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Rajdhani
Categories: Restaurants Vegetarian Restaurants Indian Food Specialty Food Ethnic Food Vegetarian, Indian, Ethnic Food [Edit]
18525 Pioneer BlvdArtesia, CA 90701
(562) 402-9102
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
139 reviews for Rajdhani
Review Highlights
"prepare your stomach for a gujarati vegetarian feast."
(in 28 reviews)
"My friend got the rose ice cream, which was really..."
(in 4 reviews)
"They have gulab jamun,kulfi ,gajar ka halwa."
(in 10 reviews)
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139 reviews in English
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Review from Jill k.
Oakland, CA
9/10/2011
prepare your stomach for a gujarati vegetarian feast! rajdhani is in a nondescript spot in one of the many indian strip malls on pioneer - you definitely wouldn't notice it if you weren't looking for it. (but never mind that, since you're a savvy foodie, and you've checked yelp)
upon entering, grab a seat, and the delicious fare will just start coming... and never stop! that's right, it is all you can eat, and at less than $20 a head (substantially less), really quite reasonable!
an absolute must if you appreciate indian food! -
Review from Hanna L.
Cerritos, CA
2/4/2012
I love how they serve you right when you sit down. The servers are very attentive, always asking if you'd like a refill. The manager is extremely nice, and goes out of her way for her customers. (She saw that I couldn't handle the spiciness, and offered me yogurt) The people there definitely make the ayce experience complete.
The food is whatever they feel like cooking that day. The day we came in they served 3 different types of bread, tomato chutney, khaman, potato peas and corn , fried potatoes, garbanzo beans, some other spicy dishes, cheesy rice, and salsa (I thought this was the weirdest of all at an Indian restaurant, but hey I aint complaining!) They don't modify any dishes for you, so if you can't take spicy expect to eat lots of salsa, bread, and potato, peas, and corn.
The dish I loved most that I would come back time and time again for is the Falooda Ice Cream. It's a rose ice cream with basil seeds on top. They even have a Falooda milkshake!
All in all, if you can't take spice, come here for the ice cream! -
Review from Ching T.
Whittier, CA
Came here w/ my BFF & fellow Yelper Jim K at his invitation last month since he knew I was getting back on the vegetarian wagon. Rajdhani is the US location of a well known Mumbai eatery of the same name; I'm not sure if it has the same owners, so perhaps it could just be the concept that was brought over?
Rajdhani features Gujarati Thali which is a Western Indian regional cuisine that features primarily vegetarian cuisine that are distinctively sweet, salty, & spicy at the same time. "Thali" pretty much means a selection of different dishes, usually served in small bowls on a round tray.
Dining here at Rajdhani is a bit of an event as they come around to fill, & refill at your request, the small bowls on your tray. You can, of course, refuse any of the selections. Can it be likened to Dim Sum? Sorta - due to similarities w/the AYCE factor, small bowls, etc.
The menu changes daily here at Rajdhani so it definitely keeps things fresh. For our particular visit, here's what we enjoyed:
THE THALI: ($13.99 per person AYCE Dinner)
- Glass of Chass (Salty Buttermilk) 3 Stars
Breads:
- Puri 3 Stars
-Chapati / Roti
- Papadum (crispy & flat) 5 ++++ Stars
- Tomato chickpea stew 3 Stars
- Warm Brown Ball (sorry! only thing I didn't get the name for) 4 Stars
5 Veggie Items: (L to R http://www.yelp.com/us...)
- Dhokla 3 Stars
- Kala Chana 5 +++ Stars
- Guvar Beans 2 Stars
- Potato Tindora 5 Stars
- Mixed Vegetable (Garbanzo Beans) 4.5 Stars
W/choice of ONE out of 6 dessert choices per person:
- Gulab Jamun 4 stars
- Dudhi/Loki Halwa 5 Stars
- Mango Lassi ($3.49) 4 Stars
THE YUMMY:
The CHASS must be an acquired taste. Buttermilk for a westerner conjures up a very rich creamy milky concoction rather than the watery thin consistency of what was actually served. I didn't instantly love it, but then again, I didn't hate it either.
