India’s Oven and Paru’s Offer Spicy, Tempting Takeout Delights

When a well-known chef casually mentioned to me that India’s Oven was his favorite takeout place, I zoomed right over . . . and got my socks knocked off the minute I opened the door. The scent of spices, of chicken and lamb roasting in the tandoori oven, is carnal.

The large menu--43 items from samosas to mango ice cream--explains all the dishes, most from North India. We’re in chicken and lamb territory here. We’re also in the land of the spices and herbs that made Christopher Columbus seek America--ginger, cardamom, coriander, cumin, mustard seed, turmeric, chiles, fennel. And India’s Oven orchestrates them with real finesse.

Only two things were disappointing: Because of a language problem, the “full” order of tandoori chicken we ordered was not the “whole” chicken we had assumed we’d get. It was moist and exquisite, and we wanted more . And the aromatic, simple vegetable biryani (rice with an orchestration of herbs and spices) contained only peas.

Everything else was delicious--including a beautifully blended lamb curry and Bengan bhartha , an exquisite strategy of ginger and charcoal-roasted eggplant.

Chicken korma , sweet and smooth, is Indian comfort food. Lamb vindaloo (especially if ordered spicy) is an iridescent succession of on-the-tongue events. (One night all the lamb dishes we ordered were tender, another time, a bit tough.) Don’t miss the dishes of cauliflower, spinach and peas with homemade cheese: They are the Fred Astaire of vegetables that make you want to get up and dance.

Breads, with garlic or onion, white and whole wheat, are fluffy and made before your eyes. Just remember that desserts here are not for everyone, certainly not for me--much of what I tried tasted like sugared foam rubber.

One trick to taking this food home: Put the bags in the back seat. Otherwise, the enticing fragrances will trick you into eating up the delicious breads because you’ll be convinced that they won’t possibly be good when you get home. They will. Everything we tried withstood reheating admirably.

If you’re in the mood for South Indian cuisine or want a new vegetarian experience, you might try Paru’s, the inexpensive, family-run Hollywood restaurant that opened a second location last year on the Westside. You’d be surprised at how much can be done with lentils, spices and vegetables. The Super Pancake, three varieties of what the restaurant calls “highly evolved lentils” that make a sort of pizza, tastes like a wonderful, huge potato and onion latke . Masala dosa , a foot-long lentil crepe with the crisp texture of an American cornmeal johnnycake, is filled with a sturdy potato curry. Samosas are very crisp and beautifully spiced.

Pongal and gotsu (always eaten together, like prosciutto and melon) mixes mild rice and lentils with a homey curried eggplant. Poori , the puffed Indian bread, has a special taste here rather like a doughnut dough. Vada , a lentil doughnut, is baby-smooth inside, crunchy outside and served with savory chutney. Idili , the size of a doughnut, tastes like a cross between white rice, lemon yogurt and Wonder Bread--and works as a fine foil for the sambar , the exotic coriander-washed lentil gravy.

Since so much of the food is made to order, at both Paru’s and India’s Oven, it’s wise to place your order at least 15 minutes before planning to pick it up. Make sure to ask for extra napkins, just in case you have a naan or poori attack in the car.

India’s Oven, 5897 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles; (213) 936-1000. Open for lunch Mondays through Saturdays; dinner seven nights. No credit cards, but checks accepted. Street parking.

Paru’s, 5140 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; (213) 661-7600; 9340 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles; (213) 273-8088. Open for lunch and dinner Wednesdays through Mondays. MC, Visa. Parking lot.