Bombay Tandoori, Torrance, CA

Bombay Tandoori & Banquet
4111 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505
310-303-3185
Located at the bottom of the Days Inn. Plenty of free parking.
Lunch buffet, Dinner, and Banquet room (up to 150).
2 other locations in Hawthorne and Los Angeles as India's Tandoori.

Opened: August 2009
Visited: March 2010, Dinner, Dine-In; September 2010, Lunch Buffet


This location has been a revolving door of restaurants over the last 15-20 years, but we're hoping this one will stay. If you have eaten Indian food in the Torrance area over the last 5 years or so, you may be familiar with Robbie (in this location before when it was Punjabi, then opened his own place Shah Tandoori Grill further down PCH), well Robbie is back! It was like old home week to see him - we had no idea this was his new location (he's back in the south bay after having been at their Wilshire location for the last 2 years.)

We ordered some of our favorites and tried a couple new things.

Alu Samosa ($3.50) - 2 very large potato and pea samosas. Kinda plain, but a nice starter.

Tandoori Chicken Wings ($6.95) - 7 very tender wings served as an appetizer but tandoori style with the sizzling onions and tomatoes. These were stellar, and a great innovation. They had both a very nice flavor and a very nice char.

The Chicken Tikka Masala ($12.95) is as good as ever. A great rich flavor with that sweet-spicy tikka masala gravy to die for. The gravy is good on its own without even any meat! We ordered medium but it didn't seem very spicy - it was great.

Keema Curry ($12.95) of ground lamb and peas was really nice. But this we also ordered medium, and it was quite hot. Almost too hot in that you couldn't taste the spices as well. But still good.

Lamb Biryani ($12.95) served in a heaping pile of basmati rice, large lamb chunks, and nuts and raisins. I'm not usually a fan of raisins, but these were nicely cooked in the biryani. Overall very tender, and quite the meal unto itself.

We also ordered Plain Naan ($2.50), and they were fresh, hot, fluffy, and chewy. Great accompaniment and tool for those curries.

The Lunch Buffet ($9.95) is also quite a deal. They have an assortment of salads, and always have both Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Tandoori. The appetizers (today was a dal samosa and veggie pakoras), veggies (today: bengan bharta, saag paneer - both excellent!), and other entrees (today: chili chicken, Indian noodles - similar to chow mein) change on a daily basis.

Tandoori Bistro, Harbor City, CA

Tandoori Bistro Pizzeria Cafe
970 W. Sepulveda Blvd, Harbor City, CA 90710
310-530-2245
Near Vermont, around the corner in the strip mall area near K-Mart. Plenty of parking.
Casual/fast foodish. Order and pick up at the counter. Limited seating.

Visited: Dinner, Take-Out
Most recently: October 2009


This is one of the more bizarre eateries, and perhaps reflective of the mix of food interests that you find in the South Bay. Menu items range from tandoori, pizza, smoothies, wraps, fancy coffees, sandwiches, and breakfast. We tried several items that have intrigued us to go back and try more.

We didn't know what to expect from the Tandoori BBQ Chicken Pizza ($16.99) but is was pretty good. In addition to the chicken, it came topped with bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. The pizza also comes as Tandoori Beef, and we'll probably get that next time.

We also tried a Large Pepperoni Pizza (Mini $3.99, Large $10.99). It was okay and somewhat plain. Most of the flavor from a pepperoni pizza comes from the pepperoni, and it was a bit sparse.

The Large Cheese Steak (Reg $5.99, Large $9.99) was very good. It is made of thin slices of Prime rib with Swiss cheese, grilled onions, and herbs. We would definitely get this again.

The Tandoori Beef Kabobs Medium ($7.99) is a actually a wrap sandwich, and quite tasty. It comes on a tandoori bread with grilled onion, tomatoes, cilantro and a white cheese. There's also a yogurt chutney spread on the bread.

The Cafe is rather small, and we recommend getting take-out.

Best of the South Bay

Best of the South Bay

I thought it might be fun to create a compilation of Best Ofs, so here goes. I'll be adding to it as I discover my favorites. There are some 'best of' restaurants here that don't have full reviews yet, but they're coming soon.

Baba Ganoush
LaZeez Pita Grill, 4903 Torrance, Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
Smooth, creamy and garlicky.

Barbecue
Jay Bee's House of Fine Bar-B-Que, 15911 Avalon Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
Great finger lickin' bbq.

BBQ Brisket
Joey's Smokin BBQ, 25308 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
OMG tender and tasty.

Biscuit
Gaffey Street Diner, 247 N. Gaffey St, San Pedro, CA 90731
This biscuit is not for the faint of heart. Large enough for 3 to share.

Bolognese
Vince's Spaghetti, 23609 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
The Original Meat Sauce is a fine food unto itself.

Breakfast
Snax, 4535 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
A great neighborhood place.

Cake
King's Hawaiian Bakery, 2808 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Their use of chiffon-style cakes as the basis for most of the cakes makes them heavenly.

Carne Asada
Acapulco, 3530 Carson St, Torrance, CA 90503
Consistently an amazing flavor.

Carnitas
El Burrito, Jr, 21141 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
Tasty and not greasy at all.

Chicken Tikka Masala
Angara, 2170 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
Creamy, sweet - great mild or medium. The Lamb Tikka Masala is also fab.

Chili Cheese Fries
Y' Not Burgers, 22940 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
I'm sure these are incredibly bad for you.
Honorable Mention: Snax, 4535 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Great LA Area: The Hat, 1 W. Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

Chips and Salsa
El Paso Cantina, 2404 Sepulveda Bl, Torrance, CA 90501
Great chips and really nice fresh salsa - a little sweet.

