Agra Tandoori Indian Restaurant — Restaurant in Los Angeles

This is an unforgivably overdue review and for that, I must apologize. My daughter and I eat at Agra Tandoori on average of once or twice a week -- and order for pickup or delivery at least once or twice a week more. Here in the San Fernando Valley, we are blessed with an absolute embarrassment of riches when it comes to Indian cuisine... and so many of the establishments are quite good. But there is simply none better than Agra Tandoori.

What sets them apart isn't simply their cuisine; it's their level of service as well. They want every customer, whether a regular or new, to have an enriching experience. The atmosphere is both calming and inviting, and everyone is welcomed in with warmth and appreciation. (And they are wished farewell in the same fashion when leaving.) This is an establishment which appreciates and values its clientele.

As for my daughter and myself -- and all of the family, friends, and clients we bring there as well -- we are treated like we family. Azim takes great pride in her restaurant, the food they serve, and her staff... and she truly knows her "regulars." We've all seen those restaurant owners who walk around greeting their customers, but this is different. Azim doesn't simply greet, she visits. She checks in with us, chats with my daughter as if she is her granddaughter, and swaps stories with us about what's going on in our lives. She's not just a restaurant owner or manager. After all these years, she's a friend.

And of course, the food. Azim loves to talk about the food. (And we love to eat it!) My daughter has a regular standard order that she wants every time -- Paneer Masala (simply magnificent!), garlic basil naan, and rice -- and Azim records it with a smile and a little tease, telling my daughter rather than asking. As for me, while I have my few favorites, every so often I like to trip Azim up and order something different. Everything on the menu is wonderful, whether it's one of the standards like chicken tikka masala, tandoori, biryani, etc., or something off of the beaten path. You simply cannot go wrong, no matter what you order at Agra Tandoori. The ingredients they use are all top-grade. The lamb is succulent, the spinach is fresh, the lentils are delicate, and the sauces are all rich and decadent. The chai tea, iced or hot, is delightfully satisfying. Oh, and for those it matters to, everything is certified halal.

The next time you are craving Indian food, come to Agra Tandoori. I promise you won't be sorry. And I'm fairly certain...

Rather than drive across the Valley from Woodland Hills to East L.A. at rush hour, we chose to stay a while and dine someplace along Ventura Boulevard. Among Google's suggestions was Agra Tandoori.

Arriving about 6:30 pm on a Tuesday, we saw only a few tables occupied, but noticed a brisk takeout business during our visit. Sam, the proprietor, was charming and offered suggestions. We shared a delicious appetizer combo for two. Cheryl loved the crispy vegetable pakora. I especially enjoyed the Seekh Kabab, a kind of coarse sausage of meat and vegetables. Cheryl had the Shrimp Bhuna, and raved about it. I ordered Lamb Makhani, which was delicious, although I'm accustomed to a redder version that tastes more of tomatoes and/or red peppers. Our daughter, who previously declared Indian cuisine to be her favorite, ordered the Chicken Vindaloo, since it is typically the spiciest item on the menu.

Sam offers spice levels on a scale of 1 to 10. This being our first visit, we played it conservative and asked for level 5. Our daughter bumped her Vindaloo up to 6. At that level, none of the dishes were really quite mild. So, next time we'll be more daring. The vegetable rice we had with our curries was colorful and wonderfully aromatic. My Salty Lassi was perfect, and our water glasses were tended to frequently.

Naturally, we had leftovers to take home. I had nearly forgotten a cup of Mulligitawny Soup I had ordered, but that we hadn't gotten. But Sam remembered and packed it with our take-home bag. I am enjoying it now while writing this review. My wife often says that a dish is really good if you can enjoy it cold. Though that's not MY usual practice, I can say that the sauces, even cold, are literally finger-licking good.

Dining at Agra was such an enjoyable experience that we may just make a special effort to get back out to Tarzana some time. In that event, we will definitely ask Sam for suggestions, maybe have a bottle of Indian beer, and nudge the spice level up to, say 8. We'll have to sample the Chicken Volcano and Goat Karahi with some Mango Chutney. And I look forward to ordering the Calamari Rings, which I won't have to share with my land lubber...

Its not a secret that an Indian food lover I’ve been to so many restaurants in the past years and I used to be a regular customer in this one six years ago but then the food quality started to go down and I stopped coming. Last week I’ve decided to give it a chance after so many years again. I Was SO HAPPY I DID CAUSE GUESS WHAT FOR MY SURPRISE IT CHANGED OWNERSHIP and the new owners did the unbelievable!!! THIS PLACE HAS THE BEST INDIAN FOOD IV EVER TASTED!!! And I’ve dined in so many Indian restaurants the CHEF IS SO AMAZING the food he cooks wow!!!! If you are looking for THE BEST INDIAN Restaurant you will literally bless me for recommending you this place !!!! Wow wowwwww!!!! The Service is excellent !! Azim the lady that is a manager welcomes you into the restaurant super nice !!! You must check this place out if you are an Indian food lover like me!!! I’ve dined here already 4 times in the past two weeks !!! Prices are excellent and fair I’ve attached for you to see in the photos I highly recommend the chicken biryani and the chicken Tikka masala! The rice pudding as a dessert Wowww wooowww wowww This restaurant definitely will be seeing me a lot and definitely deserves this excellent recommendation of a 5 stars hidden...