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Category: Indian
Neighborhood: Culver CityMon-Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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Not much to add but to reiterate what a gem this joint is. A haven in the desert of Washington Blvd. for a few miles in each direction.
I tried the jackfruit. Had to after reading the reviews here. It's very interesting. I'd probably order it again. It was not sweet at all. It was a regular curry with huge chunks of jackfruit which in this scenario tasted more like a dense root vegetable. It was soft enough to cut with a fork and at times very artichoke like. Come to think of it... it is a lot like an artichoke in texture and taste.
The shop itself rocks. I picked up some 'tea masala'. It's just a spice blend (probably the same spices used in chai) but I use it to make homemade spiced pecans and they are out of this world. I also grabbed some cheap rosewater for some fun times in the future. The shop is worth the trip alone. You'll get spices and exotic ingredients here at a fraction of what they'd cost at Whole Foods or Surfas.
Definitely worth stopping and and worth repeat visits.
i was really excited to try this mom and pop vegetarian indian joint and finally dropped by a few months ago for lunch. my consensus? MEH.
i am a huge fan of mom and pop places and the steam table offerings looked good. however, the taste of their food left a lot to be lacking. we had a mish mosh of their offerings and basically every item was lacking in flavor and complexity like good indian food should have.
everything seemed watered down and sad. bleh.
+1 star that they use recyclable trays and serve brown rice. however, this is negated by the disinterested and borderline surly service.
will i go back....naw. samosa house is all yours yelpers!!
Love it love it love it. Can't beat the jackfruit, and the other sides are awesome too. Additionally, the staff is super friendly and helpful.
Great south Indian food that's just a tad more money than some of the other Indian markets that serve hot food, but the few extra dollars are worth it, as the food isn't greasy, always tastes fresh, and the staff is always friendly. Also, the combination plate is just the right amount of food to satisfy but not stuff. Thank you, Samosa House!
For a name like Samosa house, one would think their samosas are good. They STINK! Over fried with stinking oil. Giving Indian food a bad name.
I wanted to buy some Soan papdi from Haldiram and it was expired. So, I told the lady who told the owner, who told me that I could get it at 50% off. Did she really think as a desi I would put it in my mouth becuz she was NOW offering it to me at 50% off? Would she make the same offer to that white guy standing next to me, who, btw, was equally appalled at the business proposition. Out of curiosity I stopped by the other day to see if it was on the shelf - IT WAS!
Signing off - Desi Arnaz
Soooo excited for this family business that is growing in wonderful directions! I used to come here with my mom as a child before it was renovated. Simply adore the loving elements that go into food prep, customer service, and atmosphere combining market and eatery. You can always count on a Bollywood film being played and plenty of room to sit, eat, chill, make merry. Expanding now over to Eastside of Culver City, hope they only continue to sprout up and spread the yummy Desi goodness :)
Affordable yummy Indian food inside this family-owned and operated market. While you check out the… Read more »
I love Samosa House! The food is better than a lot of pricier Indian restaurants. They only serve vegetarian dishes. They have different offerings all the time, so its easy to try something new at every visit. In fact, you can sample any dish before trying it. Its nice to have some variety from the the standard, kormas, vindaloos, masalas, etc. that you find at every other Indian restaurant. At $7.99 for the combo plate, you get plenty of food for the money. Sometimes I just get the food served in a to-go box knowing that I won't be able to finish it. The samosas are also really good, and are made fresh when you order. The staff is really friendly and helpful, and keep the line moving as they are always busy.
They also have a really yummy selection of deserts. The coconut burfee is awesome and the pumpkin cashew is great, too. There is a nice drink selection that goes beyond the usual chai teas and lassis.
The market is also nicely stocked with Indian and British items that can be hard to find. The prices are reasonable, but you'll pay more for the British tea here (like PG Tips) than you would for Bigelow at the supermarket. The produce changes seasonally and is also good.
Best bhaju sandwich (vadapav) in town. Better yet they serve limca and thumbs up by the bottle! The street snacks are primo, haven't really tried the dishes...dont really have any inclination to. If you are ready for a street snack munchathon, hit this place up! I felt like I was in India all over again...
Me and the gal have been driving by this place a lot but never bothered to stop in due to the idea planted firmly that we were either going to Rutt's Hawaiian Cafe for some Spam Musubi or to the Alibi for some Kogi tacos.
But it looked nice on the outside and well, why the hell not. After not being able to figure out what to grab for lunch one Sunday we finally got the chance to come out here... and I must say.. what.. the hell?! The place disappointed so badly it wasn't even funny.
