Sambar

Bad, bad, bad. The tandoori chicken was so boring I almost feed it to my dog. The naan tasted like pizza. The only good thing was the papadums. The raita was also boring. I should have known the food was bad when I over heard Indian looking people leaving saying they would never comeback. Why doesn’t Bombay Café return to its glory days and really gives us the Indian food we all crave.

1.5 Stars. (Keep in mind I only tried 2 things on the menu)
Almost mediocre food and overpriced.
I ordered delivery, maybe this was the problem. Eating in is almost always better than delivery, but I doubt that would have saved the food here. The chicken was dry and the salad was slightly below average. This is hard for me to write because I am often so easily satisfied. The combination of poor food and high price ($ 30 for 2 things that barely filled me full) had me compelled to notify others and the establishment. It’s been a while since I’ve been this disappointed with food.
I would be open to try other things at this place but not anytime soon and at these prices.
These are the things I got: British Raj Chicken and some wack ass arugala grapefruity salad — order these at your own risk.
Sorry to leave a bad review but I will use this as an apology for your poor performance tonight.

One star due to some staffing concerns and mediocre food. I’ve been here twice with a large group and both times we were served by a waiter who seemed to be doubling as the bartender. He was less than attentive and almost rude and seemed to hate his job.
Oh and not to mention on my last visit I witnessed a bus lady — who was resetting a table — drop a clean fork near the front door! and she then proceeded to place the same fork on the table for an unsuspecting guest to eat with after being dropped in the path where all patrons and staff walk through !!! I was really disgusted by this and I vowed to never return.
I would much rather have authentic Indian food instead of this watered down substandard fare. Can’t wait for this place to fold so a new spot will be available for a restaurant with good food AND good service.

I understand that India is a big country and has many regional flavors and cooking style. But unfortunately, this place wasn’t for me. I like traditional clay oven plain nann, chicken tikka masala, eggplant based curries, etc., but this restaurant didn’t offer them.
Came here for their Happy Hour and then onto dinner. The restaurant is spacious, pretty ambiance and has a good size outdoor patio seating. Our bar tender and waiter were both very friendly and attentive. Our drinks were great.
The food, however, was a bit off. It’s supposed to be an Indian restaurant, but the food was Indian fusion at best, or the chef *trying* to do something clever. For example, there is no simple naan or garlic nann. I ordered a goat cheese naan and it came with a very thick, chewy bread smothered in goat cheese and topped with pistachio and mango or peach compote. Hmm… never seen this at an Indian restaurant. I love vegetable samosa and when I ordered it, it was good, but I’ve had better. The samosas were pretty small compared to other restaurants as well. Then I ordered the main entrée, a chicken curry with a side of rice, but this again was off. There was an aroma of complex spices but it didn’t translate well into the curry or rice.

Great happy hour prices. Select beers are $ 4 and crafted cocktails range $ 5 or $ 6. Appetizers range on the same scale. Interior is bright, clean and inviting. Trail mix is served complimentary, a great salty snack. All dishes were creative and fresh. Was dissapointed in majority of dipping sauces being sweet (tamarind chutney). Was hoping for a bit more variety in spice/​heat. Otherwise 430pm was a great time to have your pick at seating. Will definitely be back.

Came here for happy hour, and easily see myself being a regular. Drinks are reasonably priced and are quite strong. The happy hour bites are sooooo good. Loved the chicken lettuce wraps. I would pass on ordering the squid. Naan with cheese and mushroom was spicy but still really tasty. Inside is really nice.

For my first time trying Indian food, I have to say it was a good experience. I was pleasantly surprised. Flavors weren’t too strong. Some items we tried were spicy.
Happy hour offers great deals, $ 4 – 5 appetizers and drinks.
Our bartender was very attentive and friendly. Service was fast.
My drink — last train to Goa was exceptional. Strong, tart taste served in a metal cup with a metal straw.
Food — chicken lettuce wraps and gundpowder potatoes.
Ambiance — spacious, modern décor.

