroche bun.

The Sliced Mango Pork Belly ($15) is a must selection, slow cooked in its own juice and all kind of aromatic spices and seared with spiced mango chutney. Good words also about the Spiced Lamb Burger ($13), although I did not try it this time around, is ground and spiced in-house w/spiced mayo, onion, lettuce, tomato on a brioche bun. The other must try is Slow Braised Beef Short Rib ($15) dry rubbed w/cinnamon, red chili, turmeric and cumin and then slow braised w/tomato and onion. A quick word about the desserts which were all surprisingly good, especially the mango, a lovely touch for the mouth after the spiciness of the earlier courses.

Badmaash
108 West 2nd Street #104
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 221-7466

Valet and Street Parking