All the BREADS were freshly made so they were still warm, soft &/or crisp. I'm partial to PAPADUM & was thrilled when they complied w/ my many requests for more! Their papadum was fragrant & very flavorful. The PURI, which is deep fried & is puffy like a tortilla filled w/air, ball like was tasty & so was the Chatti/Roti, which is also deep fried, flavored w/butter & looks like a cooked tortilla.
TOMATO CHICKPEA STEW w/ BUN was served in a long oval metal plate. I understand why a western style hamburger bun (one half of it) was served w/this as it made for a substantial way to scoop the stew up to eat. This stew is not at all watery & is very rich & thick. Very good flavor but it didn't wow me. Neither of us finished this plate past the 1-2 mouthfuls to taste.
WARM BROWN BALL in YOGURT was interesting. This almost tasted like a dessert. But both of us enjoyed the actual dessert selections more.
DHOKLA was the yellow colored prepared from yoghurt & chickpeas flowers which is steamed & then boiled to cook for a nice consistency. This was nice, not a lot of heat in this one.
KALA CHANA which comes from the family of garbanzo beans are chickpeas (chana) soaked overnight, then steam cooked & then cooked again in a tomato stew along w/spices - cumin seeds, cilantro seed (coriander seed), cinnammon, cloves, chili paste & ginger paste. This was one of my FAVS!!
GUVAR BEANS are green beans steamed cooked at first, then cooked again in a tomato stew gravy for flavor. These are the same steamed beans who's seeds yield the sticky sweet gum to add to ice creams. Here, though, the fresh beans are used as a whole vegetable for this stew that results in a very bitter taste & rough texture. Neither of us really liked this stew.
POTATO TINDORA is a mixture of tomatoes, potatoes, mustard seeds & other spices. If you like various Aloo curries then you'll love this! It was one of my favs!!
MIXED VEGETABLES consisting of cauliflower, eggplant, english peas, carrots, garbanzo beans all cooked in butter & tomato stew. Ridiculously simple & delicious!
GULAB JAMUN was a round warm bready ball in a sugar sauce. Just ok.
DUDHI LOKI HALWA was shredded squash mixed w/ raw sugar & cardamom/saffron. Superb!!
THE OVERALL:
I've personally had better Indian Vegetarian but for the price, variety & AYCE factor, it's pretty damn impressive!Listed in: A New Pescatarian /…, My Bollywood Adventures
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Review from Rob W.
Torrance, CA
11/29/2011
The nice thing about a sit-down buffet is that someone makes the decisions for you. We had a delicious vegetarian meal with just the right amount of spice. Even though we didn't save room for dessert, we ended up ordering an assortment. i loved the ice cream, but we all really enjoyed each one.
The lassi is light and pretty good too.
This place is hard to find, upstairs in a non-descript building. -
Review from VARJA s.
Torrance, CA
2/5/2012
Have been with my family a couple of times for dinner to this place. The service is good and so is the food for the price. I wouldn't call it an authentic gujarati thali though, but then it is perfectly customized for the american taste.
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Review from Prashanth K.
Long Beach, CA
1/22/2012
It's been a long time since I had a Gujarati Thali meal. This place brought back memories of my college days when we used to compete to wolf down as many chapatis as we could.
Clean, vegetarian food cooked in an authentic fashion and served in the same way as thali's are served back in India. A welcome addition is that they serve unlimited puris as well. Highly recommended. -
Review from Jerome V.
I won't be able to give you a precise description of the foods they give you nor their names. What I can tell you are the most important things:
1) This Indian restaurant is vegetarian.
2) The only thing on their "menu" is a sit-down buffet-style meal where people serve you unlimited portions of various soups, sauces, vegetables, and breads.
http://www.yelp.com/us...
3) You get one dessert per person, choosing one from six options.
http://www.yelp.com/us...
4) It's $13.99 plus tax per person.
