Ambala Dhaba Homestyle Indian

For what it’s worth, I’m an Indian with an appreciation for all Indian food (Mughlai, South Indian, etc.)
It pains me to write this since the owner seems like a nice guy.
I ordered paneer tikka masala with garlic naan and a small side of rice ($ 11). Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this place. Though the portions were acceptable, the paneer tikka masala was bland. Definitely will not be returning.
(BTW: Ambala Dhaba = Healthy Chicken Café. Apparently they had a recent name change.)

I am not sure why someone claims the food was bland and portions were small; it is Indian restaurant with Indian food. The portions all come in same tray size; nothing more, nothing else.
I have visited this restaurant at least a dozen times along with my wife, and that can tell that I am satisfied; the food is good, portions are right, price is good; you get more than what you pay for. I strongly recommend this little restaurant to all my friends and family.

What a pleasant little surprise nestled away in the hustle and bustle of Westwood Blvd. I get facial services done across the street and while I was walking to my car I saw the «Healthy Chicken Café» sign. with the «VEGAN» sign right below it. so perplexed I went in. SO GLAD I DID…
Most of the reviews are dead on. they offer a open food bar style menu (and also will make items off the menu if you can wait.)
The owner was SUPER NICE. allowing me to sample things until I choose the three items for my combo. the food was WONDERFUL especially the Spinach and Mustard Greens entrée. I’m from the south so we are ALL ABOUT seasonings… and this was AMAZING. and VEGAN. Which is a great option when I’m tired of the normal Vegan dishes.
The owner was GREAT the food was inexpensive and the atmosphere was pleasant… so I HIGHLY recommend checking it out if you are in the area.
Some of the comments about the food being bland. I don’t get. I tasted pretty much everything and the only thing that was remotely bland was the lentil dish. (which I’m sure with a little pepper and salt would have been wonderful.)
Anywho. not everything can be perfect ALL the TIME.
Great place, Great menu (LOVE THE OKRA) and Great price.

It’s now called «Vegan Chicken Café» but still has the same chef & owner. They now serve the food pre-​cooked & you order at the counter. I was really thrown by the name change because it doesn’t imply Indian food at all. Nonetheless, I’m glad it’s still there because It is delicious.
My favorite is the Ludiana chicken & the garlic naan which is always served fresh & hot. The owner is really nice & accommodating. I don’t think the Ludiana chicken is on the menu any more but he was kind enough to have some made for us. The Chicken Tikki Masala was good, not great. Overall, very delicious, authentic Indian food that has a slight home-​made feel to it. I DEFINITELY prefer this place over Samosa House.

The best Indian in Los Angeles is a tucked away gem called Ambala Dhaba (kitchen of Ambala?)
i always order some combination of the following
ambala chicken
chicken tikki masala
aloo gobi
orange curry goat
samosa (a fried potato filled appetizer)
mango lasse (this is a yogurt drink and its fantastic)
garlic naan

Bland.

Had dinner here this weekend. Food is just ok-​nothing great and definitely will not make me go back again. The dishes were too bland; the chicken dish had more onions and veggies than actual pieces of chicken in it and the chicken wasn’t cooked well and still had the raw taste. Naan was good. service was ok-​they took forever to get our food even though they weren’t busy
Parking is a major PITA because the small lot in front of the restaurant is always full. they do have metered parking on Westwood Blvd tho.
I wld check out other Indian restaurants in Westwood/​Santa Monica…

Had dinner here this weekend. Food is just ok-​nothing great and definitely will not make me go back again. The dishes were too bland; the chicken dish had more onions and veggies than actual pieces of chicken in it, and chicken wasn’t cooked well and still had that raw taste. Naan was good, but service was meh-​they took forever to get our food even though they weren’t busy
Parking is a major PITA because the small lot in front of the restaurant is always full. they do have metered parking on Westwood Blvd tho.

