Best Indian food in Socal is in [Bakersfield]

Took the New York Times for the Bakersfield Californian to notice:

3 Likes

Ate there today and there were two women all the way from Bristol England doing a piece for the BBC on this place. Pretty incredible, they told me they thought someone was playing a joke on them when these prominent publications and major food critics started coming.

Food like this, and such a warm welcome every time. Can’t beat it. The lady in front of me had no cash, the owner told her “just come back next time you’re in the area, it’s OK” (they’ve done the same for me once or twice.)

In a poor, tweaker-infested place like Bakersfield, they think nothing of giving someone 30 bucks worth of food on an IOU. The lady tried to give them her contact info as more assurance that she would indeed come back, they said “no, that’s fine, we don’t need it.”

Here are some pics of a half order of samosa chaat (channa daal over fresh samosa with raita, mint and tamarind chutneys, coriander and red onion), a mix paratha (paratha with potato, cauliflower and green chili) and a chicken tikka masala.

Excuse my crappy pics

By the way, I am not joking about the barbecue place. These photos definitely don’t do it justice but I’ve probably had 30 of these brisket sammiches (they’ll let you have it if you try to call them sandwiches) and they are batting .1000. Never seen this level of consistency out of bbq

13 Likes

They sound like wonderful people.

1 Like

Just an awesome experience all around today. Thanks for sharing. :slight_smile:

You were there?

Sorry… Meant to say that, what you described sounds like an awesome experience all around.

1 Like

Yeah I’m excited for more of you to make it there someday, whenever life brings you through the area. I’ve lived in Bakersfield for about 3 or 4 years now, before that 4 years in OC and 7 years in LA.

It’s pretty amazing for this town to even have one place that would be worth a trip for the city with EVERYTHING, let alone two. Porkchop & Bubbas + Punjabi Dhaba would be an epic bang bang by any Angeleno’s standards

2 Likes

Monday night… this place is too good, their paneer is god tier… order everything spicy. Had badmaashh tonight and it was so bland in comparison

8 Likes


friendly cat


parathas, samosa chaat, shai mattar paneer, and chicken curry

Weird experience - no menu (“ask and I’ll tell you if we have it”), several items not available, and they wouldn’t give me the bill until after I had finished. Ended up being $37, which was reasonable I guess. The paneer was the best I’ve ever had.

14 Likes

Maybe driving by tomorrow

2 Likes

How timely! We’re going on a mini vacation to Kings Canyon / Sequoia this weekend and are driving through Bakersfield. You can tell just by looking at the paratha that it is better than 95% of the lame “paratha” served around LA. Thank you!

2 Likes

At least badmaash is aptly named!

My friend from New Delhi swears by some do the dishes at badmash

I just don’t get it. Higher prices, smaller portions, less spice, no discernible upgrade in ingredient quality over ordinary Indian restaurants. I prefer Kapoor’s and Bombay Beach in DTLA. I would have said Mr. Masala too, except our last meal from there (post-coronavirus) was dreadful.

What do people think is worth revisiting at Badmaash?

I’m making no judgements based on prices or portion size. The place is by younger generation on an expensive trendy street, so the style of presentation works for the clientele. Per my friend straight from new delhi, their black dal and beef fry are second to none here… can’t remember what else we’ve had that he vouched for… i also don’t prefer it, i’m just relaying what an actual indian told me, but he’s they younger hip type

1 Like

Most Indian restaurants don’t slang poutine and burgers

1 Like

i love punjabi dhaba you have to go @Nemroz

1 Like

Tell me what to get plz. We rolling

Those parathas look like roti/chapati to me…

Badmaash isn’t traditional Indian food. It’s a modern take. I’m Indian, and like it, because it’s not the kind of “mom” food we ate growing up.

There’s lots of restaurants in India (larger cities and upscale areas) that have similar type menus - That hipster trendy take on known dishes.

5 Likes