Chinese Chicken Salad
Chicken Maison, 3901 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505
A beautiful and tasty salad with pita croutons as an added treat.

Churrascaria
Greenfield, 5305 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, CA 90804
Honorable Mention: By Brazil, 1615 Cabrillo Ave, Torrance, CA 90501

Cioppino
Delzano's by the Sea, 179 N. Harbor Dr, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
There are many lovely cioppinos out there, but this one is really stellar.

Cuban Food
Versailles, 1000 N. Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
They have the best mojo de ajo around.

Deli Sandwiches
New York Deli, 2424 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
Long term quality that still holds up.

Donuts
Randy's Donuts, 805 W. Manchester Ave, Inglewood, CA 90301
Really, the big donut on the roof reflects how good these are.

Double Cheeseburger
Suzy's Bar and Grill, 1141 Aviation Blvd, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Honorable Mention: Snax, 4535 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Fried Chicken
DUTC Grill /Golden Bird, 14903 S. Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90249
Golden Bird - do I need to say anything else?

Fried Seafood Combo
The Admiral Risty, 31250 Palos Verdes Drive West, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90275
Just cooked so very well.
Honorable Mention: Captain Kidd's, 209 N. Harbor Dr, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Garlic Bread
Kincaid's, 500 Fisherman's Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Honorable Mention: Vince's Spaghetti, 23609 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Gelato
Crema Dolce, 1820 S. Catalina Ave, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
If you've been to Italy, you'll like the gelato here.

Hawaiian Food
Bruddah's Hawaiian Foods, 1033 W Gardena Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
An excellent hole-in-the-wall where the locals eat.

Hawaiian Fried Chicken
Harry's Cafe, 1721 S. Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
Available as Harry's Chicken with bone or Island Fried Chicken, boneless.

Ice Cream
Rite-Aid/Thrifty, 3860 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Mmm, mint chip and chocolate!

Indian Food
Angara, 2170 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
Great curries, biryanis, and an excellent lunch buffet.

Koobideh
Fanoos Grill, 25336 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Seaside Palace, 3720 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Lasagna
Il Toscano, 24590 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Excellent.

Linguine and Clam Sauce, White
Il Toscano, 24590 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Excellent.

Loco Moco
Bruddah's Hawaiian Foods, 1033 W Gardena Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
Bruddah's has the best gravy.

Macaroni and Cheese
Jay Bee's House of Fine Bar-B-Que, 15911 Avalon Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247
You can see the cheesey goodness.

Machaca
Snax, 4535 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Meatball Sandwich
The Appetizer, 1000 Torrance Blvd, Unit A, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Overall tasty, but the bread really makes this the winner. You may want to ask for extra sauce.
Unfortunately, they've closed - we'll have to try their other location.

Pastrami Sandwich
Y' Not Burgers, 22940 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Greater LA Area: The Hat, 1 W. Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

Prime Rib
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, 2301 Rosecrans Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245

Refried Beans
El Burrito, Jr, 21141 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
OMG, these are so creamy and gravy-like, they must be bad for you.

Shwarma
LaZeez Pita Grill, 4903 Torrance, Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503
Great seasoning and char.

Steak
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, 2301 Rosecrans Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245
Fork tender.

Tempura
California Sushi & Teriyaki, 429 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Cooked in rice bran oil. Very tender and crisp.

Teriyaki Beef
Honda, 3629 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505
Real meat, not that thin stuff you often find elsewhere.

Teriyaki Salmon
California Sushi & Teriyaki, 429 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Very tasty, well cooked and a nice portion.

Angara Indian Restaurant, Torrance, CA

Angara Indian Restaurant
2170 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501
310-320-9090
http://www.angara.us/
Near Old Torrance. Usually plenty of street parking, and they have a small lot behind the building. Do not park in the tiny lot that is next door.
Casual. Large dining room that fills quickly at lunch. Beer and wine.

Visited: Numerous times, Lunch Buffet, Dinner, Dine-In or Dinner Take Out
Most recently: August 2010

This is our favorite Indian restaurant. The food is always fresh and great tasting. We've been winding our way through the menu and have tried many items.

Chicken Tikka Masala, mild or medium ($10.95): yes, the ubiquitous chicken tikka masala. Man, do they do it right. The curry is creamy and sweet with its own great texture (quite a food unto itself). The chicken tikka is cooked well, and makes for a seamless dish. If you get this dish 'mild' it will have a sweeter taste than the 'medium' - both are tasty.

Lamb Tikka Masala, medium, ($11.95): one of the great things about Angara is that all of the curries come with your choice of meat, tofu, veg, or paneer. We tried this lamb tikka masala for the first time, and also tried the tikka masala medium for the first time. This was a spot-on dish. The 'medium' spiciness was perfect heat that didn't linger so that everything afterwards would taste hot. The lamb was tender and very mild. A+.

The Lamb Biryani, medium ($12.95) is rich and full of flavor. The lamb and rice are tender. You can have this as your entree and be fully satisfied, with enough to share.

Bengan Bharta ($8.95): well, I love eggplant, and while this dish was very tasty, all I could see and feel were onions. I didn't dislike the dish, but I wouldn't order it again if I were craving eggplant.

We also order the Plain Basmati Rice ($4.00) and Plain Naan ($1.95). Both are cooked very well. The rice is tender and each grain is distinct. The naan is fluffy and chewy, and is a very good tool for eating with.

They also have a fabulous lunch buffet ($7.95) that is busy and the food is always hot and fresh. Usual staples of the buffet include Onion Bhaji, Naan, Daal, Saag, a Vegetarian Curry, Ground Lamb Curry, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Chicken Tandoori. One or two other items rotate through. There are also some salad and pickle items, and a dessert, usually rice pudding. A soft drink comes with.