And last but not least -
5) Everything is delicious.
Now get out of my dreams, get into my car, and let's go to Rajdhani!Listed in: Reviews with Pics!
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Review from Rishi T.
Pasadena, CA
9/12/2011
This is a unique restaurant where they serve, in Indian style, all-you-can eat food, Gujarathi-style. Full Unlimited combo runs about $14 and if you prefer for a mini-limited Combo, it is about $11.
Frankly, the only thing I liked about the food that day was the 'Kadhi', everything else was just cooked in mass and you can tell it lacked the flavor of Gujarathi food.
Service is poor. Table was not cleaned when we were seated. Upon calling the waiter, he just wiped it off to the floor:) Water was not served even though I asked two waiters.
If you do not know what all are being served, you might not ask for it and will not be served at all. I was not served the Mango Ras (Pulp) and neither the onion/green chilies was served. These are all part of the Menu. The Kichdi served was 'yuck'.
Very poor service and food definitely not worth the bucks! enjoy your food elsewhere...... -
Review from Jean C.
Cypress, CA
8/13/2011
This is now my favorite vegetarian Indian restaurant.
Took a star off for price (it's just a little high for me and my family's budget for what you get).
The service is amazing and they really took care of us. The food is just fantastic. It was all tasty and if you didn't like something, you don't have to eat it. With all the things you want, it just keeps on coming.
You do fill up really quickly, so be very careful with what you eat. They serve water and this buttermilk beverage which is rather unique and may not be all that great for someone who's trying it the first time. So you may want to tell the serve to just give you a little bit for taste and see how it goes because I don't know about you, but I hate wasting food.
The rice comes out LAST at this place. So if you like your rice, just ask. -
Review from Julia B.
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
The most interesting Indian restaurant I've ever been to! It can be described simply as a sit-down vegetarian restaurant.
Once you're seated, you are given a steel plate with 5 small dishes. No menu. The servers walk around filling them with several vegetarian dishes, as well as giving you rice and chapati. Throughout your time there, they come by to give you more of whatever else you want. You're also given a glass of water and buttermilk, the latter I'm not too fond of.
For dessert, I chose the ice cream with rosewater in it and I found it too sweet and perfumed. Their spicy carrot dessert was more to my liking though.
No particular dish stood out to me but all was good. I found their chapati a little greasy though. The mango lassi was delicious and a perfect drink to go with the dishes.
Overall, a pleasant and filling experience! -
Review from Jessica I.
Downey, CA
7/29/2011
Love, love, love this place!
My first trip, I went alone and it took a wee bit of driving back and forth along Pioneer to find it, but I just wasn't looking up enough. I immediately fell for the richness of the foods and the kindness of the staff. They were extremely helpful and when I explained that I am a vegan, they took extra care in bringing me items that I could eat and avoiding the ones that had dairy and ghee in them.
I brought three girlfriends on my second trip. A week later. I threw caution to the wind, however, and enjoyed everything they had to bring me! They did NOT disappoint. In fact, one of the ladies I brought hadn't had Indian food before and she is definitely a believer now.
I can't say enough great things about Rajdhani: it's an amazing culinary experience. I can't wait to go back again-I'm starting to go through withdrawals. :) -
Review from Gary C.
Cerritos, CA
1/5/2012
I'm relatively new to Indian cuisine. I like spicy foods, so I wasn't afraid to try Rajdhani. Everything is served in bowls along with different kinds of Indian bread. Yes, it was spicy and if that's not your thing, you can ask the server to give you the milder foods offered. There is plenty of water and buttermilk to drink (the buttermilk helps cool the palate). I couldn't tell which food item was which, so I ate whatever item was placed before me and ate. When we were finished eating, the server brought out finger bowls for hand washing, then showed us the desert menu. I think there's a picture of it in one of the photos another reviewer took with their cell phone. I chose the rose flavored ice cream - to die for. The wait staff was very helpful explaining the names and ingredients of the various food items. It takes awhile to eat all this food, so eat with a companion who you want to spend some time with catching up on life. This food is vegetarian and it was delicious (I am a committed carnivore, so this was good food.)
