- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Anarbagh
Category: Restaurants Indian Indian [Edit]
22721 Ventura BlvdWoodland Hills, CA 91364
Neighborhood: Woodland Hills
(818) 224-3929
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Fri 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 11 am - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
103 reviews for Anarbagh
Review Highlights
-
"I always get the Chicken Tikka Masala with Garlic Naan." In 13 reviews -
"The food- which we got garlic naan (delish." In 11 reviews -
"Love the Sag Paneer and Chicken or Lamb Tikka Masala." In 10 reviews
Loading...
103 reviews in English
-
Review from Edwin A.
3/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Sometimes I go into serious Indian food withdrawals. Coming from a place where I had access to multiple Indian food restaurants that served super cheap and suspiciously good Chicken Tikka Masala (ctm), I feel uneasy not having this once a week.
So every few months I have to cave and get some ctm, and this place is one of my favorite that I have found around me. I don't know what it is, but some places just don't make it in a way that satisfies that internal need.
Anarbagh is great, I've tried their lamb vindaloo too and it's very very good. I could eat here everyday. The only thing is that it is definitely a sit-down full on restaurant so you have to be somewhat presentable...though there is always take out. -
Review from Adina C.
Granada Hills, CA
1/28/2012
We loooove this place. We have come here for years, and there hasn't been one thing we did not like. I've ordered several items and never been disappointed. I only eat seafood, so I've had the fish tandoori (my favorite), and several of the shrimp dishes. They are very generous with portions; I always have left overs for lunch. The fish tandoori has been my all time favorite. The fish just melts in your mouth.
We occasionally order the vegetarian appetizer which is very delicious. I enjoy the lentil soup and the salad dressing is very yummy as well.
For desert, if we're not too full, we'll have the rice pudding.
I have tried a couple of the Indian beers, and they are very good.
We love, love, love the place! -
Review from Jay R.
Los Angeles, CA
1/28/2012
Two stars in comparison to the taste, quality, quantity and value of Shalimar down the street.
I honestly don't know why I even bothered deviating from my favorite Indian place. But I guess you never know until you experiment.Comment from Zohir u. of Anarbagh 3/26/2012
Hello Jay R, I am sorry you didnt like our restaurant, in… More » -
Review from Ilana B.
Los Angeles, CA
5/24/2012
We had dinner tonight at Anarbagh. Excellent food,attentive service, clean, one of the best Indian food restaurant. We will go back for sure.
-
Review from Man M.
Sherman Oaks, CA
5/12/2012
Food was good.
Service was good.
They even made a couple of the dishes a little spicy. Nice!
Coordination could have been a little better.
They have a new hall for events. -
Review from Mike A.
1/6/2012
I've never been to a better Indian restaurant. Am I an expert? No. Okay, maybe sort of. I have been to maybe 15 Indian restaurants, and while I don't think that should classify me as an expert, I am the one writing this review, so I can say whatever I want!
Everything I've had has been great. My favorite is the Chicken 65. Ordering as a meal instead of a la carte is always worth it. I'm not sure if they took down the strange 9/11 memorial light/art display, but that was ... interesting. Poor guys. Just trying to remind their patrons that they're not terrorists.
I was going to write a joke about their food making me have to drop bombs, but I decided to be lazy and just deliver the punch line. Enjoy, Internet. -
Review from Carly P.
10/5/2011
Best Indian food I have found in LA so far! My favorite dishes are the palek paneer, tarka dahl and aloo matar. They customize the spiciness perfectly :)
They deliver and recently got on GrubHub so you can pay online and have them deliver without even picking up the phone. If you eat in house and are courteous to the manager, he'll give you the 15% VIP discount card which you can also use for your delivery orders - score!Listed in: Favorite LA Vegetarian Places
-
Review from Erika V.
9/27/2011
I love Anarbagh.
I've been coming here for years, usually twice a month but sometimes more if I'm out and about in the valley. When I go out with my parents we always love coming here. The waiters know to bring my dad whatever Indian beer he likes. I don't know, I always go for the mango lassi. Either way, I don't need to ask for it these days and it just comes my way.
I LOVE the fact that this is one of the few Indian restaurants that I can go to and I say GIVE ME GHOST PEPPER HELL and they'll do it and laugh at me while I drool on myself. Hello, that's the point of having a constant flow of mango lassi's.
I'm honestly a huge fan of most of the food. I can't say I've eaten it all but I've tried a lot of stuff. So long as I have my lamb vindaloo and naan I'm usually happy. This place is seriously great eats. go. go. go. -
Review from Ellen C.
Woodland Hills, CA
8/29/2011
The food here is okay. Nothing spectacular but pretty decent. The reason I'm giving it such a low review is because of the service.
