You're vegan. You're gluten-free. Or both. And you're hungry for Indian food.
Where to go? Masala Grill, an Indian fusion restaurant that has plenty of contemporary diet options.
The restaurant's jackfruit tacos (at the top) cover both fronts. Meat- and dairy-free, they're wrapped in gluten-free flour tortillas. And they're delicious, with the hearty texture that makes jackfruit popular with non-meat-eaters.
There's jackfruit biryani too. And the daily buffet has more vegan options than anything else, followed by vegetarian dishes.
One of the vegan dishes is deep-fried crispy gobi (cauliflower) Manchurian.
Meat eaters can have chicken or goat curry. Or butter chicken, which is what chicken tikka masala is called in India.
At Masala Grill, butter chicken is a handsome dish, made with white meat--in India dark meat is preferred.
As chicken tikka, It comes in samosas too (above).
And in a chicken tikka quesadilla with pepper jack cheese, onions, cilantro and tomatoes (above). The quesadilla is one of Masala Grill's fusion dishes along with a chicken tikka burrito, a veggie burrito, chicken keema tacos and a masala chicken burger.
What meat eaters should really have is nargisi kabob (above), which is not common in Indian restaurants here. It's an Indianized Scotch egg, with a hardcooked egg in the center, surrounded by minced chicken and an outer layer of bread crumbs that become golden brown when the kabob is fried.
Tandoori meats include malai chicken tikka (above), marinated with spices, cream and yogurt.
Chicken keema (minced chicken) comes in a dosa (above).
As well as in tacos (above).
The restaurant offers Indian street foods such as bhel puri (above) and mom's special Maggie noodles, an instant noodle dish that is a staple in Indian homes.
Naans and stuffed parathas include a Parathewale Gali special, named for a Delhi street that is lined with paratha shops.
On the tray above is an unusual version of mango lassi, flavored with saffron and cardamom.
Try also a masala soda based on the popular Indian soft drink Limca, with Indian spices added.
Masala Grill is family owned and operated so that warm personal attention goes into the food and service.
The restaurant opened a year ago at the corner of San Vicente and Hauser Boulevards, a location that makes it convenient to many parts of Los Angeles.
The buffet changes daily. The restaurant menu also changes, incorporating new dishes and deleting others every six months. Click here to see the menu and learn more about the restaurant.
Masala Grill, 5607 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019. (323) 954-7570. Open daily.
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