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Review from Deepika B.
Schaumburg, IL
9/5/2011
I decided to go to this place after I came to know that there is one in US too and of course after reading reviews on yelp. But was extremely extremely disappointed. I have been to their outlet in Mumbai, India and this was nowhere close to what I had there - in terms of food quality and ambiance both. I had very high expectations of this place, but sigh. Maybe this was one of their bad days.
The food was strictly okay. I was not so impressed with the varieties of veg dishes on offer. Of all the dishes on my plate, I only liked the kadi, khichdi, buttermilk and amras. That's it!!!! I shall definitely not visit them again in US, only the Mumbai branch. -
Review from Saakshi B.
Everett, WA
1/5/2012
Yes..will definetly get a 5 star...The food is delicious..Dnt forget to taste the shrikhand
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Review from Pushkar M.
Sunnyvale, CA
12/30/2011
Back in 2008 these folks served the best Gujarati thali I've had. (I'm a Gujarati who was raised in Bombay). Somewhere along the way these guys have morphed into a very regular indian thali. On my trip last week we were served chole (which is not even Gujarati)!! Basically all the three sabzis were somewhere between mediocre and missable. Not going back.
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Review from Harold P.
Berkeley, CA
5/25/2011
This place is awesome! I was a little confused when we walked in (I was expecting a menu) and all of a sudden we had plates and the food just started coming. I mentioned I was vegan and they were awesome about it. A lady (presumably a manager) told the employees what was vegan and told me not to worry, they would take care of it.
All of the employees were incredibly nice and very willing to please. The food kept coming and coming and everything I had was delicious! By the end of the experience, I was SO full. To top it off, the price is very reasonable.
I will definitely be back. -
Review from Amy K.
DEAR LORD I AM SO FULL, and I left over an hour ago.
Gori S. and I decided we needed Indian food, and after an afternoon at the mall, we showed up at Rajdhani with appetites raring. Service was very friendly and polite, we were given plates immediately and then the food started coming, and coming...and coming. This is an all-you-can-eat buffet where the buffet comes to you: servers come by and fill your bowls with various dishes, there's unlimited poori and chapati breads, and new things showed up all the time. You can have seconds if you'd like, but wait a couple minutes and something new will come out of the kitchen (Gori asked, and yes, the menu rotates). A salty lassi comes with the meal as well.
When we were turning green at the idea of accepting more poori, we found out we got a choice of desserts, too! Rose ice cream with basil seeds was the perfect ending to cool down our mouths (I didn't think anything was terribly spicy, but Gori did) and work on settling our distended bellies. Even while we were eating our ice cream, a server came by with rice and another dish, asking if we wanted more. I did wish the rice had come toward the beginning of dinner, but hey, I have very little to complain about. $13.99 + tax and tip, a delicious never-ending dinner, good company, attentive service, and even a finger bowl at the end.
Next time I go, though, I'm gonna find street parking. Whoever built the parking structure must've been on their first try: you can't go up or down the ramps without having to make a three-point turn, and you're pretty much asking for body damage by being in there.Listed in: my fave LA veggie places, My ROTDs
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Review from Sahana U.
Cupertino, CA
4/12/2011
This is one of the best Indian restaurants I've ever dined at in the US. Period. This is not the "glorified" Indian food that is usually seen at restaurants. This is probably what I would at home. The real deal!
Any type of review I write is not going to do it justice, so I'm not going to go in to detail. You have to experience it for yourself. No joke. Just trust my 5 star rating; it is well deserved.Listed in: Dinner spots
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Review from Maunil M.
Chino Hills, CA
6/25/2011 1 photo
This Place is great.. Every time we go there we have loads of fun...
The food is great and the owner is very friendly. It's clean, great ambiance and delicious food... -
Review from Vandana M.