I love Indian food. It's some of the best stuff to eat, especially those curries with some beer will make a boring Sunday afternoon into something out of this world. Sadly, this is not the case here.
Everything I picked out was pretty weak. The jack fruit was really terrible. Not saying it's a peach of a treat when it's good, but at least when you have some flavor in it, you can actually taste that bad smelling mofo. I've had my fair share of Yogurt curry in the past and since I know that it's the utility curries for me. If you can't make that properly then you might as well give up. It's like frying an egg.. not that difficult... but somehow this place had that tasting bland.
I'm not even going to complain about the lack of meat. As a meat eater, this is something for me to get over and hell, it's an all vegetarian place, so no room to complain about that, but at least get the meatless stuff done right so I wouldn't lament not being able to taste some savory lamb curries, will you.
As for service, it wasn't there. The worker there looked like he was a deer in headlights when I ordered. forgetting what I said not more than two seconds after. I thought I stuttered or something. Nope, this kid was just all over the place mentally and really didn't give the best service either. Thought not like the lack of service cold help the lack of flavor.
Next time I'll just keep driving past this place, always noting how cute it is and remembering how bland it tasted while we go get our Royale's on at Rutt's.
I LOVE this place. The all-vegetarian menu is solid and the price is right (two combo dinners for less than $20). Combo dinner comes with rice (white, or brown for extra fee), 3 entrees, and two roti breads.
Specials change daily - follow them on Twitter for menu updates. My favorites are the jackfruit and the spinach (saag?). Paneer is usually pretty tasty. Honestly, everything I've ever eaten here has been delicious.
Reliable, affordable, filling, and tasty Indian food. WIN.
I really want to give Samosa House more stars, but the food is just so inconsistent that every time I go, I'm gambling that I won't get food poisoning. First, the samosas are definitely the best thing here, hands down 5 stars for the samosas. The rest of the food is hit or miss. The jackfruit is good, but a little bland. Still worth trying if you've never had jackfruit. I always get it when they have it because it's unique and sometimes they run out. I normally don't like saag, but I like the saag paneer here. A little watery, but good spices. I loved the malai kofta the first time I had it. The second and third time, it was only ok. The spicy bbq soy is tasty but not spicy. The channa masala here is not my favorite. I had it once and only once.
Besides the 3-item combo plate, they started offering dosas. The dosa was ok, not as good as Annapurna's. But like all dosas, it's huge.
The combo plate is $7.99, brown rice will cost you an extra $.50. The combos come with roti (thin flatbread) and raita, but to-go orders only come with roti. They take credit card and they have a small, free parking lot. Try it, but don't say I didn't warn you if you find yourself running to the bathroom a few hours later.
Not the end all greatest Indian place out there, but Samosa House is really solid and their samosas are really good.
Like many, I've gone to Samosa House to pick up dinner from their little cafeteria-like setup on the side. I do agree that the jackfruit is really unique, but don't think that it tastes like meat like some people think. If you go to SH, I think that it's worth trying though because it's pretty unique to the place and something that you won't get at many other places. Some of the dishes, like the spinach dishes, just don't taste the same to me as they do in other Indian restaurants that I really like, but that could just be my crazy talk.
I also really recommend the samosas, which will take a few minutes to cook and leave you standing at the checkout awkwardly, but I think it's worth it. Don't go crazy though, two is nearly overkill if you get the combo plate with it and three is just begging for you to have a food baby. When you get the samosas and the combo dish, you will spend over $10, so keep that in mind if you're on a poor man's budget like me!
I can't add much to the 170+ reviews already here. I like the counter service aspect and the reasonable pricing. The decor is nothing to get excited about, but, let's face it -- you're probably not coming here for a relaxing dinner for two anyways.
A great lunch-in-a-hurry or need a fast-and-cheap dinner spot...
This is a great place for xenophiles and package design junkies to browse the imported dry goods. I do admit I would like to try the canned Spotted Dick.
Unfortch, the food has no flavor and that is unforgivable.
Foods are ok. Pretty classic. For $7.99 a combo with three dishes, nothing more to ask for. The jackfruit dish is quite interesting. Do try the Mango Lassie (Soy with real mango juice). It tastes pretty good.
I love to come here and browse around the store while I wait for my food. I used to live in the UK so I enjoy seeing all the products from over there here in Culver City.
I like the samosas here and usually get one with a combo dinner. It's so much food I can barely eat it in one sitting. The staff are very nice and will let you taste something if you aren't sure about it (the jackfruit for example).
This is a non-meat restaurant, if you're looking for meat, hit up Jasmine Market on Sepulveda.
