Casual vegetarian and vegan Indian cuisine has come to Main Street in Santa Monica with the opening of family-owned Samosa House.

I haven't eaten Indian food since February. And I should mention that I really like Indian food. But I was in India for 3 weeks back in February, and I ate the local cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And it was a-mazing, but I was definitely ready for an Indian food break when I got back to Los Angeles. I knew no place would compare to eating Indian food in India, so I just didn't seek it out. Then Samosa House opened on Main Street in Santa Monica, down the street from me, and I knew it was time to break the seal.

Samosa House is owned by a lovely husband and wife team from India. They opened their first Samosa in Culver City in 1979, along with one of LA's biggest Indian markets. There's a Samosa House in Silver Lake as well.

Samosa House took over the old Rawvolution on Santa Monica. In fact, you'll still see the sign there, along with the banner with Samosa House's name on it. It's a very casual spot where you'll find about a dozen different dishes displayed, Chipotle style. The sampler is the way to go to get a good taste of several items, and at $10.50, it's a good value that should be enough for a meal or two, or even three, depending on your appetite.

There's no meat served, but you will find soy dishes, as well as many vegetable options. I was happy that I had over 10 different items to choose from that were gluten free and dairy free.

The jackfruit is fork tender in a creamy (but cream-less!) spicy blend. If you've never had jackfruit, it might remind you of artichokes or hearts of palm. It takes on flavors well, so it's a great Indian add-on.

Samosa House's smoked cauliflower has a bold kick with another dairy free, cream sauce with additional veggies blended up. The saag is a nice spiced blend of spinach and mustard greens. The dishes aren't shy in the flavor department, which I was happy to see in a place like this. They pack a good level of heat, but it won't knock you over.

The interior of the Samosa House in Santa Monica is relaxed and bright. You could roll off the beach and grab a bite here, or better yet, grab an order to go and enjoy it at home with a nice bottle of Riesling like this one from Germany.

Samosa House
2301 Main Street, Santa Monica
310.314.0821