We came here Sunday at around 4:00. We were the only ones there which was unusual since this place is usually crowded.
We were seating and then waited for about 5 minutes for someone to come and take our drink orders. We ordered water. We then waited another 10 minutes for someone to come and bring us water. At that point, we were ready to order. We placed our order and asked for naan.
We waited and waited and waited until it was eventually brought out. I understand that it takes time to make the food, but water refills, bread, etc took a really long time. Also, the waiter seemed annoyed that we were even asking him for anything. I seriously felt like we were inconveniencing them by being there. Not a feeling I like to have when I'm paying to eat at a place.Comment from Zohir u. of Anarbagh 3/26/2012
Hello Ellen, I am so sorry for the bad experience at our… More » -
Review from Sunil R.
10/13/2011
I went here with high hopes after having an amazing meal at the other Anarbagh and giving that a 5 star rating.
This one surprisingly was not as good. The people who work here were very nice, serious but nice. They even brought out my take out order to my car where I was waiting.
This place does remind me of a Indian restaurant from the 90s. A little dingy and outdated decor. Also note that you will need to wash or dry clean your clothes after going here. Indian food is very flavorful but also pungent unless there is very good ventilation.
The food I thought was around 30% more expensive than it should be. The coconut chicken and paneer tikka were both good. -
Review from Marion P.
Orange, CA
10/7/2011
Best Indian food I have found!
I always get the Chicken Tikka Masala with Garlic Naan. Best Tikka Masala I have ever had. Dinner is served family style. They have all types of Naan and they are all delicious. Dinner is definitely $$ to $$$ depending on what you add, however I know they offer decent lunch specials (I just haven't had the opportunity to get out to the Valley again for this). Also, they customize the level of spice for you, which is great. Be aware, spicy is quite spicy!
The staff is always especially friendly and the atmosphere is upscale casual to sophisticated. -
Review from Chel M.
Los Angeles, CA
8/1/2011
Outstanding food! Amazing staff! Enough said!
But of course I will add more because you won't believe me...We love Indian food..We have tried so many places...This is our absolute favorite so far!
The dishes are so savory and the spices are so exciting...We order the Chicken Tikka Masala, Vegetable Korma, Alu Ghobi, Vegetable Bhiryani, Garlic Nan, and a Lamb Vindaloo every time...a lovely bottle of White Zinfandel and a bottle of Taj Mahal beer for Brian...
The food comes served in cute warmers and the atmosphere is nice, intimate, and romantic via dimly lit and well decorated dining room.
The best and most attractive quality of this restaurant that makes it head and shoulders above the rest...The staff!....They are so pleasant, attentive, and it took only three visits for them to remember us. They give so much personal attention it makes the great food nearly second to that service.
The off thing...The location...It is right on the strip on Ventura Boulevard....drive too fast and you miss it...If you do drive by...turn around and go back because you will be missing a treat! -
Review from Lorraine P.
Los Angeles, CA
5/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Indian food and I haven't known each other very long. I've had a few encounters with some white washed versions, but Anarbagh seems like the real deal. I'd like to get to know it better, bc I had a pretty good experience with this place.
They serve classic Indian dishes like Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Chicken, samosas, various curries and several vegetarian items. What attracted me was the lunch specials starting at $6.95, available Monday-Friday. Me and a co-worker each got a different special and went halfsies on the food:
Veggie samosa- Dehli-cious! (Yep. I went there) Proving that almost anything wrapped in fried dough is tasty.
Lamb samosa- Exception to the rule about anything fried (see above). This one was dry; Blah.
Lentil soup- Great! Hearty but not heavy; cross between minestrone/vegetable soup.
Plain Naan- Crisp flatbread w/ bubbly crust and soft center, kinda bland. Go for the garlic naan.
Tandoori Chicken- good flavor, just too dry-- cooked beyond death!
The restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside, but the interior has obviously had some work done. There's beautiful glass pendant lights and big cushioned comfy booths- my butt didn't complain once. Service was better than expected and they were super conscientious of our time constraint. It's no wonder they've been in business for 20+ years. There is metered street parking on Ventura, but I'd recommend parking for free in the back lot.Listed in: Valley Goodness
-
Review from Amy C.
5/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Even reading the name makes my mouth water....
Customer service tends to make or break my opinion of a restaurant. In Anarbagh's case, I am thoroughly pleased with their treatment of customers. I've never actually dined-in, but have taken to-go orders several times. When I walk in to pick up my order the manager always greets me kindly and hands me coupons for my next trip. The food never ceases to be ready instantly, and they always remind me that they have FREE delivery. Normally I'd beat myself up about pointlessly driving to pick up my food, but the ambiance and staff are pleasant enough to soften the blow.
