southernindiancuisine

Banana Leaf’s Expanded DTLA Menu

Comments Off on Banana Leaf’s Expanded DTLA Menu

(Gerry Furth-Sides) One, two, three, four –here’s why THE perfect score for food and service at Banana Leaf DTLA, one month-old today. It makes me so 🥰 because the owner is the publisher of LocalFoodEater. 

BananaLeaf owner and LocalFoodEater.com publisher, Sri Sambangi at BananaLeafLA

Please read the story about how the restaurant added a location to their Culver city flagship in //localfoodeater.com/southern-cuisine-banana-leaf-moves-north/

Toasting at Kapoor’s Akbar with former owner Avi and new owner Sri (front left and right),
writers Cathy Arkle and Barbara Hansen (back left and right)

(1) First off, two samosas( $4.99), always made from scratch here, are so big that one order could make a meal with a side. Plump with a potato mash, bright peas and mint combination snugly packaged into each substantial triangle, the firm crust is more pie than pastry. Please slide to see.

The gorgeous samosa made in house at the new Banana LeafLA in downtown Los Angeles

The second item for the new Banana Leaf score and my “reason” for ordering Banana Leaf Saag Paneer for the nth time even from this extensive menu of untried dishes: it is prepared by Chef “Cha Cha” in the northern style with cream. And it is sublime, with just the right measured, experienced touch of seasonings in the minced fresh spinach (saag).

Northern style Saag Paneer at Banana LeafLA in DTLA

Wonderful server Ani suggested the customary garlic naan fresh from the tandoor oven to go along with it. Please slide to see although this photo doesn’t begin to capture its deep color and playful puffiness.

Naan right out of the tandoori oven at Banana LeafLA in downtown LA

I asked Ani if the saag was popular and she herself ate it. Answer to both “yes, a lot.” She added, “but I am a vegetarian.” For me, a carnivore by DNA, Banana Leaf southern and now northern saag can mysteriously make up an entire satisfying meal for me… day after day 😋 actually it’s so healthy, why question it!

Ani helps us find new dishes from the BananaLeafLA in downtown LA

The second item for the new Banana Leaf score and my “reason” for ordering Banana Leaf Saag Paneer for the nth time even from this extensive menu of untried dishes: it is prepared by Chef “Cha Cha” in the northern style with cream. And it is sublime, with just the right measured, experienced touch of seasonings in the minced fresh spinach (saag).

Wonderful server Ani suggested the customary garlic naan fresh from the tandoor oven to go along with it. Please slide to see although this photo doesn’t begin to capture its deep color and playful puffiness.

Ani helps us find new dishes from the BananaLeafLA in downtown LA

I asked Ani if the saag was popular and she herself ate it. Answer to both “yes, a lot.” She added, “but I am a vegetarian.” For me, a carnivore by DNA, Banana Leaf southern and now northern saag can mysteriously make up an entire satisfying meal for me… day after day 😋 actually it’s so healthy, why question it!

Reasons 3 and 4 for my Banana Leaf DTLA score: The front and back of the house! 

Even as an unknown American customer to the new, young and yet old-school South Indian crew, I was treated warmly and guided to a meal of new dishes to me – and had my tons of questions answered thoughtfully and completely.

Friendly Ani at Banana Leafla in Downtown Los Angeles

High energy founder-owner Sri Sambangi created a happy and delicious experience both here and the more bustling, tiny Culver City flagship) with this more spacious spot so beautifully managed.

Here the aura of dignified Chef de Cusine, affectionately called, “Cha Cha,” seems to ripple through the place, even in the well-organized menu. 

Chef recognized me from Banana Leaf Culver City and phoned the chef there to see that I was not ordering dishes they might have on the westside Southern-only menu!

The extensive menu reflects the most popular of Akbar’s most popular northern classics and Banana Leaf’s focus on South Indian food. The Akbar menu will still be available online.

Here is the beautifully packaged Biryani and Gitti Vankaya (stuffed eggplant), exclusive to DTLA.

Biryani and Gitti Vankaya from Banana LeafLA in downtown LA

Banana Leaf IS ready even though the pandemic craziness means the sign on the front still reads Kapoor’s Akbar, the restaurant that most recently occupied the site, as does the interior and wine list, all in transition.

Banana LeafLA in downtown LA

The addresses are:

701 W. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Suite 107, Los Angeles, CA 90012. (213) 372-5590.

10408 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, (310) 838-2130.

Southern Cuisine “Banana Leaf” Moves North!

Comments Off on Southern Cuisine “Banana Leaf” Moves North!

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Chef-owner Sri Sambangi didn’t let moving madness get in the way of making it a party on the first day of new Banana Leaf LA in DTLA. Thank you, Sri.  Here he serves and guests new dishes he cooked himself on the new Southern Indian cuisine menu, starting with the Southern Shrimp Curry in his hand.

Chef-owners Sri Sambangi at Banana Leaf in DTLA

There’s also Chicken Curry in typical southern regional style made with tomato sauce and no cream. Naan here is so “hot” it earned the name “Bullet Naan,” extra crispy Gobi or cauliflower Manchurian style that is sweet, sour and spicy. And the extra crispy extends to the Paneer Majestic (below).

Southern Indian style Chicken Curry with tomato sauce, no cream at Banana Leafla
Extra crispy Gobi (cauliflower) Manchurian at Banana Leafla
Paneer Majestic at BananaLeafla
Hot Garlic Naan at BananaLeafla
Naan so (spicy” hot it’s called “bullet naan” at BananaLeafla – we could handle it!