So this may be my first review in fact, and here its goes!
Delivery was ooober fast, especially for how much we ordered! Thats a definite 5 stars, and only charged $ 5.
As for the food goes, it was more than ok. It wasnt fabulous, it wasnt horrible, it was well, o.k. I would definetly eat here again, because the prices are also great, and the food was good!
the end

In short, this restaurant is mediocre. Those reviewers who rate this restaurant highly only do so because they have not tried much Indian food. I’ll admit, I checked out the reviews on Unilocal before going, but we went to the restaurant anyway because we were within walking distance and I was craving some Indian cuisine. I suspected we had made a mistake when we walked into the restaurant during lunchtime and it was empty. The proprietor informed me that they were turning the restaurant into a fast-​food joint «but still Indian.»
On the plus side, the portions are healthy. On the negative side, the food is obviously reheated (not too thoroughly). The flavors are thin. They did not even make the nan fresh, it must be pre-​made and they throw it in a toaster or something like that. On top of this, it took quite a long time to get our meals (even though the restaurant was almost empty and they weren’t cooking it fresh?).
Save your time and go to another Indian restaurant. Ambala Dhaba is not bad enough to walk out on in the middle of a meal, but it will certainly be one of the least memorable Indian meals you’ve ever had.

Okay, my last review for the night because I need to study, hahah.
Anyways. YEEEAAAHHH AMBALA DHABAAAAAA! I came here for my friend’s birthday and it was my first time having Indian food. I am now a fan and am on a quest to find a good Indian restuarant in San Jose, lol.
Let’s see, let’s see we ordered family style, which is the best because you get to have some of everything. What’d we get? I think it was Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Chicken, Aloo Gobi, and some yellow bean-​like thing that I don’t remember because I didn’t like it lol. Oh and Basmati rice to go with it of course! Love the texture of basmati rice, it’s delicious!
Okay, so, Chicken Tikka Masala. MMM, MMMMMM. I’m a curry lover, so I knew I’d love it before I even tried it. So flavorful and so creamy and so many spices, and just perfect! Hahah, I was so in love that when I went home I looked up the recipe, LOLOL. Unfortunately I didn’t know what the heck half of the ingredients were, hahahah
Tandoori Chicken was also good, a little on the dry side but the flavor and spices made up for it. (:
Aloo Gobi! I loved it! It was just the right amount spicy, and chock full of cauliflower, yeahhhh! I love cauliflower, hahaha.
Yellow bean-​like thing… did not like, did not care to remember dish name… hahahaha. My vegetarian friend loved it though.
The highlight? GARLIC NAAN! NAAAAAAAAN. baby, NAAAAAAAAAAN! dalksfjowajflds;jkfowakdjflasdcmlsafeijasoe;ajsfsdk It’s so delicious, I think I can eat it forever, hahahaha. We ordered two batches and had to order a third later because it was gone so fast, lolol. I believe I also ate most of it, hahahaha. Sorry, too hard to resist, lol.
I loved this place, but then again I’ve never had Indian food before so I don’t really have a standard to compare it to. My Indian friend says that this place is the best in westwood, but there is better out there, especially if it’s homemade. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY RECOMMEND THOUGH, hahahahha! Eat here! :D