When I arrive home with my food it's still piping hot. The lamb korma and chicken tikka masala are our favorites, along with the garlic naan & mushroom rice (all are must-try's!). You can choose the level of spiciness they add to your food (HOT, HOT, HOT, please!!!). If you're looking for your regular Indian joint, or perhaps just to try something new, check out Anarbagh! It's sure to never disappoint. -
Review from Nadia Y.
I am not very savvy on Indian food and I confess I don't know a whole lot about it other than what I have seen on tv or heard from other people. I wanted to finally try a Indian restaurant, so I checked yelp and this was the first to come up near by.
I have had 1 take out order and 1 dine in.. both excellent experiences. My boyfriend and I were greeted and asked to sit down while we waited for our to go orders. They gave us some water and snacks while we waited. (I have no idea what it was, something like a crispy cracker bread thing? LOL) It was pretty good considering I had no idea what it was haha.
The second visit we dined in and the customer service was excellent as well. The ambiance in that place is pretty cool! At least I like it anyway. Very friendly staff and waiters. When these guys give you the options for how spicy you want your food, they aren't kidding! They don't F around!! We asked for one of the dishes "hot" and the waiter looked at my boyfriend and said "Are you sure she can handle that?" HAHA I'll be fine! I appreciate them giving a heads up because 9 times out of 10 when someone says it's "really spicy," it never really is. This was fairly spicy because my eyes were watering (this is good), and I think if I had gotten very hot I might have killed my taste buds. Excellent presentation, I like the way they serve the food. :)
Also good table service, I don't think my water glass ever got empty and my teacup was always refilled as soon as I put it at the edge of the table. The food was delicious!! Sag paneer, some coconut curry shrimp, sea bass masala, and lamb tikka. I liked it all so far. This place has itself a couple new regulars.Listed in: The Valley
-
Review from Kearstin E.
Lake Balboa, CA
7/28/2011
Great service- staff was very attentive!
I was referred here by a family member of an employee there and I was delighted by the decor and the aura- felt very authentic.
The food- which we got garlic naan (delish!) as well as one other appetizer and the curry and the masala- well... everything tasted so amazing!
My reason for 4/5- I never see it busy there- they could definitely afford to go down on the prices.... but I'm going to look into whether they have a decent lunch menu- they've definitely got the food down! -
Review from Sirinda S.
Los Angeles, CA
4/29/2011
This was my first Indian food experience in the Valley (I tend to stick to Indian food on the Westside as that's what's close by), so I wasn't sure what to expect. The menu is extensive and impressive. I had the vegetable korma, chicken tikka, and Parmesan naan. Unfortunately the korma was not spicy at all eventhough I ordered it medium, and the sweet flavors seemed to predominate. However, the food was good. The service was really, really slow (at one point I had to go up to the bar to ask for the check), but friendly.
I would go back if I were in the area just to try something different from their large menu. -
Review from Jean Y.
1/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
When we walked in to the restaurant, a guy was vacuuming the floor! Never seen that in restaurant. Were we too early? No. We even called the place before to find out whether they're opening on the Jan. 2nd.
Then again cleaning the floor was far better than dirty floor.
Nothing to complain.
It was rainy outside, pretty cold inside.
I couldn't take my down jacket off. It was that cold. I wanted my chai badly.
Waiter told us, it will take a while for chai. they just opened.
It was 11:30AM.
We had chicken tikka massala, lamb bindalu and lamb curry.
It was soo good. Even the lentle soup was excellent.
Naan was also super.
The waiter brought us chai in a pot. I think that was nice.
Price was reasonable. Food was good. Chai was real hot.
I want to go there again for sure. -
Review from Samantha P.
Calabasas, CA
1/4/2012
Got all the usual fixins of an Indian spot but this place does it well, every time.
-
Review from tim m.
Van Nuys, CA
12/11/2011
Whoo doggie. Delicious and SUPER DUPER nice people!!! Lots of different options at prices around $10 for dinner. Plenty of food.
-
Review from Lorine B.
Woodland Hills, CA
4/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best Indian food in Woodland Hills. I bring all my friends here and they love it! Love the Sag Paneer and Chicken or Lamb Tikka Masala. Delicious!
Service is great. They get to know their regular customers and make you feel welcome. Look for their coupons too. -
Review from Gloria A.
Canoga Park, CA
10/26/2010
Ill be the first to say, I no nothing about Indian food. I've had it before but I dont know what's from what. Jola B, Lorie S and I went to Anarbagh after we all got off of work. Lucky for us, since it was at night, we got front row parking. We walk in and were immediately greeted and seated into one of their booths. The decor was cozy, def not modern but it set the mood for sure. I didnt get the waiters name but he's a younger, thinner gentleman and he was just that! He was one of the nicest most polite waiters i've come across in such a long time! We ordered Chicken Tikka, Chicken Coconut curry, Garlic Basil naan, stuffed potato naan and a order of basmati rice.
