Haldi Root

When one hears the name: Haldi Root, one does not think of Italian food. Well, that's what they serve. To be honest, it's a secondary menu; they serve Italian food as well as Indian food. I did not try their Italian menu. It wasn't even offered. Upon inquiring as to why they even have an Italian menu, I learned that the head chef studied Italian cooking, though he himself is Indian. For a better profile on the chef, you can check out Eddie Lin's story here. Though, Eddie's story doesn't lend itself to the Italian background like my server explained to me.

I love Indian food. It's something I discovered all on my own in the South Bay. I have a favorite tandoori place on PCH in Torrance that I've been going to for AGES, and aside from there, I've only stopped into various Indian Sweets & Groceries for a lunch here or there. When I was invited to try someplace new, I quickly jumped. The catch, it's in Woodland Hills. I live in the South Bay. To put that in perspective, it was a 60 mile drive in Friday night rush hour traffic. ON THE 405!!! I brought with me my partner in crime, The Catty Critic, and the time passed quickly enough.

The space is unassuming; a large brick building on a quiet neighborhood street corner in Woodland Hills. The sign when you walk in announces karaoke in the bar. This earned the first WTF from us. Or second really as we already knew about the Italian menu. The decor is fancier than expected, with very high ceilings and dim lighting. And how is the food? Well....

Appetizer: various fried appetizes: papadum, onion bhajji, shrimp pakora, samosas, paneer pakora. It was a LOT of fried food. We definitely didn't finish it all, and the vegetable samosa was my favorite. I think I would stick to maybe one or two appetizers and not order the sampler next time.

Garlic Naan, an absolute favorite of mine. I adored using it to scoop up what came next.

Lamb tikka masala: This was absolutely wonderful. I really enjoy tikka masala, even though there's some argument over whether or not it's really a traditional Indian dish. Regardless, I like it, and really that's all that matters. I'm used to chicken vs lamb, but the lamb was so deliciously tender. (It also made really good leftovers)

Bengan Bhartha: Curry made with roasted Eggplant, onions, tomatoes and spices This was Rosa's pick, and I'm glad she picked it. I love the above ingredients and I'd never had them with curry. It was mouthwatering savory goodness.

Saag Paneer: Spinach curry mixed with Indian Cheese This has long been a favorite of mine, especially with the aforementioned naan. Creamy spinach and cheese with just a hint of spice. Mmmmmm....

Saffron rice: loaded with vegetables, perfectly cooked and with the lovely hint of saffron. Top it with lamb tikka masala for a delightful combination of meat, rice and vegetables.

Chocolate Samosas: apparently an 'award winning' dessert. Not sure which award, but I'll bite. Personally, it didn't do it for me. Mostly because the oil it was fried in was the same oil that had fried everything else and it showed.

Overall, good food. At least on the Indian side of things. I couldn't say or surmise about the Italian fare. Was it great?  Meh. For me personally, it's not worth the drive. However, if you're over on that side of the world, stop in. Have the lamb tikka masala and report back your findings. I also think it would be better served as a smaller neighborhood restaurant. In my opinion, the place is too large to be sustainable. There were only 3 full tables on a Friday night, which doesn't speak of a strong local clientele. Maybe I was there on a bad night? I don't know. I do like the idea of two totally different menus if you're dining with someone who doesn't like Indian food. I don't know a single soul that doesn't like Italian. So in that sense, something for everyone!

 Note: all food and drink were hosted

Palate: moderately bemused