Amazing addition to downtown culver. Always been a fan of their sister restaurant Akasha, and they are equally awesome. Ordered the goat cheese naan and nanwiches which were delicious. I had the tandoori chicken which was perfectly spiced and the potatoes were amazing. So crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with a delicious chutney to dip them in.
The service was great and super friendly! Highly recommend and will definitely be coming back soon.

Excellent LA-​hip interpretation of Indian food. Another welcome addition to Culver City’s Indian empire.
The Place:
Big, open spaces, arrived before 7 to catch their happy hour (a recommended choice, by the way, runs from 4 – 7)
What we tried:
–Chicken Masala Lettuce Wraps ($ 5)
Now, I should preface this by saying I’m not a big fan of Chicken Tikka Masala. Much like Orange/​General Tso’s Chicken does for Chinese, I think the creamy, sweet sauce is bio-​engineered to please just about anyone, but if you’re into getting a wide range of flavors (especially spicy or bitter), then you often feel left out in the cold.
That said, you will enjoy these wraps, provided you can tolerate the sheer low-​carb/​low-​taste implications of lettuce wraps as they literally envelop every menu in the LA County area. Creamy sauce is complemented by a mild tomato chutney and spread across a generous serving of chicken. But what really makes this work are the crunchy chaat bits, which provide much-​needed texture to what could easily become a mass of mush. The crisp lettuce helps a bit in this regard, too, and is never really in any danger of leaking out the smartly portioned sauce. The two tacos you get are substantial; those with modest appetites could use this as their protein for the meal.
–Roasted Cauliflower ($ 8)
For this price, the not-​quite-​curry-​like reduction of heavily spiced (but not hot-​spicy) cauliflower with a mound of caramelized onions is one of the best deals on the menu. Works like a charm ladled onto anything, stuffed into the aforementioned lettuce wraps, or simply plucked out of it’s metal pot and eaten on its own.
–Turmeric Naan ($ 3)
In terms of texture, it was appropriately soft and pliant, but nothing outstanding. The subtle turmeric flavor, however, made the experience distinct and requires a welcome consideration of how it might meld with the other ingredients you mix your bread with. The rich, yellow hue of the single frisbee-​sized piece makes the whole thing memorable. An easy choice for your default carb.
Chili Thali ($ 2)
A selection of four spicy items (a hot sauce, a lemony chutney, dry crimson chili powder and some pickled/​marinated jalapenos). With the exception of the comparatively mild jalapenos, the sheer boldness of each item stands out, making the condiment tray a smart punctation (or exclamation point, really) to any dish you apply it too.
I also scored a $ 4 pilsner that washed it all down easily and without a surplus of bitter IBUs. The waiter was generous with his attention and explanations, even serving us happy hour at our table when apparently it’s a deal limited to the bar.
Despite what we ordered, it’s really not a cheap place; curries and tandoori w/​meat fall under the $ 14 – 22 range. Add a rice, naan, some condiment thalis and a drink, and you’re staring back at a serious bill. I’d go with at least two other people; you’ll get to experience a greater variety and Indian cuisine is well suited to sharing.
That said, you really should find those friends and hit up Sambar. It’s yet another reason to stop by the increasingly awesome hood that is Culver.

Holy sh*t this place is incredible! We sat at the chef’s counter and enjoyed the «trail mix» which is actually worth it, avocado moose «bites,» seafood curry which potentially was the best curry I have ever had in my life, lemon rice (get the lemon rice, trust me) and the octopus which was out of this world. Everything was really light actually, and would be a great place for lunch!
Definitely not your average «Indian» restaurant. I will 100% be coming back.
Oh! And even the cocktail menu is incredible!

My friend was craving Indian food, so decided to try this one in downtown Culver City. I was pleasantly surprised. The food, ambiance, and service were all amazing, and I definitely want to come back more often to try more dishes. My friend and I shared the following:
— Pork shoulder vindaloo: I have only had curry style vindaloo before, so I was surprised when the dish came. There were about three large pieces of pork shoulder with malabar hot sauce, mango chutney, and pickled kumquat. Out of the three, I loved the malabar hot sauce. Very delicious flavors and comes with a piece of turmeric naan which was amazing as well
— Chicken curry: solid curry, didn’t have a very strong goat taste
— Coconut rice: we ordered this to eat with the curry since the curry does not come with naan or rice. This was the weakest part of the meal for me. I was expecting something like Thai coconut rice, but this rice had little coconut taste. Also, I think the basmati rice would have paired better with the curry.
Generous portions so that we have enough left over for a small meal even with two hungry people eating.