I LOVE Ambala Dhaba. In my opinion, it’s the best Indian food in Westwood, and the best Indian restaurant I’ve been to in LA (I HAVE had better food at India’s Sweets and Spices, but there isn’t one in Westwood, nor is it really a restaurant).
The most important thing to consider here is the food. It’s awesome. They have a huge vegetarian selection (their Malai Kofta is an outstanding dish, and their paneer is always the perfect consistency) but they also have good chicken and goat dishes.
Recommendations: MALAI KOFTA. It’s not a huge serving, but it tastes so good, I’m glad I’m not forced to absolutely pig out the way I would if it were a ton of food. The Eggplant Bharta isn’t quite what I’m used to, but it’s very good. The Mattar Paneer is phenomenal.
As for the garlic naan, if you don’t get it, I swear I will hunt you down and force-​feed you soft, delicious warm naan until you explode. And you will enjoy every moment of it. Unless you are some sort of garlic-​hating freak, in which case I pity you.
The lassi here is very good, but to be honest I’ve never met a lassi I didn’t like. The pistachio shakes are out of this world.
I’ve eaten here many times, and I’ve never been given anything that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. That said, it’s pretty simple and traditional. If you are looking for something more exotic, you might not find it here.
The décor is nice, but not stuffy. Pretty classy, compared to a lot of places. I love bollywood, but if you are having a serious conversation the music videos playing in the background can get really distracting. If you’re on a first date, though, and conversation peters out, those music videos might save the date. Just don’t get caught paying too much attention to the dancers, yaknowwhatImean?
Parking is miserable. Don’t even bother with the lot, park on the street or in the residential neighborhood a block over. The service is sometimes a little surly, but never downright rude. When I’ve come at off-​peak times, I’ve sort of gotten the feeling that there was only the one guy there, taking orders and cooking. He will disappear for a while, leaving my party completely alone in the restaurant, and then bring out the food and watch us eat. Not a bad/​weird feeling, just a little strange and sad. The food is a little pricey, but not unreasonable. Take advantage of their lunch specials for a good deal.
Overall, this a really good place. If the location were better (it’s basically invisible from the street) and the parking were better, I would expect this place to be packed. As it is, it’s almost always empty when I come here. If you like privacy, perfect. If you are comforted by the hum of a busy restaurant, you will not find it here.

My Indian friends took me to Ambala Dhaba sometime during college, raving about the quality and authenticity of the food here! My taste buds and tummy definitely concurred, and I have been back on numerous occasions for great Indian food!
I’ve ordered various items from their menu. From appetizers to entrees to desserts to mango lassi drinks! All were very delicious! Really. Everything is good! –I’ve never had a bad meal here! The garlic naan is especially amazing! (You’ll keep ordering more and more!) My only complaint about this place is that it’s a bit pricey for somewhat small servings.
Other than that, I’d definitely recommend this place for Indian food in West LA!

This is hands down the BEST INDIAN food I’ve had in Los Angeles, and very veggie-​friendly. I’ve been going here for 7 years and moved to the other side of town, but I still find time to get there once a week.
They make everything from scratch when you order… none of this heating up frozen samosas… really the best in town.

I’ve been meaning to start writing Unilocal reviews for quite some time, and it’s interesting that it took a bad review to finally get me online.
I ordered take out, so this review it based purely on the food experience and not on service/​atmosphere. Seems like there aren’t many good Indian restaurants around West LA, but a 3 ½ star rated place should definitely suffice to take the edge off a major indian food craving.
Ordered the mattar paneer and chicken saag, along with a chili garlic naan. The serving sizes are passable, something like 16 oz containers. Unfortunately, what was inside those containers were over-​salted, watered down disappointments. After first trying the mattar paneer and feeling underwhelmed, I moved on to the chicken saag with high hopes, as the consistency of the saag was good and the chicken felt tender. Holy freakin saltlick! Not even copious amounts of bland rice and naan could salvage that dish. At least the chicken was in fact tender?
Maybe I’m being a little harsher than I should be because I was starving when I sat down to eat and was wishing for some really solid food. I even contemplated bumping up the rating to 2 stars because the prices aren’t egregious. And then I tried another bite of the saag. Wah wah.

My friend took me here years ago, and I loved it then. I’ve been back quite a few times, but it seems like the food quality has been going down such as sauces seeming more watery. They have lunch specials which are a good deal, but the dinner menu is expensive and the portions are on the smaller side. Still, they have some unique items that I haven’t seen anywhere else, and the service is great — very friendly, helpful people. Décor is lovely — a nice outside patio to dine in or comfortable booths inside with of course Bollywood music videos playing on the tvs.
Here’s what to get:
Arbi — taro root, my favorite dish here. I can’t get it anywhere else. It’s cooked with ginger and tomatoes, not usually spicy but you can ask for how spicy you want it.
Chicken Hoshiarpuri or Chicken Amritsari — Both are excellent. The Hoshiarpuri is chicken cooked with roasted cumin seeds, while the Amritsari is chicken cooked with cilantro, green chiles, and garlic. Both are very flavorful.
Samosas — I love samosas. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad samosa. The ones here are good and come with a mint and tamarind chutney on the side.
Other items of note — I like their eggplant bharta, but it’s different from other Indian restaurants. Fewer tomatoes, so you really taste the roasted eggplant and spices. I usually get it medium spicy, and it’s spicy! The kulfi (homemade Indian ice cream) is delicious. They also have a drink called jal jeera which is made with fresh mint, tamarind, cumin, and ginger that is really potent.
The rice and naan are all ok, nothing special. Be sure to ask for the pickles — those are great to eat by themselves or with your meal. The lunch specials are definitely the way to go if you want to save money and try a bunch of different items. They also have a KCRW 10% discount if you’re a member. Parking’s a pain, but if you can’t find a spot on Westwood, just drive around the corner and park in the residential neighborhood behind Ambala Dhaba and walk through the alley.