Oakland, CA
5/15/2011
Whoa, dude. This place was craaaaazaaaay! You walk in, sit down, and suddenly there are people offering you 900 varieties of Gujarati dishes one after another. I barely had a bite of one thing when someone was offering me another. I couldn't keep up! It was insanity, but delicious insanity, which is obviously the best kind.
If you have room at the end of the experience, try the falooda. It is (in keeping with the theme) insane-looking, but amazing-tasting. -
Review from Erick H.
Long Beach, CA
2/17/2011
You can count on getting enough food when you eat here. It feels like eating at the house of a very hospitable person who makes really good Indian food of a different kind than you are used to. I'm taking my lady friend and godson here tonight, provided that junior gets off the plane in time. They will both enjoy it tremendously. When they're serving okra, that is what you get. It is really good.
The best desert I ever ate is the one they make out of chickpea flour and ghee. It's a mindmelter. -
Review from Seema U.
Newark, NJ
I love Rajdhani- one of my favorite places to eat in Cerritos/Artesia. Four and a half stars because the price is a bit high for the area. Unless you show up super hungry, you can probably get a comparable amount of food for the $14 you'd pay here so that is the main con.
Food wise, everything has been great when I have gone. The shaak (vegetable curries) have always been really good and lots of choices. I also love the rice and khadi (which is kind of a yogurt based gravy that is yellow in color) and daal. I love dhokla so I always manage to eat a lot of that. The food is plentiful and the staff is always willing to bring out what you want and are very friendly. You can also get masala taak (spiced buttermilk) which can cool you down after eating the food. Choice of dessert is included after.
I would definitely recommend going to Rajdhani if you are hungry and want a lot of food. It is also a nice way to support home cooked Indian food- literally, the owner told us that the ladies who cook there use their own recipes so it is real Gujrati cooking. -
Review from Swatee G.
12/2/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Yayyy for home made Indian food! :) :)
Indian food, Indian style! Served by an Indian family, lovingly, with second servings and a smile. I love this place! In the heart of the Indian area in Artesia, Sunday brunch is the best time. may have to wait some time for a seat, but once seated, they treat you with utmost love! :)
Forget ur healthy self and instincts at home please, this is pure love.. and GHEE (Indian butter) :p
15 bucks for eat-all-u-like buffet and a fixed dessert! They serve you at ur table, with unlimited second helpings, urge you to have more even! :p
The food is Gujarati, which essentially means sweet savory daal (lentils), and yummy bhaji (vegiies) along with many other yummmm indian things to eat! :)
For the complete Indian home experience, visit this place!Listed in: OC Tales!, Desi at Heart
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Review from A M.
San Antonio, TX
6/9/2011
2 times we went for dinner there..
It seems food is good enough both time. but eventually second time we didn't get some what same quality /options may be we went on weekdays were as week end experience was excellent... even I would suggest for this once... -
Review from V J.
Costa Mesa, CA
8/28/2011
Been here 3 times since my friends wanted to try this place every time. this place is over-hyped. Out of 3, 2 times it was horrible, once it was alright. Not a lot of choice, food is either really spicy or totally bland. Not consistent. A/C was not working when we went there, it was HOT.
total with tip comes to $18. I dont mind the money, but I would rather go to jay bharat or standard sweet and spices for the thali. -
Review from lipitorkid d.
Costa Mesa, CA
1/11/2011
Worth driving from Central Orange County. Worth parking in a weird parking structure. Worth Searching for it upstairs. Worth paying more than you are used to for Indian food.
Worth it.
There will be at least one if not two things you like so much you just end up eating those. This is way better than the typical Indian buffet.
I just wish they had a little more variety when it came to what you can drink here. -
Review from Denese S.
Sacramento, CA
7/20/2011
Really good Gujrati food. You will eat your fingers it was so good. If you like Indian food, then you need to try This Western Indian style of food. It is vegetarian and spicy but not hot like Northern Indian food. The food is served family style, but is like a buffet.
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Review from Avi S.