I keep eyeing their new location on Overland and Washington waiting for it to open. It's closer but looks like it won't have much in the way of parking. I can walk there so not a problem, but if you need parking go to this location,
After moving into the area last month I finally got a chance to try this place. I have been spoiled by the yummyness of Bollywood Cafe, so I was hesitant to try a new Indian place..let alone a vegetarian one. The gentleman behind the counter was so friendly, and let me sample almost everything. The food was really good...a lot of very different things to try. They have a 3 item combo for $8! The samosas were also very tasty. I will definitely be back.
The sweet lime drink smelled, and tasted, like rotten eggs, BBQ soy was not edible, jackfruit was ok and the taro was the best thing on the plate. The grocery section, however, is pretty good.
I love the fact I can get my grub on with Indian food and buy British goodies all at the same time.
The shop sells Indian nick-nacks too, and the movies / music playing in the background give the whole thing an authentic air.
The food, served buffet style is excellent - as good as any curry I've had back in the UK where there are some incredible Indian restaurants. Although I am not a vegetarian, I like the fact this place serves veggie curry only - after all, that's how most Indians eat it.
My only gripe is there is no naan.. I am a naan whore, what can I say?
There was a time, years ago, when Samosa House was the best. They had full, rich dishes, reasonable prices and killer condiments to dress up your meal. Not bad for an Indian grocery store that happens to have a food counter.
These days, it's changed. The entrees are watered down, they use canned ingredients when it's not cool to use canned ingredients (mushrooms, for example) and the prices are pretty out of hand. It's $11 for the standard combo plate and a samosa. Over at India Sweets and spices, you can get a lot more food, that tastes better for about half the price. Go there instead.
If you do go to Samosa House, get the jack fruit entree. It's awesome. And the service is good. Friendly people.
I guess being a Bay Area native automatically makes my expectations of ethnic food VERY high because I was sorely disappointed by Samosa House. Yelpers- you have geared me in the WRONG direction :( An LA friend of mine suggested I try the place out, and after yelping it, saw it got great reviews and decided to give it a try. Samosas were not worth the price for its tiny size (I've had samosas that are half the price and super massive in size). They tasted bland too. The deep fried appetizers were soggy and tasted like they've been out for days. They were soooo nasty.
The only thing that tasted ok was their coconut kheer. But, then again, who can really mess up kheer? Will never, ever go back. Ever.
So my food standards are pretty high and I think the food here isn't bad. I mainly come here for the market which is as good as nearly any Indian store I've been to. Employees are helpful and sweet. 4 stars for the market, 3 for the food.
I was corrected by the owner. Who by the way was very kind in her response to me, and although I feel bad now not giving the best review, this is the one place I am always honest so here it is. The samosas are $3 for 2 not 1, which to me is still pricey for taste/quality. The pastry tastes like store bought pastry dough and the filling was so bland. I am assuming they charge this much because they revamped the store to be more like other LA eats. I would much rather have good cheap eats than a freshly painted wall any day.
Every Indian food place in this category has an array of Indian goods/groceries, this one is has nothing special to add.
The curries are just ok, of course they have spices in them, it is INDIAN food, duh!
ALL Indian food is cheap people, just because you think it is a deal, doesn't mean you should not check out other places before settling on this.
I would give it one star for my taste buds, If you like your food not to be over spiced or spicy than I think you would probably enjoy so that is why I upped it to two stars.
This place is a great place to get veggie Indian food for lunch. Their samosas are good and their entrees are reasonably priced. I have tried the jackfruit, spinach paneer, and curry vegetables. I paid the extra $.50 for brown rice since a little more fiber won't hurt anybody. The curry vegetables were a little bland, but the other stuff was not bad. Even though the restaurant is in the market, it is not your typical asian market. They put bold colors on the walls, so it doesn't feel like you are eating at hospital cafeteria.
Nothing special here.Its a quick stop for a quick fix of your basic indian food.The place is really old establishment and they have made a few changes to it .
You'll find me here once a week getting the combination plate for lunch. Samosa House is AMAZING, each of their dishes is really flavorful.
My favorites are:
Saag (great spinach flavor)
jackfruit (really unique and ADDICTING)
soy tikka masala (soy rocks)
veggie korma (like the soft peanuts in it)
paneer with some nutty curry
Make sure to ask for their amazing raita!
You might want to stay away from: Yogurt Curry w/ Cauliflower, it's kind of watery and bland.
The samosas are excellent, crispy and flavorful.
Tip: Follow them on Twitter to get their daily menu!
Fellow South Asians, you may find the food too mild. That said, I think you could easily add some chili powder or fresh green chili at home or request some if you are eating in. And you should, because the TEXTURES AND FLAVORS are EXCELLENT. The food really tastes honest and home cooked. (My mom is an excellent cook and I am a cook too, so I am very particular about South Asian food).