We mentioned that we liked a lot of onions and the waiter was so nice, he brought out extra grilled onions. The chicken Tikka was amazing! Nice and juicy, super flavorful but not really salty. The chicken coconut curry I will admit was a little dry but the sauce was soooo good esp. all over my rice..
I really enjoyed our dinner here at Anarbagh. Everything was so flavorful!! I will DEF. be back!Listed in: San Fernando Valley favorites
-
Review from Chris S.
Canyon Country, CA
11/1/2010 2 Check-ins Here
One of my favorite meals at any restaurant is here. The chicken tandori tikki (do not confuse this with the chicken tikki marsala).
The lunch special includes 5 nice big juicy and flavorful chunks of breast meat chicken, with your choice of naan or rice and a small soup and/or salad. -
Review from Jola B.
Sherman Oaks, CA
10/27/2010
So, of course, looked this place up on yelp before going. Gloria A and Lorie S and I went over here for a late night dinner. We arrived around 9:30 and we were immediately greeted & seated. That's my kind of service! The atmosphere was very nice & the tables were clean, so I'm still happy.
Our waiter was a taller young man that seriously was so sweet. He addressed all of us as Miss & would constantly replenish our water. He brought food out in sequence so we has appetizers and main courses :)
We started off with the Garlic Naan & it was delicious. The raita was yummy and I am particular about my raita. It doesn't necessarily need to be super authentic or anything, just has to taste good! The poppadoms are my favorite though. They are nice, thin, & crispy & best of all...the first order they give to you is FREE! Yum yum yum :D
Then our Chicken Tikka, Coconut Chicken Curry, & Sag Paneer came. As the waiter was dividing the chicken Tikka between our plates, I said I really want a lot of onions. He not only gave me a lot of onions but went and had the chef fry up some more onions in the back. The chicken tikka was alsolutely moist and delicious. The coconut chicken curry had great flavor but unfortunately was quite dry. I used the sauce from it for everything else :) The Sag Paneer was quite delicious although I must say, it was not seasoned really. I mean seriously I'd rather have something unseasoned than overseasoned, so I seasoned it to my liking & was very happy with it :) The paneer was fresh & delicious.
Would I come here again? Absolutely. The people are friendly, the food is good, and best of all, everyone gets a 15% off VIP card for their next visit :D -
Review from VJ S.
Tarzana, CA
3/3/2011
Heard good things about this place, experience was marginal. Was NOT IMPRESSED. The food tasted like it was reheated and tasted the same.
There are better choices nearby (Agra in Woodland Hills is MUCH BETTER!)Comment from Zohir u. of Anarbagh 3/28/2012
Hello VJ S, I am so sorry you didnt like our food as our… More » -
Review from Minnie F.
Los Angeles, CA
10/27/2010
Driving around the neighborhood and thinking of where to have lunch, we saw the huge sign up front that read, 4-course lunch $6.95, obviously, we went right in!
As soon as we entered this beautiful restaurant, we noticed the amazing & exotic scent of spices in the air.
The lunch menu has good variety and starts at $6.95. The hubby ordered lamb curry and fell in love. I had the vegetarian curry dish and that was just as yummy.
Can't wait to return and try their dinner items next time. -
Review from Nicole F.
1/4/2011
My friend suggested this place after hearing from some people that the food was very good. I myself am a vegetarian and love Indian food.
This place was not fancy inside and very simple. The menu is very extensive and they offer a very wide variety of entrees. I was overwhelmed by the extremely large selection of vegetarian entrees but I asked the waiter and he recommended some dishes. All the food was very good and had tons of flavor. Nothing was too greasy as some Indian restaurants tend to get on the heavy side.
The wine selection was decent, nothing too fancy. They had several Indian beers on the menu.
The service was great, we were able to sit for over 2 hours and enjoy our dinner and socialize without feeling like we had to pay and leave. -
Review from Kristine H.
Seattle, WA
When we're down south and crave Indian food, we head here. There might be better places... hell I KNOW there's closer ones to the hotel but we have never had a bad food experience here. And whether it's a two-top or a boisterous party of six, their food is consistently good and no one leaves hungry.