Brea, CA
9/12/2011
This place is definitely known for it's gujarati tali, but honestly I was not a fan. The items on the menu are appealing, but the quality is not. I would rather eat the same food at home made by my mom, which tastes much better.
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Review from Emily Y.
11/12/2010
You will need to take preventative measures to not fall into a deep, deep carb coma after dinner at Rajdhani's. I come here quite a bit, I can't help myself. It's old school - the waiters come to you instead of you going to a buffet. Sometimes they come a little too quickly but don't take that as a complaint.
The Thali itself comes with alot of little things, and they mix it up: ONe time I had some lentil soup, a delicious creamed corn dish, eggplant, sweet mango (yuuum) and other mashed and pureed up good things that I don't know cuz I'm not Gujarati. It also comes with about 3-4 different breads/crepes and crackers to dip everything into. I usually get the Rose ice cream for dessert but there are a few to choose from.
All I can say is pace yourself, limit the rice and try some new things. You will love Rajdhani's for it. One time I came and ate way too much good food and almost had to call an ambulance. Pacing yourself is key. -
Review from Abraham A.
Sherman Oaks, CA
1/9/2011
I've heard it described as Indian Dim-Sum, but that's only a shallow comparison, especially if you like dim-sum the way I do. Various types of food are brought around, and offered to the diners. It's like an extensive buffet except that the food comes to you. I was quite pleased with the selection of curries, soups, breads, snacks, and desserts. This place is really great if you want to broaden your horizons on Indian food. Another thing to note is that this place is VERY popular and can be quite busy at times. The night we went there were people spilling out the door and when they closed I think they had to turn away some hungry folk.
One tip: as soon as you get there write your name in the wait list. I (& some other groups) wasted a bit of time waiting for the host(ess) to take my name and party size. All-in-all the food was worth waiting for. -
Review from tipe g.
Culver City, CA
8/21/2011
This is a typical gujrati thali place for $15 bucks, you can eat as much as you want. But you cannot eat more than 2 rotis. The food is very sweet and the quality is very low. Their quality has been falling in the last year or so it did not impress me a lot the last few times. Also the wait time is usually between 30 minutes to an hour. The quality of deserts is really bad. It seemed that the deserts were stale and were not fresh. Sad when these places don't maintain the quality overtime.
Me and my husband had stomach upset after eating it there.
We've decided not to visit this place anymore. -
Review from Ariana W.
Los Angeles, CA
6/13/2011
This is a typical gujrati thali place...for $15 bucks, you can eat as much as you want, the servers come to your table and will serve you typical gujrati food (it is a little sweeter than the usual Indian fare seen in LA).
I have been to Rajdhani at least 20 times and overall this used to be a good place, esp. if you are really hungry. Their quality has been falling in the last year or so....it did not impress me a lot the last few times. Also, do not go on a weekday as the food quality is really bad. They save the best ingredients/selection of dishes for the weekend crowd and I was disappointed when we went for dinner on a Thursday. Even on the weekend, the last few times I really had to wait to get fresh rotis (Indian bread)....sad when these places don't maintain the quality overtime. -
Review from Sarah C.
Rowland Heights, CA
9/1/2010
13.99 all you can eat Gujarati Thali
"legit Indian food" according to homesick friend
flavorful rounds of vegetarian dishes served tableside, mild to spicy, buttermilk yogurt drink and choice of dessert included, rice available upon request, other items and drinks a la cart, parking lotListed in: Food.
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Review from Seleena N.
Los Angeles, CA
9/5/2010
So. Damn. Good.
I think I met my match here at Rajdhani. All you can eat Indian vegetarian food and the servers keep coming back to fill your metal plate and bowls with heavenly food. It definitely reminded me of Indian dim sum, which I can see other people have commented with as well. The bateta sukhi bhaji, which is a dry potato curry, was probably my favorite part of the whole meal; I kept getting thirds and fourths! Since dessert comes with the meal, I suggest getting the shrikhand; it's mango strained yogurt with pistachio and almonds.
The best part about Rajdhani is that even though it's vegetarian and if you don't normally eat a vegetarian meal, you would not miss eating meat. The food is so filling that meat would ruin the experience.