I ordered the spinach, dal, and okra. Delicious! The bread (rotis -or more likely dried out whole wheat tortillas) is awful. But the option of brown basmati rice is much appreciated.
I will return. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because of the "bread", the small portion of raita, and because I believe $8 is too much for vegetarian food.
The store is clean and has all the basic items you need for Indian cooking.
This is my favorite of all the vegetarian Indian Restaurants in the Culver City area. The dishes are more unique and varied (Jack Fruit, Veggieball in Tomato Sauce) than what I'm uesd to eating. The ingredients seem more fresh as well. It's slightly more expensive than the others, but still very affordable, and well worth it.
Jackfruit. Owners are nice. Great vibe. Samosas need some work.
This place is Super !
It's really clean & healthy veggie Indian food, great lunch specials and excellent Samosas !
It's situated within an Indian market, and they have a wonderful selection of Indian and English groceries. Lots of rice, grains, lentils and bulk spices at VERY fair prices.
loved it.
A fabulous little place to get your peruse on and buy almost any type of spice imaginable.
I visited the first time knowing that they would definitely have the whole star anise that I needed for a champagne cocktail recipe. After I picked up the needed spice, I spent about 15 more minutes in the spice section checking everything out. I also scored some nifty metal serving dishes and a lovely, colorful tapestry that's currently helping aesthetically the drab and uncomfortable futon in my living room.
My second and most recent visit was prompted by a hungry drive by. I previously had the samosas and the deep-fried cauliflower nuggets (I forget the proper name) which were both pretty good but not outstanding. So this time I went for the combination plate and at a little over $8, not a bad deal. I forgot the place was vegetarian until I was in front of the buffet, but it didn't hinder my meat-loving ways.
The cauliflower korma was delicious as was the sauce for this masala type kofta dish, but about halfway through, the actual kofta ended up being really heavy, even for a veggie meatball. The saag was also not memorable. But the most disappointing portion of the meal was the chapati, which I swear were just Guerrero brand whole wheat tortillas, served dry - at least put a little ghee on there. :(
Despite my gripes, I'll definitely go back.
WOW, I was so impressed. I loved everything about this place. It's a little Indian market/ Indian buffet. You get your food in the back and they have little wooden tables for eating in the front, inside and outside. So fun to watch the cheesy Bollywood music videos playing on the tv on the side wall while you eat. After we ate my girlfriends and I took a tour around the market. They have every Indian spice, condiment, rice, etc. you could ever dream of and more!! If I had even the slightest clue how to cook Indian food I would totally come here to gather all my ingredients. Samosa House kind of inspires me to start learning how actually.
We all ordered the three item combos. They come with rice (white or brown) and bread. One of my friends and I also got the jalapeno pakoras, which they called "chili pakoras" when they brought them out to us, so we weren't sure whether they were green chili peppers or jalapenos....but they were gigantic whatever they were, and delicious. And I DIDN'T NEED THEM. My combo was way more than enough food. I got the jack fruit, some veggie thing with paneer cheese, okra, and brown rice. The okra was good, but a little bitter-not my favorite. The paneer veggies were super yum....but yes, I have to agree with all the other yelpers who said it.....
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE JACK FRUIT!!!
I was hesitant to get it because I was like, wtf is jack fruit?? jackmeoff fruit? and how can it taste like meat? (yeah right) BUT it actually did kind of taste like meat! not like fake meet that they TRY to make taste like meat though.... it has a delicious, unique flavor with the consistency of a pulled pork or chicken. amazing.
With my combo, the pakoras, and my mango lassi (so good!) I was wayyyy beyond stuffed. I felt like id just pigged out at a buffet in Vegas. I even had leftovers, and I never have leftovers... And you know what? I didn't even so much as think about MEAT the entire time. Yeah, MEAT that's right! I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT YOU ONCE!
This dark red painted place represents the new Culver City. The city which took its bland, one-story, 1950s commercial buildings, and converted them to design studios, yoga places, and architectural firms.
Samosa House is an Indian store where the goods are laid out cleanly and functionally, on sturdy steel shelves. In addition to such staples as teas, curries, jams, chutneys, you will also find incense, cotton garments, decorative items, Buddha and Hindu items, and elephant illustrations.
In the corner of the store is a vegetarian take-out counter with delicious lunch foods like eggplant curry, lentils, spinach, rice, samosas and desserts and drinks like mango lassi. The staff is young and helpful.
