Second To Naan: The India Cafe

It’s no secret that we here at I Heart Costa Mesa are huge fans of small, local businesses. We just think what they do is really brave and a big boon for our city. The hours, the effort, the courage, the commitment – ‘small business’ is an act of love, no matter how you slice it.

So when we discovered The India Cafe – a little restaurant with a large menu of delicious, house-made dishes, located at 528 West 19th Street – we knew we wanted to meet the hardworking people behind the paneer.

This is not your average Indian takeaway. Nepalese restauranteurs and longtime friends, Tilak Rana and Ajit Gurung, are offering up a sincere taste of their home country, Nepal, a little country heavily influenced by neighboring India, China and Tibet. It’s a food fusion that’s inspired a unique, cross-cultural influence written all over the menu.

Tilak Rana Brings his Love of Scratch, Nepalese Cooking to the India Cafe in Costa Mesa.

The first two things we noticed about Rana – billed as the man in charge – were the sincerity of his demeanor and the bright radiance of his smile. Despite a bit of a language barrier, his passion for the food was universally understood. He seemed thrilled to spend a morning discussing his restaurant with us, and genuinely delighted as we “ooooh’d” and “ahhhh’d” over his beautiful, culinary creations.

So we had to know, what led Rana to the restaurant business – why cook for your living?

“I loved to cook in my home country and I love to cook here,” said Rana with a happy grin. “Food is everything, very important. Before a person can do anything in this life, he needs food. Without food, there is no life.

“It feels good to make people happy. Good food is what makes people happy.”

Full Compliment: Meat-Eaters, Vegans – And Everyone In Between – Will Find Something to Crave at The India Cafe, Costa Mesa.

Clearly, Rana is accomplishing what he’s set out to achieve, if the glowing Yelp reviews are any indication. Most diners seem to agree The India Cafe is a gem of a place with fresh, hearty portions and a cozy, unassuming vibe. But Yelpers aren’t the only locals enjoying the masalas, the curries and the samosas.

“The yoga studio across the street has many vegetarians, they like our food a lot,” shared Rana. “They come in to get food often and they are very happy with it.”

Not just for vegetarians, it’s safe to say The India Cafe is a crowdpleaser of a restaurant – epecially if you’re visiting with a diverse group of friends that don’t all eat like you. There’s options for meat-lovers, vegans, and everyone in between.

“The Goat Curry is the very best,” said Rana. “It is the number one best thing. People should come and try it. It is from my home country. The spices in it we import from Nepal – mountain spices – very authentic.”

Speaking of spices, you can order your food as spicy as you like – on a scale of 1 to 10 – at The India Cafe. Although, culturally, Rana doesn’t really get our local obsession with picante.

“In my country, we have spices – for savory – but not spicy for hot in your mouth,” said Rana. “It is not our customary way to eat it, but if the customer wants it to be hot, we will make it as hot as you like. We want people who eat our food to be happy.”

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Garlic Naan Made The Traditional Way… In A Clay Oven.

We almost feel bad telling you about the food, because it’s dangerously, addictively good. We’ve found ourselves craving and coveting The India Cafe more often than we’d like to admit. Before you read more about the food – consider yourself warned!

First off, Rana declares that everything at The India Cafe is made from scratch.

“We do not just heat up other people’s food,” said Rana. “We make it ourselves. We import our spices. We are very proud of our food.”

On the day of our visit, Rana and Gurung – the latter being the more camera-shy of the two – regaled us with plate after plate of delicious cuisine.

The Veggie Samosas, described as “crisp, fried turnovers stuffed with potatoes, green peas, herbs and spices” were fresh, light, and satisfying – especially when dipped in the accompanying chimichurri and chutney sauces.

The Chicken Tikka Masala, described on the menu as “chicken breast in a tomato-onion creamy masala sauce with fresh herbs and spices” was smooth, hearty and warm, served with fluffy rice on the side.

Our personal favorite on the menu, so far, has been the Gobi Manchurian. It’s described as, “crisp, fried cauliflower florets infused with ginger, garlic, soy, green onion, fresh herbs & spices a touch of sweet & sour sauce.” Sounds good, right? It tastes even better. It’s a nice alternative if you’re doing a “meatless Monday” but still want takeout.

But perhaps the most delicious part of The India Cafe is the handmade naan bread made in a stovetop, Tandoori clay oven. We love the garlic naan – soft naan topped with garlic and spices, especially good for sopping up every last drop of curry, chutney or paneer.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, Rana and his team also make versions of this fresh, melt-in-your-mouth naan stuffed with your choice of chicken, cheese, spiced minced lamb, or – for a real treat – Kashmiri-style, full of nuts, raisins, sweet cherries and coconut.

To wash it all down? The India Cafe has got you covered with cold beer, chilled wine and regional beverages like Mango Lassi – a sort of yogurt-based milkshake, or smoothie, blended with mango.

Order Your Food As Spicy As You Like, Then Wash It Down With A Cool Mango Lassi.

If you’re getting that “I’ll take one of everything” feeling just reading about the menu – things are about to get even more dangerous. The India Cafe delivers.

You can call them direct, or order your food through one of their convenient partner apps, like Grub Hub (link here), Postmates (link here) and Uber Eats (link here.)

Rana and Gurung want you to come in as often as possible, and not just to grow your happiness with their food. They also want to grow their little restaurant and they need more happy customers to do it.

Rana has dreams of expanding and opening up the space. By renting the unit adjacent to the existing restaurant, he could effectively double the size of his dining area and kitchen.

“The landlord has the space next door,” said Rana. “They said we are welcome to have it when we are ready. Someday I hope we will be ready.”

Thank You, Ajit Gurung and Tilak Rana, for Bringing Your Delicious Food To Costa Mesa!

So we asked Rana, ‘What do you like about having a restaurant in Costa Mesa?’

He smiled and said, “This part of California is very nice, very clean. The people are also very nice to me. I have another restaurant in Los Angeles and it is not so nice up there as it is down here. I like it very much.”

It’s then, in the last moments of our visit –  from far across the room where he’d been quietly observing our interview –  Ajit Gurung finally decides to chime in:

“When I came here from Nepal, I knew no one. I knew nothing. I was very new here. I was scared and didn’t know what it would be like. But this place, the people are very friendly and very nice. It is a good life.

“I am happy to be here, and today we are glad you came out to talk to us and tell our story.”

That makes two of us, Ajit.

Now pass the naan, please. ♥

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