Last week, I visited Arth Bar + Kitchen for a leisurely Sunday lunch. The stylishly decorated restaurant serves modern Indian cuisine and is located on Culver Boulevard in downtown Culver City.
The first thing I noticed when I walked into the restaurant is the stunning chandelier and the full bar. One of the things that sets Arth Bar + Kitchen apart from other Indian restaurants in the area is their expansive bar and innovative cocktails. In addition to their bar, the restaurant has a main dining room, a side indoor patio and a spacious outdoor patio.
After perusing the menu with the help of our friendly server Rudy, my parents and I decided on our dishes. We started off with Small Plates of Chicken Bites and Garlic Fries.
The chicken was so crispy and flavorful with spices and seasoning that had the perfect amount of heat. The fries were made with green chutney, tomato gravy and mayonnaise.
Next up was a dish called Bharwani Kumbh, which are stuffed mushroom caps that are prepared in a Tandoor oven.
This was one of our favorite dishes of the entire meal! I couldn’t quite pinpoint what the mushrooms were stuffed with, other than yummy goodness. 😉
So when Sagar Ghosh, Executive Chef & Partner, came by to say hello, my dad asked about the Bharwani Kumbh. Chef Ghosh explained that the mushrooms were stuffed with several ingredients including paneer, an Indian cheese that’s made from curdled milk.
I asked Chef Ghosh how he came up with the concept of the menu. He said he chose dishes from different regions in India because he wanted to showcase a variety of recipes and food styles.
Shortly after Chef Ghosh left our table, our next set of dishes came. Paneer Makhanwala, which is a paneer in creamy tomato gravy, Cornish Hen Tikka Masala and a basket of Naan.
The paneer was delicious and the Cornish hen was tasty!
Before our desserts came out, Founder & Partner of Arth Bar + Kitchen, Mihir Lad, stopped by our table. An aerospace engineer by trade, Mihir said that when he was a kid, he had always dreamed about opening his own restaurant. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley (Van Nuys to be specific), Mihir saw his mother work in the hospitality industry for many years.
When I asked Mihir about the chandelier and the décor (the restaurant has an open kitchen and a chef’s counter), he mentioned that he worked with an interior designer that happened to be a childhood friend who was also raised in the Valley. So many SFV connections!
We ended our meal with chai tea and dessert – Mango Chambord Kulfi, Gulabo which is a rose petal compote stuffed in fried dough that’s soaked in rose syrup and Assorted Cannoli (pistachio, chocolate and butterscotch). Our favorite of the three desserts was the Kulfi, which is similar in taste to ice cream.
LOCATION
Arth Bar + Kitchen
9531 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
Ph: 424.603.4155
**Parking: One-hour free parking is available in a public parking lot on Watseka Avenue. From there it’s just a short walk to the restaurant.**
For more information, visit their website here. Don’t forget to check out their Facebook page for the latest updates!
Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary meal which helped facilitate this review. All images & opinions are 100% my own.
Wow! Everything from the food to the decor/setting looks amazing! Definitely on my must-go-to list.
I encourage you to try it out the next time you are in the area! Thanks for reading my blog post. 🙂