This week’s Eat Food Not Funds restaurant violates one of our standards for cheap close cuisine and I struggled with whether or not I could make an exception for the half-hour drive to Woodlands an Indian restaurant south on the 101 freeway in Chatsworth. The meal more than convinced me that not only was an exception permissible it was absolutely necessary.
Everything was incredibly delicious. I have done my fair share of traveling and probably more than my fair share of international eating but this may have been the best ethnic meal I’ve ever had. That’s not an exaggeration.
I have had only had one previous encounter with Indian food so by no means am I an expert on the ins and outs of curry and lentils. However I do pride myself on recognizing what good food is and being able to consume it in mass quantities. This restaurant makes good food and they serve a lot of it. Woodlands provided an authentic Indian meal with more flavor and variety than I ever thought could be packed into one dish.
The wonder of the one dish that I ordered was that it was really more like six or seven. I was served a huge mound of white rice surrounded by various colorful fragrant small bowls of dips soups and other kinds of rice. The plate was accompanied by a dosa a large crispy crepe-like kind of bread. My more-experienced Indian food eating buddy basically told me to dive into the dish face first which left me a little apprehensive as I contemplated the plunge.
Basic etiquette practice of South Indian cuisine dictates that you eat using your right hand starting with the plain rice and dipping and mixing in the accompanying curries and sauces. Though I am an adventurous eater I am notoriously clumsy so I stuck with my fork and spoon. I may have missed out on spilling food all over my face and lap (which happened anyway even with my culture-less American cutlery) but I didn’t miss out on any of the flavor.
My favorite dip was a mildly spicy cabbage and lentil mixture that was somehow simultaneously soft and meaty (ironically since the restaurant is vegetarian) in texture. The potato in a sweet coconut sauce came in at a very close second place especially when mixed with the cabbage. Flavors in Indian food are meant to amplify and compliment one another as they combine. The cabbage dip came to life when I soaked it in the spicy soup in the dish next door. A visit to the yogurt and cucumber sauce across the plate cooled things down a bit while the pickled lemon sauce nearby gave me a pucker and a smile.
I also took serious advantage of my dosa. I wasn’t afraid to use my hands on this one. Crispy-crunchy on the edges and soft in the middle the dosa served like a tortilla or crepe (oh the similarities of food around the world!) was made good use of when stuffed with vegetable rice or soaked in the milder soup on my plate. The vegetable rice was saffron in color and packed with zesty tender vegetables as were the potatoes served next to the dosa. Every little bowl of vegetables or sauce had a distinct flavor or texture to offer; there was a virtual party of flavor and color on the table.
The wide arrange of dishes and bowls on the table equated to a mini-buffet between my food buddies and me even though there was hardly anyone else in the restaurant. The newness of the experience would make a great ice-breaker for new friends and the deliciousness of the meal could provide plenty of conversation material for experienced eaters of Indian food. Our own conversation jumped from “how do I eat this?” to travel adventures to near-death experiences. I credit at least part of the well-spent afternoon to the vibes from the food as silly as that may seem.
Also of note at Woodlands is the chai tea and the mango lassi a yogurt-based drink that was “Pinkberry before there was Pinkberry according to Perspectives Editor Keith Cantu. Just keep in mind that indulging in these sweet drinks will push you over the $10 Eat Food Not Funds restriction. You’ll want ice water on the table to cool your mouth after the spicier dishes in any case.
Woodlands serves a $7.95 lunch buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, which means busting out of class pretty early to make it to Chatsworth before the doors close until dinner at 5 pm. Everything we sampled — and more — is available at the buffet in unlimited quantities, and I promise it’s worth the drive.