The downtown location is now in transition to upbeat green and white Banana Leaf decor and a new wine list. The original Banana Leaf LA, which Sambangi founded in Culver City, maintains an extensive menu that includes 18 styles of biryani.

A wine list for Banana Leaf, curated by Avi Kapoor is in the works, along with wine event plans. Wine expert Avi is known for pairing wines and Indian cuisine, and regular sold-out wine dinners, which will continue at Banana leaf.

Banana LeafLA boasts a wine list curated by wine expert, Avi Kapoor

This is only one of the three new locations for Banana Leaf, including a new outpost in North Redondo Beach and a free-standing place. Sambangi has been partnering with venerated Chef-owner Avi Kapoor on both street food menus and for the upcoming Akbar Pasadena.

Avi Kapoor making a pink pineapple lassi for us at Kapoor’s Akbar

This downtown location takes over Kapoor’s Akbar, which served northern cuisine. So the menu will also offer a few northern favorites in-house plus the Kapoor’s Akbar menu online only.  We’ll drink to that with @jollytomato and @tableconversation!

WritersBarbara Hansen (@tableconverssation),Jeane Fratello (@jollytomato) BananaLeafla DTLA
Drinking a pink pineapple toast at Kapoor’s Akbar in 2021 – who knew?

The celebration continues with the flagship Banana Leaf LA, in Culver City, the Redondo Beach outpost and this new location all now offering 18 variations of signature biryani. 

BananaLeafla dishes

Welcome! (Free parking inside the building) Just down the street from the Music Center.

701 W. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., Suite 107, Los Angeles, CA 90012. (213) 372-5590.
10408 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, (310) 838-2130.
2302 Artesia Blvd. Ste:A. Redondo Beach, CA 90278 · (310) 540-0777.
Akbar Pasadena 400 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena, California 91105 (626) 795-8401.

Destination-Drive Winner Southern Spice Restaurant in Lawndale

Comments Off on Destination-Drive Winner Southern Spice Restaurant in Lawndale

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Southern Spice Restaurant, although right off the 405, may be a little off the beaten restaurant path but certainly worth the drive for the Southern Indian food alone.   Add to that the “southern hospitality” with an owner always on site to welcome you, a chef to explain the dishes in detail, and makes it the best of authentic, generously portioned southern Indian cuisine in Southern California.

Sakti has his own personal favorites with a story to go along with them.

Southern Indian food is known for its aroma and rich taste.  Like many other food enthusiasts, Sakti has his own personal favorites with a story to go along with them. 

Indian food is extremely regional; India itself was occupied by different peoples.  Although Pakistan and Bangladesh were a political part of the country before 1948, their climates and culture are more influential in ingredients and customs.  For example, Southern Indian cooking is based around rice, lentils, and stews.  Dishes such as the wonderful crispy, crepe-like dosa, a star at Southern Spice, are made of lentils and rice.  Idli, steamed lentil rice cakes, are as much fun to eat and are a sort of savory donut.  They are wonderful dipped in hull/sambar, a spicy lentil and vegetable stew.   Saaru/rasam is a soup made of tomato, tamarind, and lentil.

Solanum torvum is a bushy, erect and spiny perennial plant used horticulturally as a rootstock for eggplant. Grafted plants are very vigorous and tolerate diseases affecting the root system, thus allowing the crop to continue for a second year.

Important spice mixtures and powder mixtures include the often-used Huli pudi (sambar powder).  In the more tropical, warmer climate, the southern Indian cook uses tamarind as a tart ingredient.  Dried herbs, such as curry leaves, are used in soups.  And in the south, chicory coffee is popular, rather than tea at the end of a meal.

Yes, this is a banana leaf

Vada, savory little flat cakes, are eaten for breakfast.  The spongy cakes are equally as satisfying as savory snacks. They are eaten for every meal and snack by Indian college students.  Idly are prepared from a rice and urad batter, poured into molds and steamed.   Idly soaked in sambar lends the little cakes a completely different taste by infusing them with an earthy, hearty, subtle flavor. Sambar is a stewed dish made with toovar (pigeon pea) dal, tamarind, vegetables, and spices.

The lacy Rava Dosa crepe at Southern Spice Restaurant

The Rava Dosa crepe adds an unexpected texture to its western counterpart.  The crepes, shown above, actually precede the western favorite by centuries.  They are as delicious and fun to eat as they look.

Thalapakatti-Style Mutton Biryani 

Other specialties of the day may include Vijayawada chicken biryani, a specialty of  this area of the country.  The dish consists of boneless cubes of chicken and basmati rice cooked with ground spices.

Chettinadu Goat Biryani Chettinadu follows the order of the Tamil Nadu region. The specialty of this region’s dishes, lies in the freshly ground spices used to prepare them.  One-pot Chettinadu Biryani is popular because it is spicy and somewhat tangy.  The blend of spices includes fennel, cinnamon, red chilli powder and tamarind. This Chettinadu Biryani dish is unusual because the whole spices are cooked and then ground into a paste.

Prominent dishes in the North include much of what you eat in restaurants in the West—such as naan bread, rotis and samosas, curries such as palak paneer (spinach and cheese) and aloo gobi.   Spice mixture and powder are used, including the famous medley of garam masala.   Sour or tartness is a prevalent flavor in Indian food.   Amchoor (dried mango powder) is used as a souring agent in curries.  In the North, some sauces are accented with the use of dried herbs, such as fenugreek leaves.  In the North, you finish a meal off with tea or chai.

Cuisines

Authors