Their mulligatawny soup is hearty and a perfect starter before the meal. One of our favourites is the lamb dopiaza nor can you go wrong with their tandoori dishes. I wholly recommend their garlic basil naan or their keema naan. I could make a meal of either of those with some soup. Or the swordfish tandoori... it's succulent and perfectly prepared! Their special dinners for two are quite enough food for three! We've supplemented it with an additional appetizer if everyone's hungry but it's plenty of food. And I like the fact you get a couple of papadams as you wait for your food - that makes me yearn for the UK.
Parking can be dicey on the weekends when they are at their busiest so park a few blocks down and enjoy the walk after your feast. The service is competent but sometimes slow. And note, if you ask for hot + very hot, you WILL get hot so don't kvetch afterward. Or if your meal is too spicy, man up and eat it anyway... and order a lassi to soothe the piquancy of your selection. -
Review from David C.
North Hollywood, CA
12/5/2010
There are a lot of great Indian restaurants in the Woodland Hills area. Unfortunately I don't believe this is one of them. The food was average, but the service was poor. When we came in to join others who were waiting no one greeted us to give us an idea of how long the wait would be for. We ended up waiting over 35 mins and when finally the next table was available for us the owner gave it away to a friend. We nearly walked out, but we were convinced to stay for a smaller table that would open up soon. Should have trusted our flight instinct.
Could be a much better restaurant with better service. -
Review from Alison R.
Los Angeles, CA
8/30/2010
Trying to save money on Saturday evening, my boyfriend and I went through a coupon booklet he found in his mailbox. We found deals for a couple of different Indian restaurants in his neighborhood and, since we rarely eat out in Woodland Hills and rarely eat Indian food, we arbitrarily chose Anarbagh. Clipped a coupon for a 10-course meal for 2 for $35.99 and phoned it in for pick-up.
The man who answered the phone was very rude, I thought. I wanted 2 kinds of vegetables with my order, spinach and eggplant. I understand that you can only pick one type of vegetable within the guidelines of this special, but I was willing to pay for an extra side just so we could try something else. The Indian dude on the phone just wasn't having it: "NO MA'AM, this special only comes with ONE vegetable. You canNOT have ANYthing more!!!!" Not even after I explained I would pay for it would he let me, so I just gave up.
Fortunately, the Anarbagh staff is much friendlier in person. The restaurant was super packed when we arrived to pick up our order, which is probably why the guy on the phone wasn't in the mood to negotiate. After we got there, I regretted the fact that we got our food to go because the ambiance of the restaurant was really quite nice. Soft colors and dimly lit. I could see that the serving utensils and dishes looked very authentic, as well.
Our order wasn't quite ready yet, so we split a beer and chatted up one of the staff members, who was very kind and engaging. The beer, by the way, was very good....some kind of Indian lager with a light and slightly sweet finish. Finally, we got our food and we were off!
Both my boyfriend and I were pleasantly surprised by the amount of food we were given for $36: A large piece of naan bread, some mixed appetizers including an onion fritter, vegetable samosa, some pieces of chicken from a skewer, and sausages. For the main course, we were given half a tandoori chicken, which was hot and tasty, some DELICIOUS creamed spinach (sag paneer) with big tender hunks of Indian paneer cheese, and some really tender lamb curry (or korma?) sitting in a velvety and aromatic brown sauce. Also gave us some spicy condiments to accompany the meal: tamarind sauce, mint sauce, and something else that was hot HOT!!! Only disappointment was the dessert which was a wimpy-looking eggroll-shaped baklava type thing. And they only gave us one. Which is okay with me because it SUCKED.
Anyway, I'll put a cork in it now. If you asked me whether or not I would come back again, I would say yes. But next time, I would dine in. -
Review from ashley t.
WOODLAND HLS, CA
4/10/2011
This place is great! I mostly get it ordered out but the restaurant is clean and cozy as well. I've been there a ton of times and order the same thing every time. The service is impeccable and you cant beat getting VIP card every time you go there for 15% off ;) The waiters are always polite.
The samosas and mango lassi are so so so delish. The Saag Paneer is to die for!! -
Review from Lisa B.
2/17/2009 3 Check-ins Here
Americans are FAT FAT FAT. 75% of Americans are overweight or clinically obese. Have you seen the size of a medium coke these days? WTF. Why am I ranting about fat people in my review of Anarbagh? Because for once, I've found a restaurant that doesn't bring you a plate of food the size of a trough.
Anarbagh serves it's dishes in little bowls with romantic, flitty little flames underneath to keep your vittles toasty. I love the Matar Paneer and Chicken Tika....mmmmm sopping up the Tika sauce with my Nan is simply outstanding.
Every time we go there, they recognize us and give us the VIP disco discount even though we always lose the card. A new one always reappears at the end of the evening for us to lose as soon as we get in the car.
