Brick Lane Brings East London Indian Food to the Arts District
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Sanjay Rawat’s reputation as a major player in Indian fine dining began when he took over as executive sous chef for catering at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, a property known for hosting Indian weddings and other lavish celebrations. Word of his cultural expertise paired with modern technique spread quickly, and diners from all over Southern California flocked to Dana Point to marvel at his pitch-perfect twists on traditional Indian cuisine at events and the on-site restaurant, Kahani.
Now, the drive will be shorter, at least for Angelenos, who can dig in to plenty of chaat and tandoori classics at Rawat’s first restaurant in Los Angeles, Brick Lane
Brick Lane opened in May in the Arts District, the name a nod to a stretch of East London that houses some of the best Indian restaurants in the world. Along with co-founders Rishma Shariff and Sachin Nayyar, Rawat launched with a formidable menu; he also brought in longtime Rustic Canyon wine director Kathryn Coker to design a thoughtful wine list, and newcomer Horacio Cortez to create a slew of South Asian-inspired cocktails. This chef is eager to showcase his contemporary take on an often flattened and sometimes misunderstood cuisine as Los Angeles enters a new era of diasporic kitchens.
Here are five things to know about Brick Lane.
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1. The team searched for the perfect space for almost four years
Rawat and his team chose to open in the former Brera Ristorante space, a beautifully revamped 1920s-era warehouse in the Arts District. The elements that led the chef to choose this location reflect an understanding of what matters in this city—logistics and lighting. “We fell in love with this building,” he says. “I just feel happy when I’m in the space. The restaurant is beautiful, the kitchen is enormous, and we have a huge parking lot!”
High ceilings, exposed brick walls, vintage glass-paned windows and worn-in wood floors create an atmosphere that’s immediately relaxed and inviting. The oversized space offers plenty of room for all, from family-friendly booths, to groups of suits hammering out their next deal, and couples enjoying an incandescent golden hour on date night. A spacious bar in the front of the room is perfect for solo dining or happy hour snacks, and an outdoor area complete with fire pits offers an al fresco option that can host diners well past sundown.
2. Though technique-driven, the menu mimics the home-cooked Indian food experience
Indian food in America is often associated with comically large portion sizes, and Rawat wants to be clear that his dishes are not designed that way. Instead, a multi-faceted, four-part menu allows guests to select a few items from each section, building out a dining experience that’s more indicative of how true Indian meals actually unfold. “In Indian culture, when we’re cooking at home, we have a couple of different curries, vegetables, rice dishes, and breads,” Rawat says. “That’s what I’m trying to get out of this menu.”
Start with snackable chaat before diving into the woodfire and tandoor-cooked items, which include kebabs and other live fire items, then move into the largest format dishes, presented as reimagined regions, which includes specialities and delicacies from different parts of India. “I recommend people get at least two dishes from each section,” he says. “Our portion sizes aren’t huge. People love trying new things and our format is designed to foster that.”
When enjoying a cuisine in which the sauces are among the most flavorful components of the plate, bread is a necessity to soak it all up. The bread section, in particular, is loaded with options, from sourdough and garlic naan, to several kinds of roti, and the layered North Indian flatbread laccha paratha, all ideal for scooping sauces and offering a respite from some of the spicier moments.
3. The menu reflects a diaspora of Indian flavors, but expect a modern Californian approach
Rawat’s take on classic Indian fare is informed by the produce, seafood, and other ingredients that define this city’s culinary scene. Brick Lane’s ethos—summed up in their tagline “Los Angeles Soul. Indian Roots”—balances Rawat’s indigenous cooking style with the success he’s found centering those techniques firmly in California.
“Indian food needs to evolve without losing the authenticity of the ingredients,” he says. We’re still using Indian cooking techniques and traditional spices, but the way we’re using them is very thoughtful.”
Nearly every menu in the city has branzino on it. Brick Lane does too, but it’s anchored with Indian spices. “We’re keeping the integrity of the fish, but using a garam masala spice mix with a turmeric curry leaf sauce under it. Then, it’s topped with Kashmir chile aioli. It’s all Indian flavors on the plate but executed with a modern approach,” Rawat says.
By using these flavors in a dish that’s already familiar to diners, Rawat feels he can bridge the gap between reality and sometimes skewed expectations about what his country’s food is like. “I believe Indian food has a lot to show the world,” he says. “It’s not just all about curry—it’s about the spices and the techniques we use. It’s about showcasing Indian food with local ingredients.”
4. The tandoori prawn and smoked applewood butter chicken are must-orders
The two standout dishes on the menu are prime examples of traditional Indian flavors presented in a refined way. Butter chicken, a dish that American diners know and love, is often written off because of its ubiquity. Instead of skirting around it, Rawat flips the takeout classic on its head, using decidedly non-traditional techniques to impart a unique flame-grilled flavor.
“We cold-smoke our chicken with applewood, then marinate it and cook it in a wood-fire tandoor,” he says. “Our gravy is just tomatoes and a good amount of water, sauteed to kill the acidity. Then I add melon seeds and cashews to give it that creamy, rich, and silky texture. Finally, we fold the tandoori cooked chicken into the sauce.”
Tandoori is both a style of cooking, using a clay oven (a.k.a a tandoor), and a particular type of marinade, and both elements are part of Rawat’s tandoori prawns. Americans scanning Indian takeout menus are likely familiar with tandoori chicken, but Rawat instead uses a single, oversized prawn, making the protein itself the star.
5. The cocktail menu is packed with drinks anchored by Indian ingredients
Kick off any order at Brick Lane with a cocktail—standard and spirit-free drinks will open up your palate and get you a head start on the Indian spices that await. Try the Kaffir Drop, a take on a Lemon Drop that swaps in lime leaf, ginger, and lemongrass for traditional lemon juice and orange liqueur, and is then topped with vodka and coconut. It’s tangy, sweet, and refreshing, and pairs well with early dishes like sweet potato chaat and the chile cheese kulcha (a stuffed, tandoor-cooked flatbread).
Elsewhere, the Manhattan features gin with the herbal Ayurvedic tonic chyawanprash instead of whiskey, and the Vesper uses cardamom-infused vodka with a touch of apricot for a sweeter drink. Several thoughtfully designed NA drinks are similarly infused with Indian touches, and a low-intervention wine list with by-the-glass stunners from California winemakers like Scar of the Sea and Stolpman Vineyards rounds it all out.
Caitlin White is a food, wine and travel reporter who splits her time between Los Angeles, Toronto, and Cannes. She’s a contributing editor to Santa Barbara Magazine and a hotel critic for The Telegraph. Her work has appeared in The Observer, InsideHook, Fine Dining Lovers and many more. Born and raised in the Willamette Valley, she has a soft spot for Oregon Pinot Noir, but learned to drink in Red Hook bars like Fort Defiance and Sunny’s.
