Alluring, romantic, and satisfying are just a few of the many ways Tanzore Indian Restaurant in LA tantalizes all your senses – especially with their Classic Chicken Tikka Makhani & Eggplant Baingan Bharta.
The Grubdown:
- complimentary, addictive, hot 'n buttery Poppadums with trio of Dipping Sauces
- must-order warm Basket of Regular, Garlic, Wheat & Cheesy Paneer Parantha Naan Breads
- creamy, tomatoey, soul satisfying Classic Chicken Tikka Makhani with Cumin Basmati Rice
- sweet 'n spicy, Smoked Eggplant Baingan Bharta with Peas, Garlic & Tomatoes
- tender Trio of Scallops on Tomato Rice Pilaf with Tomato, Spinach & Coconut Sauces
- smokey Tandoori Chicken with Sauteed Asparagus & Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- simply divine Wok-Fired Tofu Masala with Peppers, Onions, and Spicy Tomato Coriander Sauce
- dry-spice-rubbed Trio of Chicken Tikka with Classic, Green, & Cheddar Pink Peppercorn Herbs & Grilled Asparagus
- good-for-your-tummy Fennel Seeds & Licorice Sprinkles
Ever since I studied abroad in London to discover my British roots, I've fallen in love with Indian food. So, when my girls chose Tanzore for our monthly dining night I could not decline – and it was just as tasty the second time around as dining there last February. Tanzore, located on La Cienega Restaurant Row, is a great place if you want to have a romantic evening, a fun girl's night out, or throw a big birthday bash. The vibrant red & pink hues, exotic flower pond, sexy music, and Indian-spiced aroma give this place a special sensual flair. Upon being seated you get complimentary, refillable, and seriously addictive buttery hot Poppadum "Chips" with three different Dipping Sauces – a sweet Red Tamarind Chutney, a SUPER spicy Pickled Veggie Mix, and a Green Mint Coriander Dip. For an appetizer to share, I convinced the girls to order the Basket of Breads ($8) – by the end we were secretly fighting over last dibs. You get 4 different kinds – Regular, Garlic, Wheat & Cheesy Parantha. The Cheesy Parantha is definitely the best because of the warm cheesy paneer bites you find folded inside. I also liked the smooth texture of the Wheat Naan (I tend to prefer wheat flours over white because of the flavor and healthy fiber.) And the Garlic Naan was good too with fresh chopped cilantro. My absolute favorite thing to order at Tanzore is the Classic Chicken Tikka Makhani ($17). For those of you who haven't heard of Makhani, it's very similar to Chicken Tikka Masala, but uses butter instead of cream. The sauce is rich, tomatoey, yummy goodness, and can be ordered as mild or as spicy as you want – I recommend "Medium" spice. It's served with huge chunks of tender chicken & Cumin-Scented Jasmine Rice, and is big enough to split or save for later. It's definitely the perfect meal to warm your body & soul. I had small bites of the rest of the dishes, but the one that stood out to me most was the Baingan Bharta ($8) Side Dish (sorry, no pic, it must have been gobbled up too fast!). Served with Smoked Eggplant, Peas, and Garlic, the Indian spices in the Tomato Sauce make this dish divine – even if you're not a fan of eggplant. It was so addictive, I really didn't want to give the dish back when we were passing it around the table. The Trio of Scallops ($24) is another impressive looking & tasting dish, again because of its amazing sauces – buttery
tomato (the favorite), creamy coconut, and hearty spinach. The Tandoori Chicken ($24) with Sauteed Asparagus & Garlic Mashed Potatoes is huge – again, big enough to split or save – and while it's marinated in Fenugreek-Infused Yogurt, after the 3rd or 4th bite it tends to get a little dry. Vegetarian or not, I did enjoy the Tofu Masala with Tomato Onion Cumin Seed Sauce – sweeter than the Makhani & Baingan Bharta but had enough spice to balance it out. Lastly, I personally did not enjoy the dry-spice-rubbed Trio of Chicken Tikka ($15) as much as my friend did – her favorite was the green-herb rub – mainly because I'm all about the sauce! But if that's your thing, $15 is a good deal for a lite meal, especially since it's served with sauteed asparagus. While food service was a bit slow that night –
most likely due to the private party going on in the bar – our waiter
Jule was sweeter than can be, always with a smile on his face, offering
to take our picture, and very attentive. To drink, Tanzore has a great selection of wines (my favorite 2008 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc–Viognier $8), and Indian Beers like Himalaya Blue, Taj Mahal, and India Special ($9-10). Although I didn't dabble in the cocktails, the Tanzore-tini ($11) won the ladies over with Charbay Vodka, Mango Puree & a Pinch of Paprika. If you like champagne, on Sundays they offer a Champagne Brunch ($19.95pp) from 11:30am-3pm. I realize, especially in this economy, that Tanzore's prices ($4-34) are a bit high for Indian food, but the fabulous, modern atmosphere makes for a tantalizing experience you'll definitely want to do again and again. P.S. On your way out, don't forget to grab some Fennel Seeds & Licorice Sprinkles at the hostess desk – they're tasty, healthy, and great for digestion. Jai Ho! (Victory to You)
Wow! This is the best taste ever. Try this food in India Cafe which is in Minneapolis, MN
Posted by: Indian Restaurant Minneapolis | 06/22/2012 at 07:22 AM
YUM!!!
Posted by: Michael P. | 04/28/2010 at 12:30 PM