gill’s indian restaurant secret ingredient: nitroglycerin
Crammed into the back of the run-down Stillwell Hotel on a quiet block of South Park, sits one of Downtown’s only options for Indian cuisine, Gill’s Indian Restaurant.
The hotel’s lifeless lobby, age-old carpets and stark utilitarian spaces set the tone for what anyone should expect from the traditional eatery.
When angelenic (and company) visited on a recent weekday evening, the dining crowd was sparse but diverse, and throughout our visit it became apparent that the business relies heavily on locals who are adventurous enough to be siphoned off the sidewalk by a simple neon sign.
After the hostess offered us a comfortable corner booth, we found the menu to be very appetizing with all the expected thali, tandoori, curry and biryani dishes made with seafood, poultry or vegetables. Since none of us could devote ourselves to one entree, a family-style sampler for the table seemed like a fitting compromise.
The meal kicked-off with two delicious appetizers: a mini collection of flavorful samosas — popular fried Indian snacks stuffed with potatoes, peas, spices and herbs — and a basket of chewy Peshwari naan enhanced with cinnamon and white raisins, so sweet and tasty that it could’ve been an after-dinner dessert.
Adding to the charm was a twelve year-old boy periodically tending to us with his best professional waiter poise. Along with his older counterpart, possibly his father or uncle, they provided adequate table service. Gill’s, which advertisers itself under new management since last month (evident from the $2 hike in main-course prices), is clearly a family-operated establishment.
Also laudable is the collection of wines on display in the rear of the dining room, an unexpected touch of sophistication in the modest joint.
Unfortunately, this is where the praise ends.
When our entrees arrived, the aroma was tantalizing (just as the menu states) but it was a setup for disappointment. Our chana masala, mixed vegetable sabzi and paneer makhni plates — three vegetarian creations with varying ingredients — are all easily characterized by two words: too spicy!
It’s important to mention that I was raised on Creole cuisine in Louisiana where a Tabasco sauce is more a rite of passage than a condiment. Even Rich, whose dining mantra is “the spicier the better,” ended up conceding afterwards that the intensity level was in the realm of Chernobyl meltdown.
Without revealing any unpleasant details, I’ll just say it took me all night to recover.
If you find yourself in the mood for some exotic fare with a jolt, this may be the place for you. Take my advice though, and order an extra large glass of water and keep a handful of Tums nearby. You’ll thank me later.
Gill’s Indian Restaurant
838 S. Grand Avenue (rear of the Stillwell Hotel)
Los Angeles, CA 90017
213-623-1050
-saffron india restaurant opening this month
7 comments
I love Indian food, and I love feeling like there is lava in my belly for hours after eating– Gill’s might be a good fit for me, haha.
In my case, I should have taken a bath towel with me to wipe off the sweat running from every pore in my bald head.
They have had one of the few lunch buffets in downtown. Is that still going now that they under new management? I’ve been a couple times, and it was acceptable, though I’m not a big fan of Indian food and limited myself to bread, salad and tandoori chicken, which were all good and not spicy at all.
Sounds like a challenge.
Scott:
Yeah, the lunch buffet is still being advertised now – all you can eat for $8.95.
is that indian place on olive still around? somewhere south of 6th. its the same deal where you have to walk thru an hold hotel corridor and the windowless room in the rear behind a tattered old velvet curtain doubles as an indian restaurant.
Strange. I’ve never had a problem with Gill’s. In fact, I think I’m lucky to have such a good Indian restaurant that nobody really knows about and I order from there every couple of weeks. I haven’t actually eaten in the restaurant, but their takeout is fantastic. Good sized portions as well. For the record, I’ve tried a few other Indian restaurants in Los Angeles and I’ve been disappointed.