The only thing I would advise you to do is steer from the basmati rice. It's delicious but when faced with mountains of food in front of you, the rice is going to take up precious space in your stomach. Oh, and come when you haven't eaten in a while. You won't regret it. -
Review from Yogi T.
Walnut, CA
2/7/2011
I went to Rajdhani because had never tried Indian Vegetarian restaurant after tried Chameli decade ago. Yelp reviews here are not far from reality.
Surprisingly non-indians I found have found Indian Veg quality satisfying although service is bad to Non-Indians (I think it is bad for every one)
I give 5 stars only for exceptional food preperation. Most Indian restaurants in Southerncalifornia are Punjabi food and some what similar taste. Therefore service and price will decide 3 0r 4 stars. I was in for -ve surprise as for the price food was mediocre. Here's my analysis:
Pros: 1)Rajdhani stands out as a Non-Punjabi restaurant so people can try food of India's Gujarat state.
2) It is located on Pioneer Blvd. in Artesia very easy to find.
3) A waiter from Nepal w/ Red dot and 1 from Bangalore are good in the sense they atleast talked nicely.
Cons: 1) $15 Veg Buffet where food is Mediocre.
2) Only 3 Vegetables out of which 1 is Potato- price cutting is evident.
3) Dessert comes free but is kinda joke Faluda Icecream is 1/2" diameter small ball shape with some seeds sprinkled on top. Micro-desert. SHreekhand is OK as it is a unique dish.
4) Service is bad, when you need something the waiter is not to be found- especially for vegetables and puris/chapatis.
5) Owner? lady has attitude. I am not surprised Non-Indians found her that way. Even with Indians or Indian-Americans, she will choose with whom to talk or smile. Reason could be because she is typical dehati or Hillbilly but I know Dehati folks are famous for their hospitality.
6) Sitting is inadequate, so go at 11.30 and stay till 2 PM as waiters work on their own pace...and make it your moneys worth.
Buffet for three- without any extra dishes $50. I would go again only whenI am missing Gujrati food so much. I probably can eat 10 times better quality in Mumbai for 1/2 the price.
My suggestion- Get rid of so many waiters- keep buffet table and reduce price to $9.50. Work with owner of plaza and put tables out-doors. -
Review from Leena D.
Cerritos, CA
8/15/2011
YUMMMMMM!!! this place definitely wins with Gujurati food. you gotta love a buffet that comes to you, like indian dim sum with limited options. you just tell them yes or no, and they will refill your plate..the only problem is that its a little expensive, but if you like your buffets then it will be well worth it. watch out for parking, indian drivers and pioneer don't work well together, and that parking structure below the restaurant is a nightmare
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Review from Alkarim S.
San Diego, CA
8/29/2010
This is the perfection of a Gujarati Thali.Down to the mmmmm.....
I really cant talk badly about any of the pieces.
The puri, the dokla, dal, raita, gulab jamun, I am getting hungry again, it is wonderful food.
To think that this is a veggie option is the wrong way to look at it. It is just amazing food. -
Review from Brian K.
Long Beach, CA
11/7/2011
This restaurant has always been good. More like a McDonalds inside compared to other restaurants. I ordered the Thali which I usually do. The vegetable dishes were very small. I wish I had about 3 times the amount of eggplant and spinach that I chose. There seems to be more bread than food. Each item was good though. Dessert seemed too sweet. Not sure what it was. Kind of a yogurt flan. Heard non-Indians next to me saying that they didn't know what they were eating but it was all good.
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Review from Abby A.
Duarte, CA
5/14/2010
Usually one doesn't associate Dim Sum and Indian Food together; yet, at Rajdhani, there actually is a connection between these two thoughts, albeit in a round about way. Like Dim Sum, there are servers that dispense food from table to table, from patron to patron, plus it's not going to cost you an arm and a leg to eat at Rajdhani. A mere $13.99 plus tax and tip is all you have to pay.