Seated very quickly in a nice, bright, airy dining room with a very friendly server.
Drinks — the Last Train to Goa was a nice, tart, refreshing drink served in a cool cup that packed a punch!
Food — The kachumber was a light refreshing salad that was a nice balance to the rest of the food.
— Masala braised short ribs were delicious! It just fell apart at the slightest touch and had a lovely savory flavor. It came with perfectly crispy roast potatoes.
— Goan chicken was also very tasty. Came with a lovely sauce that worked perfectly over the…
— Lemon rice. The hint of citrus cut through some of the sauce of the chicken and was an excellent compliment.
Overall very much enjoyed my dinner here and would come again. Would probably order a few lighter meals as i was comatose afterwards.

We went with a big group and split a ton of things including:
— Cauliflower and onion pakoras — good but didn’t need to be fried, would have tasted better roasted! Chutney was AWESOME
— Sevpuri chaat — light and delicious!
— Pistachio lamb sirloin kabob — good meat but overcooked, I tasted no pistachio, an the roti was tasty but dry
— Tumeric naan — fluffy and delicious! Great for dipping
— Kachumber — nothing special but fresh ingredients
— Goan chicken — MAYBE THE BEST CHICKEN I HAVE EVER HAD! Super tender, moist, and delicious. Great sauce!
— Seafood curry — I would not get this again. It had a weird taste and consistency.
— Goat curry — really tasty but really gamey (if you’re into that sort of thing)
— Pork shoulder vindaloo — excellent! Perfect balance. Super yummy!
Our server, Cameron, was great and super helpful in accommodating our large group and making helpful recommendations (including the WONDERFUL spicy tequila mango cocktail!)! I will definitely go back for a fun fushion take on Indian!

Been here 3 times now and have had a delicious meal and great service all three times. I had truck stop goat tacos for lunch which were as amazing as they sound, and have tried a number of things for dinner — tandoori rib eye, cauliflower, chicken wings (quite spicy, and so good) and other curries. I’d recommend it all. Also really enjoy the cocktails. The Maharaja is my favorite.

Been here twice now and have really liked it both times. The hostesses are always very nice and accommodating and there doesn’t tend to be too much of a wait.
The truck stop goat curry is a great option for someone wanting to try something different. It’s delicious! The quinoa pancake starter is also wry good as well as the traditntal chicken curry. The samosas were pretty standard, nothing to write home about. Always good to try the namesake, sambar.
We sat at the counter/​bar once which I enjoyed as a way to watch the chefs work.
The second time we didn’t have the best service. They kept forgetting my dish and I didn’t get it until my boyfriend had finished half his meal (I told him to eat while it was hot!) but the waitress talked to the manager and they took it off the bill. So definitely made up for the problem.
Great go to dinner spot in culver!