The place is always packed..but beware, they might ask you to move so they can squeeze a bigger party into your spot. Oh and I love the sparkly lighty uppy thing with the World Trade Center saying "We love America" on it. An artifact of 9/11 and I imagine, a fear that some ignorant patron might think they're related to OBL.
For what it's worth...yum yum. -
Review from Grace C.
Los Angeles, CA
11/24/2009 5 Check-ins Here
When I moved back to the valley from San Francisco, I was sad to leave the city plentiful of food places, farmer's markets and gourmet everything. I was so spoiled living in Berkeley for 4 years and then San Francisco for nearly a year after graduation. How would the San Fernando Valley, super suburban suburb of LA ever compare?
As far as Indian food goes, I love this place more than any other Indian restaurant. One summer day, my boyfriend and I were craving Indian food, and being the religious Yelper that I am, I yelped this restaurant (we almost chose the other place, but we had a hunch about this one). Now it's become our weekly tradition to venture out to Anarbagh to satisfy our Indian food cravings and to take a break from my parents' home cooked meals.
The restaurant is normally pretty busy around the time that we come in, 7:30PM on a WEEKDAY. The second I walk in, scents of delicious foods fill my nostrils, and my tummy starts rumbling. We get seated right away after we choose a booth or table to sit down in, and we are served these thin appetizer crackery things (not sure the name of them) with a few dipping sauces.
Then we order our food after looking over the menu for a few minutes while trying to decide whether to venture from our usual choices: Chicken Tikka Masala (spicy hot), Chicken 65 (spicy hot), 1 garlic naan, 1 regular naan, 1 order of regular white rice, and 2 cups of spiced tea with milk (chai!). Normally we don't.
The chicken tikka masala is slightly sweeter than most that I've had, and thick and creamy. The chicken is more tender in this particular dish than most other Indian dishes where the chicken is slightly more dry than I would like. And despite the fact that ordering the food spicy hot makes my nose runny while I am eating, I continue to eat. Not sure how to describe the Chicken 65, except that although I've tried the lamb curry (tasty), daal (yellow lentil, tastes like what weed smells like, if that makes any sense & not recommended), chicken pasand (great!), and other such dishes, the chicken 65 is still our 2nd favorite dish on the menu behind the chicken tikka masala.
As far as naan goes, we're pretty obsessed with the garlic naan. Crispy in the middle and bubbly and soft on the outside, we get the best of both worlds. (I like my naan crispy, and my boyfriend likes it soft). Order 2 (and rice) for 2 entrees, and it's enough naan to wipe the dishes clean. And I was never one to finish all of my food, so that means a lot. We normally only finish half the rice, since they give us a lot of it.
Come here often enough, and they'll give you a VIP discount card for 15% off your meal. Come here REALLY often, and they'll automatically give you 15% off your meal. And if you come here as often as my boyfriend & I do, they'll give you free dessert, which we got tonight. Mmmmm.
The service is top notch. Everyone in the restaurant is super attentive and friendly. Park in the back for free, since there are sketchy meters in the front of the restaurant.
I know eating out is expensive, and we're in the middle of a recession. But we look forward to dining at Anarbagh every week because it makes us happy and fills our tummies up with delicious food, so screw you recession. We still deserve to splurge once in a while.
Bottom line, if you're in the valley, and looking for a great place for Indian food, go to Anarbagh. You will not be disappointed.
Edit: Why the heck are people complaining about portion sizes? We always order 2 for the 2 of us (+ rice & naan) and I end up stuffed beyond belief, Like what I would consider "barf full." No, the serving sizes are not small. Just because they don't shove a 3,000 calorie plate in front of you doesn't mean the portions are small.
Also, Chicken Tandoori is gooooood as well. Not good, but goooooood.Listed in: Indian Food
-
Review from Tom C.
Woodland Hills, CA
11/14/2007
I dunno... maybe it was just an off night. Victoria and I were being house hobbits, didn't feel like cooking and had a Netflix movie so we called Anarbagh for a delivery.
The vegetable samosas spent too much time in the hot oil. They were beyond "golden brown". The filling was mushy and dry. Aloo gobi was mushy. The mixed tandoori grill tasted ok, but was also very dry. I like juicy meat. This wasn't it.
All for $33.
We live about 2 miles from the restaurant, but the delivery guy took his time arriving. Maybe the food suffered in transit.
I think there's better Indian food to be had locally. -
Review from Srividya S.
Newark, CA
1/31/2010
BEWARE INDIANS...
If you are an Indian/Paki, looking for great indian food, avoid this restaurant or try once and leave forever.
This is a true indian's review about this restaurant. I guess most of the '5*' are of non-indian nature.