There is both indoor; and outdoor seating, shaded by awnings. I would not call this place cheap, but it is definitely a welcome addition, offering subcontinental delicacies and cuisine to liven up a city that seemed imprisoned by burgers and too many tacos.
Sometimes good and sometimes way below standard.. but still i have to pay the $$$... so i get confused.. well give a try....
Well, I tried the Samosa House while I was at Ski Dazzle and I was pretty impressed considering I had no idea what a samosa was until I saw it. You see pictures of what I ate at my website From my impression a samosa is vegetarian fried dumpling full of vegetables. Most of what was inside tasted like potatoes. And they added this rich, spicy sauce to the top that definitely added both flavor and heat. Considering I rarely have Indian food, this was pretty good. I mean, you can't go wrong with starchy food and frying it up. Plus, the staff working their (Indian background whom most likely work at the restaurant in Culver City) were extremely polite and very informative. If you're interested, the Samosa House was established in 1979 and is an Indian vegetarian restaurant and grocery store. They are open 7 days a week and are located at 11510 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA. You can visit them at their website to see other stuff. I have never actually been to their Culver City location.
Ever try to convince a T-Rex to be an omnivore? Failed miserably huh? Those carnivorous rexes never had a chance to enjoy delicious veggies before they extinct. But if they exist, they wouldn't have a problem because we got Samosa House. This place convinced me that being a vegetarian can be quite pleasant. Let alone, it's ok to not have meat!
Samosa House provides the best Indian Food in town. The food comes with quality and authenticity. It's also very healthy to have.
To top it off, they got a twitter page to update their daily menu. Woot!
https://twitter.com/Sa...
I'm a fan of this place!
I wanted to like this place, I really did....but alas I was sorely disappointed.
I knew we were in for trouble when we walked in and there wasn't one other Indian/South Asian person eating there.
Bit of advice- if Indians aren't visible at an INDIAN market/restaurant....leave immediately.
The people at the counter were extremely friendly, but I wasn't there for the service...I was there for the food.
My mango lassi and samosa were decent, but then again those 2 things aren't that difficult to mess up.
I ordered the 3 combination plate with white basmati, channa masala, aloo curry, and the jackfruit. Total bill came out to $19. A little much for Indian "fast" food if you ask me.
Everything was pretty sub-par. It wasn't spicy AT ALL and I just wasn't impressed. The flavors seemed bland to me and it was all in all a boring meal with no personality.
I did, however, enjoy the market. They had a great selection of Indian food and beauty products that are hard to find.
FYI: the pre-packaged food in the frozen section is way better than the actual food they serve here.
If you want AMAZING veg Indian food please go to Annapurna....it will leave you mystified and amazed....now that's how real Indian food is supposed to taste (and Indian people actually eat there).
Unfortunately they can inconsistent on their seasoning..but the good times make the risk worth the reward. The chai is flavored weakly .
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Chirping bluebirds will appear as you are eating their expertly seasoned dishes. The…
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I love this place for lunch; it's fast, easy and awesome. The nice servers behind the food bar will gladly let you taste anything, and the food is fresh from the kitchen. The jackfruit is amazing, and all the other foods have been equally good. Combo lunch is $7.99 and includes 3 entrees plus rice and basically a tortilla (why no naan?).
1. Choose your dishes
2. Pay
3. Grab a plastic fork
4. Grab a table and eat - fast and easy!
I love this store! I was looking for a market that sold Indian hair powders (amla, neem, shikakai) and hair oils. The prices are awesome and the store is well-stocked. There are lots of henna powders & shampoos, too. The prices are great! All the powders were $5 or less.
I noticed a large spice, candy, and incense holder selection as well. I haven't tried the food yet, but I have to get my hair lookin' right first! It did smell good so I'll try it next time.
Lovely owners, cute place, so-so food.
I don't actually expect my one 3-star rating to compete with the rest of the 5-stars, but I'm just putting it out there, that if you're looking for anything really awesome, you won't find it here. The samosas are okay, not awesome. The curries are, again, okay. Nothing is particularly spicy, if that's what you're looking for. The jackfruit is - jackfuity, if you've had it before, this is pretty much the same, tangy - looks like pork. The riata was a little too sweet. They may be catering to their customers, so if you are a little nervous about indian food, this might be the place to you.
The market is great, huge selection, any spice you might need, and lots of british goods too. Great prices on the heat&serve items too.
Also- props for their green-ness - lots of recycling & eco-friendly serve-ware & dishes.
Neighborhood: West Los Angeles
Category: Indian
Neighborhood: Palms
Category: Vegetarian
Culver City, CA
Category: Indian
Culver City, CA
Category: Grocery
Neighborhood: Playa Del Rey
Category: Indian
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