Culver City has a grip of Indian restaurants but for the most part they’re kind of the same. Same offerings, same décor, same vibe, same same. Not that there is anything wrong with the standard Culver Indian eatery, I friggen love Indian food (shout out to Bawarchi), but sometimes it’s nice to have something a bit different.
Sambar is Indian dining bumped up a notch or two on atmosphere and menu offerings both traditional leaning as well as what I’d call «fusion.» Sambar is owned by the same folks as Akasha and if you’ve been to Akasha you can kind of figure out what I mean. I believe they call it Indian cuisine «through a California lens» which I’d agree with.
Even though Sambar may have their own twist on a few things the overall theme is definitely Indian. The Swami Thali I had at lunch (vegan variation) was pretty traditional as far as I could tell and it was executed perfectly to my taste. Punjabi mama greens, sambar, butternut squash kofta with cashew — tomato sauce, gluten free chapatti or paratha, chutney, raita.
My only complaint is that it can be difficult to discern what’s vegan and what’s not, I’ve even seen their servers perplexed at the question. Sambar has a special menu for gluten free and vegan diets which is generally helpful except for the fact it’s drawn up poorly, just one menu that incorporates all things that are either gluten free and/​or vegan which means looking at a menu and trying to guess if an item is listed because it’s safe for vegans OR safe for gluten free. I’ve suggested a few times to update that menu, it’s just a small sub-​menu, but other than nods and «good idea» comments it hasn’t happened. Split it into a vegan half and a gluten free half with clear headings, done deal. If management doubts that it’s confusing even to their staff my coworkers and I can confirm servers have had to check with the chef to confirm something as vegan multiple times and I’ve had lunch where I was served something with dairy accidentally. Thankfully I caught the mistakes prior to diving in or I probably wouldn’t have tried Sambar again.
What they lack in a clear menu they make up for with a badass happy hour. A handful of $ 5 cocktails that are extremely tasty and pack a punch as well as some beer and wine selections on the cheap, plus a number of their small bites and side dishes for $ 1 or $ 2 off the normal menu price. This is a favorite of mine before catching a movie in Culver because I’m looking at three strong cocktails and some Gunpowder Potatoes or samosas for under $ 20.
The staff are friendly, the atmosphere is clean and contemporary, a few kinks worked out and I’d probably come here more often. Some specials maybe to mix the menu up a bit or a seasonal cocktail. But all in all I’m quite pleased. Yes, Sambar looks and runs nothing like the traditional Indian places I’ve gone to hundreds of times, but sometimes being a little different is what the game is all about.

Came here for a work lunch — ambiance was really nice lots of white mixed with bright colors. There was plenty of seating on a friday afternoon — so our group of 6 were seated immediately upon our arrival. We ordered drinks — I got the sacred cow which was a nice sweet drink with a bit of spice. I would definitely recommend.
We got cauliflower and onion pakoras, along with some kidney bean tacos. I found the pakoras to taste a bit like the standard deep fried vegetables with a kick of indian spice — a nice delicious blend of flavors. The tacos were a bit small — so we each only got a small bite — they were okay — not the best thing i have ever had. For my main course I ordered Vindaloo steak salad. The salad was pretty good — standard arugula salad with a nice cut of steak. The goat cheese and pickled beets added a nice touch — but I fail to see how this was any bit of an Indian blend. It was delicious nonetheless.
I would come back — but I would stay away from the salads as they are pretty standard — nothing too surprising. The bowls looked pretty delicious — my coworkers seemed to enjoy their bowls so I will go with that the next time i come here.

Sambar has been on my list to try since even before it opened! I was eagerly anticipating it’s arrival as I am a big fan of Akasha (just two doors down, same chef/​owner), so I have no idea why it took me a half year to finally try it? But, try it I did! It’s not perfect, but I am definitely a fan.
First, the atmosphere — Akasha definitely knows how to create a space that feels both hip and comfortable. The open kitchen is a nice touch. And the overall vibe has energy but it’s not too loud. Definitely a very pleasant experience.
The service started out a bit concerning — no one on staff seemed to know they were assigned our table. But, once that got sorted out, our server, Grace, was very helpful. Typically available when we had a question, answered questions about the menu with useful information. Made sure water glasses were full.
The food: first of all, you HAVE to get the Tumeric Naan! It was SO GOOD we placed a second order and filled up on that vs saving room for dessert. I mean, perhaps the best naan ever! I want to stop by every day and just take a $ 3 order of turmeric naan home with me! That is how good it is! The consistency is fluffy and a little chewy and just so darn GOOD!
Okay, the other stuff — we started with two snack — sevpuri chaat and cauliflower and onion pakoras. The starters is actually where we felt the food shined brightest. Both were amazing in terms of flavor profile, texture mix, and overall deliciousness.
For mains, we shared: butternut squash kofta, chicken xacuti, and the mushroom curry special. The kofta was good but a tad too spicy for me. The chicken was very good and a pretty large portion size. The mushroom curry was excellent. Grace said they were looking at adding it to the regular menu — they should! The veggie dishes were a little small portion-​wise, I thought. Then we finished off this course with some lemon rice. It was good, but I think I really want to try the Bhutanese red rice next time!
Overall, way more hits than misses. Some really nuanced flavors. All pretty reasonably priced for downtown Culver City. And an overall lovely experience that I look forward to experiencing again — and trying some other items off the menu… and two more orders of turmeric naan!