Wait time - We went for dinner on a saturday night. Had usual crowd, and waited for 40mins(against what was told 20mins), and then our names were called and were assigned seat. Then comes another hour to get our first appetizer. And no water for an hour since we were seated. That was really bad and we felt almost to leave the place after around 1.30hrs....
Food - We ordered panner makani, aloo gobi, some naan, and vegetable biriyani. We requested it to be hot (indian spicy level).
To our surprise, we got a sweet panneer makhni, it was totally new to try a sweet panner makhni and tasted ODD.
Aloo Gobi was flavorless and bland.
BIRIYANI - Wat a Joke...it was just basmati rice with some veggies..without salt and spice(almost 0 spice/salt).
After total frustation, we called the waiter and explained about the great food....and he said..somebody's order got mixed up and it was a confusion...ooops...I want to see that somebody who ordered a sweet panner makhni and tastless biriyani...We know that it was a lie. Then we got a fresh biriyani...and to our surprise, it was mixed with RAW CHILLI POWDER,again with no salt...
Total experience - It is important here to mention that these restaurants do attract non-indians very well by having a great ambience, but most often have forgotten food taste/quality.
Thanks for reading and benefitting from this review. -
Review from Walter T.
Tarzana, CA
10/22/2010
Briefly, good (not great) Indian standards but by far the worst service we've ever experienced. Moderate crowd (perhaps 3/4 full) and plenty of waiters.We were two couples.
Arrived at about 6:30pm and finally settled our tab around 9:30pm.
First contact with a waiter was about 20 minutes after we were seated. We were deep in conversation so the wait was not a big deal except as a precursor of things to come.
We ordered standard stuff off the menu and went back to schmoozing. After about 45 minutes one of the ladies noticed it had been a while since we ordered and that we hadn't seen the waiter.
I got up and tried to find someone who could help us and check on our order. Finally I just went into the kitchen and asked if there was an order for four that had been waiting a while to find out that our order was never submitted.
The chef asked what we wanted and said he would personally make sure it was done quickly and properly. Not recalling everything I told him I'd go back out and take the order and return to him.
After another half hour still nothing. We decided to bag this place and go to La Frite down the street. When we were preparing to leave, someone who seemed to be in charge asked us whether something was wrong.
We told him and he was apologetic and promised to check for us. This time it seems the food was ready and had been sitting under heat lamps for at least 15 minutes. The "in charge guy" said he would serve the food if we wanted or that if we could wait a but longer he would have a fresh order prepared.
We told him to go ahead. About 10 minutes later out it came.
Food was OK, but the same as any other Indian restaurant. Nothing special.
It took us about 20 minutes to eat and another 10-15 minutes to get a check. There was no offer to make amends for the screwed up service, so we just paid the tab and left. No gratuity.
Do yourself a favor and try another Indian restaurant where your patronage is more welcomed. -
Review from Anna A.
11/11/2008
Oh yes, how could I not like this place? The waiter looked exactly like my good friend, Ahmed, the only Paki in Athens who drives a Jaguar with Austrian plates. (all the other Pakistanians sell oranges/kleenex to you at red lights). Not only that, the waiter's charisma and charm was the exact twin of Ahmed's.. Whoa, I already love this place.
The Ahmed lookalike is brilliant. He would be the #1 telemarketing sales champion back in the 80s. In the 90s, he would be gold in vacuum as seen on TV sales and in the late 90s he would super cede all other boiler room brokers bar none.
Now comes the year 2008 (after his loan agent hay days), the year of the waiter. This guy is genius. "Indian Beers for everyone, don't worry I bring to you." And before anyone can protest (psh please, why would they want to, but in big groups, they do), he brings everyone a large Taj Majal beer. Delicious, with almost a honey after taste.
It was Darlene's 25th brithday after all and she wanted garlic nann, and orders and after order of them. She kept doing the index finger spiral gesture, "More garlic nann" bring us another round! And they brought it. And it had some damn good chunks of garlic.
You actually have a choice of soup of salad, but Ahmed said no, 'you can make salad at home any day, but soup....noooo... soup takes the whole day. Soup for everyone!" And he was right, it was warming and scrumptious.
I sat at the end of the table with the vegetarians, and we had a hay day. Just say "NO" to horse meat!
We dined on vegetable marsala, rich sauce made with almonds and spice, lentils & spinach and the malai kofta (cheese and veggie balls in cream sauce). It was all very filling and scrumptious. Not as heavy as normal Indian food - more delicate and compelling.
