Indian Food in a Grocery Store
Recently, we were scrolling through our Instagram feed and noticed an unintentional theme in all our posts: they are mostly all of Asian restaurants with the exception of El Sauz. We tried to deviate from this for our next post and kind of succeeded... Though Indian is still technically Asian, it’s a nice change of pace from noodle and soup. We have some non-Asian restaurants in line to review soon, but y’all know that Asian cuisine holds the most special place in our hearts.
We’ve been coming to Bhanu for a while a now, but are just getting around to showing it some love. It’s our go-to spot for Indian in the Pasadena area. It’s a very unique space as noted by its name; it’s both a restaurant and Indian grocery store. There are a bunch of tables set up on one half of the space and the other half is a little grocery store. It sells all the Indian spices, curries, sweets and tea your heart could possibly dream of. We haven’t done any shopping here yet, but next time we have an Indian night at home, we’ll definitely be coming here to stock up on supply.
Usually we order a la carte when we come here; however, today we decided to try something new that we’ve been meaning to try for a while now. We each ordered Thali, an Indian platter made up of several different dishes. The way it’s served is totally reminiscent of old school stainless steel lunch trays, but instead of mysterious lunch meat, each portion in a Thali is filled with dank Indian dishes and yogurt. One boss got the Chicken Tikka Masala Thali and the other got the Butter Chicken Thali. Each tray is served with your entree, basmati rice, palak paneer, lentils and raita yogurt.
You can also add garlic naan for 50 cents which is definitely a must. Everything we’ve gotten here including the Thali has been so tasty. Each curry is so flavorful and tastes delicious when they eventually all meld together with the rice. In the past, we’ve ordered their Chicken Vindaloo, Lamb Vindaloo, Bhindi Masala, Chicken Tandoori, Lollipop chicken (a unique and delicious appetizer), Baingan Bharta and Dal Makhni. If you like any of these dishes else where or have never tried them, they will not disappoint here. And don’t forget to order a spicy, buttery chai masala to accompany your delicious Indian feast!
The food along with the homey, low-key vibe here at Bhanu makes for a wonderful dining experience. It’s extremely laid back and having the option to do some quick grocery shopping after you eat is pretty sweet. Next time you’re in the Pasadena area, stop by for a casual Indian meal!
Bhanu Indian Grocery & Cuisine
533 S Del Mar Ave
San Gabriel, CA 91776