At the recommendation of my friend who’s Jain, we came here with two other friends for a round of Punjabi dinner. This was where my friend had her graduation dinner from UCLA last June, and her party included her parents who have discriminating palates for Indian food. This place is easy to miss since Sunnin is just next door, and the interior is made with dimmed lighting, wall-​to-​wall cultural artifacts with two flat screens showing Bollywood music videos for a modern flare. In the interest of a family style dinner we ordered a bunch of food to share:
Aloo papadi chat ($ 5.00): Served at room temperature, this appetizer came with pieces of firm fried bread with air pockets at center, and layered potatoes and chickpeas on top with yogurt and cilantro and tamarind chutney to add flavor. It was an acquired taste for me at first but a few attempts later had me liking this dish.
Chicken tikka masala ($ 8.00): The best chicken tikka masala I had to date. It arrived with thick, chunky boneless chicken that came with a creamy semi-​sweet and spicy tomato sauce. The hint of spiciness catches your tongue and it was definitely an attention getter.
Tava Bakra ($ 11.00): At the server’s recommendation, the boneless goat meat was prepared on a skillet with herbs and spices. Goat meat was soft and tender immersed in a thick stew-​like savory sauce. I only wished the spiciness that catches you at the back of the throat could be more pronounced.
Paneer tikka masala ($ 9.00): Cubes of paneer that came with creamy tomato sauce. It was flavorful but I only sampled it to be considerate of my friends who were vegetarians.
Bhidi Masala ($ 9.00): There were plenty of okra cooked on a skillet with tomato and spices. The gooey texture stemming from the okra was delightful and delicious. I would love to have it again.
Chili garlic naan ($ 3.50) and regular naan ($ 4.00): Generous serving with soft and crispy texture in all the right places. The chili was not noticeable with the garlic aroma pleasant and not overpowering. I’m pretty particular with naan and their regular ones had a softer texture and were delicious as well.
Thums up ($ 2.50): My friends told me to try this Indian rendition of Coca Cola and it was pretty different from what we have here. I’m not a regular coke fan but it was worth the try.
Service was attentive, personable, and knowledgeable. I thought prices were reasonable and portions were hearty and generous. It was helpful to dine with my friends know Indian food quite well so the entire experience was less stressful but rather experiential and educational. 4 stars for the wonderful experience. I will be coming back for more.

Sitting in a booth with a mini thatched roof over our heads, I knew the experience was going to be a good one. The patrons appeared happy, the mood was quiet and cute, and my lady was looking hot as always. Do you ever settle into a dining experience and just feel that it’s going to be a good night? That’s the vibe I had going.
For starters I am now addicted to their pickled carrots, a specialty of theirs. They sell them so I can take my addiction with me, and as far as substance abuse goes there are certainly worse things than pickled carrots. These are Indian pickles, not typical pickles seen in American food, but a tangy variety. You get a cute little dish with your food to use sparingly as a garnish but embarrassingly enough I ate the whole thing and was forced to asked for more. I ate them with the paratha, I ate them with the samosas, and I tossed them all up in my main dish.
The samosas were a highlight for certain, you’d be surprised how many restaurants screw up some aspect of these tasty starters. Overzealous chefs often fry the living christ out of samosas leaving you with an oil soaked mess. These were crispy to satisfy my fried food craving without being drenched to the max in oil. The paratha was flavorful and presented in an attractive way, not just your usual bread in a basket.
For the main event I gave the Aloo Bhain a go and I found it a touch lacking. I couldn’t put my finger on it, it was still good, but somehow missing a layer of flavor I’m usually expecting with Indian. However the rice was on point and the pickled carrots tied it all together.
The servers were knowledgeable and polite, catering to my carrot pickle demanding ways. I still can’t decide if I love the fact they play Bollywood music videos or if I desperately want them to turn it off. I can’t. Stop. Watching. It’s perplexing.
I will be back, I wanna give another main dish a shot with about three orders of samosas. At least I know if the meal I ordered is lacking I always have amazing pickles to save the day.

