Like a tongue on a flagpole in February, fusion cuisine results from curiosity and a shortage of popsicles. Rein in restless taste buds with today's Groupon: for $15, you get $35 worth of Mexican-Indian fusion fare and drinks from Cowboys & Turbans, located in Silver Lake.
Dubbed the spice master by the Los Angeles Times, chef and divine dining presence Baba Ji masterminds the unmatched menu, combining the authentic taste of Indian street food with the utilitarian brilliance of traditional tortillas. Entrees like the chicken saag ($13) or the veggie-laced saag tofu ($11) are served with basmati rice, and the maharaja pizza, which is served on tandoori-baked naan, puts barbecue chicken breast, pineapple, and cashew nuts atop a moderate mountain of mozzarella ($13). Bombay jumbo burritos like the fish masala burrito ($12) combine fresh Indian veggies with subtle spice syntheses that finally dispel taste buds’ repressed memories of grade-school lunches made of crayons and paste.
Reviews
To Live and Eat in L.A. and the LA Weekly food blog Squid Ink gave Cowboys & Turbans favorable reviews. Zagat reviewers enjoy the food at Cowboys & Turbans and more than 120 Yelpers give the restaurant an average of three stars.
- You wonder whether you should meditate or eat. Eating wins, because this is food you'll want to explore. – Barbara Hansen, LA Weekly
- Who knew such a limited menu could be so delicious. Not to be missed: masala fries with or without cheese. – RaphaelL6321, Zagat
Cowboys and Turbans
Baba Ji, the proprietor of Silverlake Juice and Tea, explores a new frontier in fusion with the food at Cowboys and Turbans—the tantalizing blend of South Asian, American, and Mexican cuisine. The menu unites antipodal parts of the globe with hearty samosas wrapped in flour tortillas instead of samosa dough, tacos filled with tandoori meats and chutneys, and pizzas made with a chewy tandoori naan crust. Towering doors of wood and iron lined with intricately carved columns reveal an open-air patio, which surrounds visitors with flickering torchlight and a canopy of multicolored cloth. Statues of animals and deities ring the courtyard, patiently waiting to ask if diners are going to finish their masala burgers, tandoori cornish hens, and aromatic vegetarian and seafood curries.