Topline:
Diwali, which starts on Sunday, is a time for spirituality, to reconnect with friends and loved ones — and enjoy the best of India’s regional desserts. Here’s where to find them.
Dessert destinations: We highlight Indian eateries from Riverside County to Artesia to Fullerton.
What to buy? Oh, so many different options. Boxes of Jalebi, cashew and mango flavored Barfi, Ghewar with Rabdi, or a salted caramel Gulab Jamun — enjoy your Indian culinary tour.
Diwali in greater L.A. is something else. While I love the endless aisles of spices in nearly every Indian grocery store, I’m tickled that in the time it would take to find a reliable recipe and laboriously cook it into a Diwali treat, I could simply drive over a nearby Indian eatery and satisfy my cravings.
I’ve lived in many cities in the U.S., but on many days, and particularly over Diwali, Los Angeles feels more like my hometown Mumbai than anywhere else. Its culturally complex energy, its neighborhoods and restaurants exude a warmth and familiarity that soothes the nostalgia for my homeland.
After we moved here in 2010, we took the time to explore much of SoCal’s Indian restaurant scene, and kept finding more and more great places. It seems Indian restaurants are experiencing a coming of age.
Here are some of my family's favorite sweet treats for Diwali (or really any time).
Our initial introduction to living in SoCal was Riverside County, with its dusty, arid and hot climate, which immediately reminded my husband, Uma, of his hometown, New Delhi.
In no time, we found New India Sweets & Spices, blocks away from the campus of UC Riverside.
Primarily a grocery store, I was surprised to find a fairly extensive confections or mithai section behind a glass case, all sold by weight; it felt guilt-free to purchase "just a Boondi Ladoo or three." Our daughter discovered they carry Badana throughout the year — small beads of fried and sweetened chickpea flour that resemble larger and more addictive dippin’ dots. In the winter months, they have Atta Pinni, a wheat and jaggery-based Ladoo preparation with warming spices and edible gum — a traditional Indian energy bar, one of those "good-for-you" kind of things only grandmas seem to know how to make.
Growing more comfortable, we began exploring the region and discovered BAPS, Shayona in Chino Hills. The large complex is evocative of temple complexes in India, and is a sight for homesick eyes. The on-site spacious Shayona Cafe offers a seasonal menu that adheres to the guidelines of the Swaminarayan sect, excluding garlic or onions. The cafe offers umpteen pre-packed treats both sweet and savory, including traditional mithai in boxes, as sampler packs.
Familiar ones include Boondi Ladu, Kaju Katli, and a Gujarati version of a fudge-like winter preparation called "paak." My kryptonite is their boxes of Jalebi, swirls of deep-fried batter sweetened in a sticky sugar syrup. I will consume at least a few pieces before I get to our car.
Many friends encouraged us to head to Artesia, unofficially titled “Little India." The retail strip exudes an energy that I have not experienced elsewhere in the country, and seeing its many regional Indian cuisines made me feel like I was in a culinary theme park.
At Saffron Spot we found falooda, an ice-cream float with traditional Kulfi ice cream and sweet basil seeds. Uma was delighted to learn that Tirunelveli Halwa was on the menu at Anjappar. This traditional south Indian dessert reminded him of childhood visits with his grandparents, deep in rural Tamil Nadu. Made by cooking down the milk extracted from wheat berries, it's a regional favorite.
Surati Farsan Mart has many kinds of fudge-like preparations under the broad category of "Barfi" with flavors like cashew, and mango, as well as ladoo varieties, plus savories to enjoy while an order is filled. They also carry pre-packed sampler packs that are particularly popular during Diwali. The sampler packs also make welcome hostess gifts.
More recently, we discovered a newcomer to the Artesia strip, Bhooke. It steals the scene with classic desserts from the desert state of Rajasthan, including Ghewar and Mawa Kachori. Both are technique-heavy preparations, best left to the hands of an expert.
Ghewar is made by pouring a thin stream of batter directly into hot ghee that creates a fine lattice like structure. Drizzled with sugar syrup, it is sometimes served with Rabdi, a rich and creamy sauce-like dessert. Mawa Kachori is a large handmade flaky pastry, stuffed with sweetened milk solids, or mawa and nuts and then deep fried in ghee. What’s not to love?
Bustling and popular Fullerton includes two of my favorite destinations, especially for desserts.
The first is Spice Social with a casual vibe, and a fancy bar. Their meals are flavorful, and offer both a mix of traditional and fusion eats, but their desserts push the envelope without going overboard. My favorite is their Gulabi Paratha: a layered paratha, stuffed with Gulab Jamun and served with ice-cream.
Down the street is another family friendly restaurant, Khan Saab. This alcohol-free restaurant has received a Michelin Bib Gourmand award twice (2021, 2023) for good reason. Their zero-proof cocktails are excellent, every dish is executed with perfection, and the desserts are worth saving room for. Chef Imran "Ali" Mookhi offers two stand out desserts, both including chocolate: a Chocolate Gulab Jamun, offering the best excuse to eat Nutella served with a chocolate wafer, and a Chocolate Samosa, served with vanilla ice-cream. In the spirit of the festive season, it is only fair to order both.
Over time, we learned that traveling into downtown Los Angeles requires a fair bit of planning. Although there is no good time to be on the highways, we discovered three worthy destinations. Baar Baar is a newer restaurant that offers a delicious and fun-filled cocktail menu, elegant dining options, and exquisite desserts.
Elevating the classics into portrait worthy desserts, Chef Sujan has curated a handful of masterpieces. The Coconut Payasam Cassata is a layered dessert with the delicate flavors of a creamy payasam, a traditional South Indian dessert, served as a cassata. The Mango Ghewar here elevates the traditional Rajasthani dessert. Served over a mango jelly with a dollop of chilled mango kulfi, soft mascarpone mousse and topped with crunchy pistachio, it is a symphony of textures.
Meanwhile, Tulsi Eatery offers three convenient locations across the city: Northridge, DTLA and Westwood, making it hard to miss. Two easy-to-love desserts hit the spot every time —Shrikhand, a classic dessert of sweetened smooth yogurt flavored with cardamom, and a salted caramel Gulab Jamun, an easy favorite for anyone who loves the sweet-salty combo.
Roots Indian Bistro on Melrose offers another delicious avatar of Gulab Jamun, this time as a churro, served with a coconut dust.
With each trip to the beach, we stumbled into a new restaurant and returned to those who would get their Indian flavors just right. Rangeen Kitchen is a small, friendly eatery in Laguna Niguel. This owner-operated restaurant offers a California-fresh and flavor-forward menu, including classic Indian dishes and fresh takes on them, but their desserts make it worth a visit. Chocolate Pani-puri is a fun take on the classic savory Pani-puri, where the puff is dipped in chocolate and filled with a sweet cream. The melt-in-your-mouth Saffron and Rose Pana Cotta is topped with a chia seed and pomegranate syrup and pistachios.
Tustin’s Masala Bae surprised me with two desserts I did not expect to see outside India — Qubaani ka meetha and a Hyderabadi Fruit Custard. These two are quintessential comfort foods for many people from India, the desserts one would expect to serve a family member. Rich, decadent and yet simple, Qubaani ka meetha is made with preserved apricot, served with vanilla ice cream and topped with almonds. At the same time, a Hyderabadi fruit custard is another familiar dessert - mixed fruits topped with a chilled vanilla custard and served with assorted dried fruits and nuts — simplicity at its best.