The boyfriend likes Indian food. He is partial to all things spicy and I am… well a huge wuss. But I am a nice girlfriend, and I like to make him happy, so last Saturday I decided we should have Indian food for dinner. I had been eyeing this place for a little while, ever since my lackluster trip to Ramayani next door. It is hidden away in a tiny shopping center that is jam packed with ethnic foods.
We arrived at the restaurant at about 8pm and I was very hungry at this point because we had gotten caught up in some video games and had forgotten to eat. The restaurant is advertised as Homestyle family dining and when we entered the restaurant, that is exactly what we saw, families doing just that. After a few minutes of standing in the entrance, the host/​waiter/​possible owner sat us in a booth up against the window.
The décor of the place is nothing spectacular, but it is appropriate and cute. They have a pretty extensive menu including many vegetarian and tofu dishes. We started with some samosas with chick peas. They were very well done, not too oily or over fried. I had a tasty fish dish which they made extra mild for me. The BF had one of their vegan friendly options though it was tough for him to stray from his usual order. It was not quite spicy enough, but that was quickly fixed when he asked for something to make it spicy and they brought him a plate of fresh chilis. On top of that we had saffron rice (not sure how I felt about the cherries in the rice) and some bread. Overall my food was really good. I have never been a big fan of Indian food, but I found myself really enjoying my meal.
The service was spectacular at this restaurant. Our waiter made good suggestions, was very attentive and extremely helpful. I will say I am not crazy about the videos they play on the TVs, mostly because they are a bit distracting when you are trying to stare longingly into the eyes of your beloved. All in all, I will be back here again next time I want to make the boyfriend happy.

A typical, moderately-​sized, Raj-​rule decorated Indian eatery (obligatory Ganesha statuette squats near the till), the flavors were all there, spiced appropriately for most Western tastes and the naan fresh and delicious. While the tofu was a bit chewy and the portions small, the overall lunch was good for the price ($ 8 and $ 3 for a Bell Lager).
Parking is a bitch (imagine 8 vehicles, mostly SUVs crammed into a space made for perhaps 5) and the restroom needs some cosmetic touch-​up. My biggest gripe would be eating off of Sing-​Sing surplus prison issue steel trays. I’ve spent too much time eating in Army mess halls to appreciate this style dining experience.

This is it. Man, I have been here literally countless times. I started going to the Ambala down in Artesia, when it was this little hole in the wall and before it moved to the new location down the street. It quickly became my favorite place, hands-​down. Since moving to L.A., I’ve been going to this westside location, and the food and service is just as good. I’ve had get-​togethers here, family dinners, big parties out on their patio, dates, you name it. So yeah, you could say I’m a fan.
In terms of food, their bartha is fantastic, as is their chicken curry (spend the extra $ to get the white meat) and tikka masala. Their kulfi is good, too. I wish they hadn’t put in the two flat-​screen TVs which loop Bollywood movies, because it’s a little distracting and takes away from what I thought was a really great environment.
There’s a tiny lot in front that fits like three cars, or you can try your luck on the main street. Here’s what I do, though… go through the alley or around the other side of the gas station and park near the residential area by the used car lot. There’s almost always parking there.
If you go, say hi to Papoo for me (shit is that how you spell his name?)