This is probably the hippest Indian restaurant I’ve ever been to and it’s located in one of my favorite neighborhoods, Downtown Culver. That being said, this place is way too hip for me. Sure, I enjoy the modern décor and the chill music. This atmosphere was a great setting to catch up with my girls. But I just didn’t feel like this was my scene.
Out of the four dishes that we ordered, there was really only one thing that I truly enjoyed and that was the Papadum. Amazing flavor and toasty crunch! Loved the presentation too:
Thao Farm’s Eggplant didn’t really hit the spot with me. I was expecting the garam masala to be more in your face. Perhaps the pomegranate raita is what makes the dish but we got it on the side since it’s not vegan.
But I will give a little credit to the Gunpowder Potatoes. Although not something that I would say is a must, I am a sucker for potatoes that are perfectly crispy on the outside and tender and soft on the inside.
Even though I didn’t partake in it, my friends also had the Punjabi Mama Greens which I believe is the restaurant’s version of saag paneer except made with both spinach and mustard greens.
As for drinks, they were pricey as one would expect a hip restaurant to charge. One friend had the Darjeeling Express ($ 12) which involved tea-​infused whiskey. It tasted like cough syrup and I was glad I was not drinking that! I did however enjoy Under the Mango Tree ($ 12). The most Pinay thing about me is that I love mango and this cocktail made with mango-​infused tequila caught my attention and tastebuds. I especially loved the chile salt rim. The drink looks small upon first glance but it hit me pretty strong with just a few sips ;)
I might give this place another go. They did have great service and the staff is friendly. Perhaps happy hour is worth checking out. Plus our server had a Ryan Gosling-​esque vibe going on, if you’re into that.

I’m Indian. And let’s face it: Indian restaurant food sucks. It’s repetitive, caters to the undemanding desires of Americana (e.g., garlic naan and chicken tikka), is made with cut-​rate ingredients and served in crappy buffets while a tv somewhere blares Bollywood films.
Sambar, however, doesn’t fall into that trap. It’s an elegant spot that serves food which is both innovative and risky.
We got the zucchini kofta curry ($ 10), a beets dish (made vegan by request, $ 7), the gunpowder potatoes ($ 5) and an order of paratha ($ 4). The zucchini curry was a savory marvel with kofta balls made of a variety of vegetables in a creamy cashew curry. The beets were flavorful and beautifully presented with what I think were lavender petals. The gunpowder potatoes somehow managed to turn fried potatoes into a sophisticated dish, with great notes of sesame.
We also had two signature cocktails, the Road to Rishikesh and Darjeeling Express ($ 12 each). These were artistic, delicious cocktails full of ingredients you need to look up (orgeat? aloe liquer? kümmel combier?). Definitely try one.
For dessert we had their homemade vegan coconut ice cream ($ 3) with a coconut cookie tossed in for free. The cookie was crunchy and nice while the coconut ice cream was arguably one of the best I’ve had in Los Angeles (better even than Scoops).
We also had a cup of their home-​brew chai, which they make with cashew milk and palm sugar ($ 4). It wasn’t too sweet and had wonderful spices. Indians often say the term «chai tea» is redundant (because the word «chai» means tea in Hindi), but I disagree: chai is a concoction of water, tea leaves, milk, sugar and spices. Tea is just tea leaves and water. But I digress. Sambar makes a fine chai concoction.
I look forward to returning to to Sambar and seeing what novelties they create. I’d love to see their vegan items labeled, some vegan burgers (how about a new take on the Indian street dish, vada pav?) and dishes incorporating tofu and seitan. Regardless, Sambar is a winner.