And desert? It was Darlene's birthday after all. Ahmed yelled out, Baklava on the house!" Oooh really?? There was a Greek (me), a Turk (Darlene's hubby), and a Croatian who have all grown up with their respective baklavas. When it came in 3 to a plate looking like rolled cigars and chopped pistachios on top, we thought we had it made. First bite... Not So Much. It was dry and pea-nutty?? Just weird. Don't do it to me again, Anarbagh. Don't serve baklava. Please. We also got a rice pudding... eeerrr tasted like some other kitchen spices might have tipped over and fell into the mix. Is this the beginnings of an Indian Mole? I pray to Shiva no!
All in all, I would come back to this place if I'm ever venturing up the 101. The beer, the vast vegetarian dishes, and alas, AHMED! -
Review from Diana D.
10/29/2008
The food is good, but the service is just rude.
Also, forget about ordering a "heat level". It's sort of like roulette. You MAY get what you asked for, or what is mentioned on the menu. Or you MAY get the exact opposite, or maybe something close. In fact, you may not get given what you ordered at all, but you WILL get an argument about it from the waiter and manager.
My favorite meal was the one in which I was given pistachio after explaining to the manager, waiter and server that I am allergic to all nuts and treenuts. The waiter claimed pistachios aren't nuts. Here I was beginning to wheeze and turn fun colors. The manager just argued that it was somehow my fault for not seeing teenily ground pistachio.
When I was throwing up in the ladies, my husband was forced to pay for the meal.
We're not going back. -
Review from Marsh M.
Beverly Hills, CA
9/4/2009
Charming place with plenty of customers which might make one think this is a good spot to dine. I think not! Here's a quick run down of my experience.
1. Service was very slow and we had to flag down the waiter like we were invisible.
2. The food portions aren't really worth the money
3. They served us the wrong dish and didn't come back until 10 mins later. Not to mention the coffee they gave us came with a DIRTY spoon. How appetizing... Won't be back anytime soon.
Here's one pro: I believe they deliver. Maybe when I'm stoned they might get some business for me but as for dining in if you're HUNGRY GO ELSEWHERE! -
Review from David O.
Walnut Creek, CA
4/1/2007
Anarbagh: Revenge of the Intestines.
Anarbagh made me feel old. That's why I'm giving them 4 stars instead of 5, actually. We placed an order by phone for delivery and they were prompt, friendly, and relatively inexpensive (then again, the portions are about half what they are at Taste of India, so price-wise it's probably a wash). We ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala, spicy (but not very spicy), one parmesan naan, one garlic naan, one Mulligatawney Soup, and some Navratan Korma.
7:15 PM, the food arrived and cost roughly $32. It's not cheap, but then again for all we ordered and delivered to our door... Can't really complain. I ate some of the Chicken Tikka Masala, very well prepared and certainly nicely spiced, but nothing insanely mindblowing. I mixed it in with basmati rice, of course, as I always do. I also had the Parmesan Naan, very well prepared with not too much parmesan. Wonderful taste. My wife had the soup and the Navratan Korma. We ate our meal, watched Real Time with Bill Maher, and were in bed by 9 PM. (Yes, laugh all you want... such is the life of the Suburban thirtysomething.)
I'm a pretty good sleeper. I can sleep through earthquakes. I usually go to bed and I'm out snoring away comfortably some 60 to 90 seconds after my head hits the pillow. I have had insomnia perhaps 4 times in my life... or on average once every nine years.
That night.... I did not sleep good. Hell, I didn't even sleep ok. I slept like SHIT. Nightmares, twisted tales of madness enveloped my every core. Violent hallucinogenic visions of death and suffering awoke me every 5 minutes. Cold sweats started kicking in around 11. This sulphuric curry odor seeped out of me like a sick dying hindu whose corpse is about to take a trip down the ganges.
That night, I finally understood about reincarnation. You should, in your first few lives, start with mild spices. As you return on your next journey on this planet, you may be ready to affront the more medium spices. However, you shouldn't even begin to consider to order vindaloo-type dishes until you've been here many many lifetimes. I heard that Gandhi himself would hesitate briefly before ordering Chicken Vindaloo very spicy. And at long last I understand why...
Sometime around 1 or 2 AM, the intestines raged their fury upon me and dragged my ass out of bed and onto the porcelain toilet bowl where I sat a long time in mild hysteria. I returned and prayed for forgiveness for having ordered a dish so spicy after my 36th birthday. I understand with perfect clarity, now, that my oesophagus can never again be tickled by such strong and potent dishes after the hour of 3PM.
So, as insanely good as Anarbagh's food was, it made me feel old, and for that, I cannot give them 5 stars.
UPDATE 04/29/2007: I got Anarbagh for lunch and the food was delectable and didn't give me nightmares.... Just like Gremlins who cannot eat after midnight I, apparently, cannot eat Anarbagh after 5 PM. Still, I'm upping them to 5 stars because it's excellent Indian food and they deliver to mi casa.