Instead of carts, the food is served from hand carried bowls or platters. Instead of small portions of dumplings, rice noodles and other similar dishes, you will be treated to small servings of various vegetarian Indian dishes, but what moves Rajdhani a little ahead of the pack is the set price you pay above is for an all you can eat meal. Once you're seated, you're given what's referred to as a thali plate, which is basically, a large silver plate with smaller silver bowls. Think of it as an empty canvas from whence the food will eventually paint what your meal will be like.
At each table, you will find a trio of condiments that include tamarind chutney, carrot pickles and mint chutney plus you will be served a glass of chass, which is a salty buttermilk.
As soon as you've settled in, the servers start coming around and serving the food. They basically will keep coming until you raise the white flag of surrender. The complete meal itself will consist of around 10 different courses, with the menu slightly varying each day. What may stay consistent are three different types of Indian breads like the Pappadam, Puri and Chapati.
For my particular visit there with my dining group, we were first served the Khandvi, a pasta made from chickpea flour, buttermilk and sprinkled with coriander seeds and shredded coconut.
Following the Khandvi came what almost seemed like a tomato salsa, but didn't taste like one and another dish that I can't identify. Unfortunately, I didn't take any notes during this meal and the only reason I'm able to even identify some of the dishes now is due to the postings on Food GPS, Street Gourmet LA and LA Weekly.
Next up was Daal, a spicy lentil stew and Kadhi, a yellow spiced yogurt. Soon after, a trio of stews appeared. One of the stews had chickpeas and paneer cheese as ingredients while the other stew was chock full of eggplant, potatoes and peas. As for the third one, I'm not sure what it was, but it tasted good.
By now, my empty plate was actually getting quite filled up, but I managed to save some room for the Khichari, a boiled rice dish seasoned with yellow mung beans.
All the food was actually quite filling just with the first pass, although I did get seconds of a few things. When you've had your fill, part of the meal included a choice of one dessert. I went for the Gawar Halwa, which are grated carrots cooked in sugar, milk and cardamon and garnished with pistachios and almonds.
Other dessert options included Besan Halwa, roasted gram flour simmered in milk, sugar, and cardamom topped with shaved almonds and pistachios and Gulab Jamun, fried milk powder soaked in cardamom and saffron syrup.
Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Rajdhani. I wouldn't say the food is mind blowing, but everything tasted good and so reasonably priced that I'd definitely make my way there again. -
Review from Meena V.
Somerville, MA
7/13/2010
Brown brethen, this is it! This is the place in Artesia that you can fearlessly bring your piously vegetarian parents, Bollywood starlet sister AND your white/ black/ yellow/ green friends to!
The cuisine is Gujrathi vegetarian -- in the same vein as a lot of the north Indian food you've tried, but less creamy, more tangy and sweet flavours. Most of their meals are served in an unlimited thali format. So you sit down (at these gorgeous carved marble/ mosaic tables), and they put a traditional metal thali (plate) in front of you with half a dozen or more little cups.
Then they start fillin' em up with magic. They also did a great job of explaining what's what in each of the bowls the last time I was here with someone unfamiliar with Indian food, which is a huge plus in this area, making it accessible!
In terms of quality of food, I'm no Gujrathi food expert, but I was impressed with everything I ate, and it all had an honest, homecooked feel to it rather than the typical greasy, ill-in-my-tummy feeling that you can get from a mediocre unlimited buffet. And that's right, it's all UNLIMITED (so this is the kind of place you starve yourself before to optimise gorging later). They'll keep bringing out rotis, pooris (various breads), rice etc, as well as any and all of the side dishes you want refills of through the meal.
Didn't save room for dessert? That's ok -- the super sweet older lady who has GOT to have been bff's with my grandma will either make you eat some gulab jamuns on the spot, or pack you a couple to bring home like she did for me! Can it even get cuter??
But then there IS a catch -- for the presentation, you end up paying $5-$7 more than other spots on the same block with comparable food. But for an occasional indulgent meal, that's just fine!
