Agra Cafe
Agra Cafe is tucked into the corner of a happening strip mall at the junction of Sunset and Fountain in Silverlake, Agra Cafe offers a delicious and authentic taste of the Punjab region of India. As soon as you walk in, the enticing aroma of spices lets you know you’re in for something special. The cozy red-tinted mildly incensed interior, decorated with Indian artwork, provides the perfect, inviting space for a traditional Indian meal for a romantic night out, a large family gathering or dinner-for-one any night of the week.
Lucky Singh, a friendly and dapper member of the family who own Agra, describes their cuisine as much like the the food in his native Northern India. The combination of basic spices and other special ingredients makes for the unique, yet typical, cuisine. Of course, Lucky explains, each chef also adds their personal touch, and the high quality of the ingredients and spices that Agra sources from their local and global purveyors also makes the food exceptional.
In the late 1990s, Lucky’s Uncle Amrik Singh arrived in the U.S, and initially found work driving an ice cream truck. He was financially judicious and in 2008, was able to buy a Bangladeshi restaurant with his savings. After learning a lot from the former owner, Singh transformed the place and Agra Cafe was born. Immediately following the opening, family from India, including Lucky, came to America to help with the restaurant. Lucky, used to a life of farming in Northern India and unable to speak English fluently, struggled to make himself at home in the U.S. However, through Lucky’s relationships with customers, painstakingly-acquired language skills and a lot of hard work, he has hit his stride. Today, almost all the staff at Agra Cafe are family; in total two generations of around twenty cousins, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles work there.
While Agra’s business continues to thrive, there are always some challenges like finding certain specific ingredients, and the proper utensils. Just sourcing the unique furnace-looking stove or 'tandoor' took a lot of doing.
With a menu ranging from currys, kormas, vindaloos, to soups of all kinds, to vegetable dishes, to balti or tandoori plates, it is safe to say that Agra’s chefs are versatile, and that there is something for everyone to love. Each member of my family has a different favorite. My sister loves the Chicken Tikka Masala with its bright orange fenugreek laden sauce and mild flavor, while my parents always choose from the deep hot vinegar-and-tomato-based Vindaloos.
My weekly favorite is the Lamb Korma accompanied by a Cheese Naan, polished off with a rice pudding. The creamy texture of the Korma sauce served over rice makes for an incredibly delicious dish rich with flavors of ginger, garlic, and cumin. The thin-pizza-like Naan is ideal to mop up every last bite. Finally, the rice pudding is made with the same Basmati rice used for regular dishes which gives it a thinner texture, and is unique, refreshing and light.
At Agra Cafe, each dish can be ordered at a range of different spice levels going from mild to very spicy. The condiments that come with most dishes - a deep burgundy tamarind chutney and a bright green chili coriander chutney - are homemade and worth trying. Plus, Agra Cafe also offers a variety of enticing Indian drinks like Chai, Lassis, and some of India’s best beers like Kingfisher and Taj Mahal. Overall, Agra Cafe is a truly unique and authentic dive into North Indian cuisine, and probably the best Indian food you can get without going to India!
Visit:
Visit-Agra-Cafe
4325 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323- 665-7890
Hours 11:30-1am
Agra