(CULVER CITY, CA) — The Experience Magazine was going through Jonathan Gold’s Top 100 restaurants recently when we noticed that Mayura had gotten an award for the fifth year in a row in 2017 from the LA Times’ top food critic. Many people don’t know who Jonathan Gold is. Until recently, his identity was a secret. He’s known to search strip malls in Southern California for the best in Indian, Korean and really, any gourmet food. His writing is top notch. There’s even a movie about him called “City of Gold.” It turns out that Jonathan Gold loves Mayura. We stopped by Mayura to try a few of the items that makes Mayura so good. Dr. Padmini and her husband Anil were on hand to welcome us, chat about the dishes and be gracious hosts in their restaurant.
Mayura Kerala is in Culver City and is nestled in a strip mall. We were able to find (free) parking in the parking lot before the restaurant and the parking lot filled up. Walking in the door of Mayura Kerala is like being transported to India. The smell of Indian spices fill the air of this cozy eatery. On the night we were there, a group of 20 friends from India we all dining at a large table. The booths were filled and people knew what they wanted. The staff at Mayura knows how to serve Indian food. They can answer questions about the food and recommend dishes.

The Chicken 65 at Mayura Kerala. Photo by the Experience Magazine

Mayura serves amazing curry dishes. The fish curry at Mayura is one of their signature dishes. The curry is expertly made. Jonathan Gold recommends this dish as being one of the best Indian food dishes in Los Angeles. There’s a reason that Jonathan Gold loves Mayura enough to give them five Top 100 awards. Mayura is the entire package. Delicious food, convenient location and low prices are things that catch Jonathan’s attention. Mayura really gets it right. The food and the atmosphere at Mayura are just delightful. Mayura also does a brisk take out and delivery business. People call, place orders and come in to pick up their favorite dishes or have it delivered to their home.

Dr. Padmini(R) with her husband Anil(L) at Mayura Kerala in Culver City. Photo by the Experience Magazine

The first dish we tried on this visit was the Spring Dosa. The Spring Dosa is a crispy golden crepe filled with freshly cooked vegetables. The presentation is excellent and the dosa is served on a silver tray. The Chicken 65 was equally delicious. A fresh onion sat on top of marinated deep fried chicken. This was all prepared in the South Indian Kerala style. The taste is so unique. The flavors so distinct. I recommend you try the Chicken 65. Another great dish at Mayura is the Chicken Tika Masala. If you try one dish at Mayura, I recommend this dish. The taste of the curry, the freshness of the tasty chicken. I really can’t believe how good this dish is at Mayura. Another unique item at Mayura is the gluten free porota. This is a sheer white pancake item that is perfect for sopping up all the tastes and flavors. As Dr. Padmini once told me, “There are no rules with Indian food. Eat as you like.” Since she told me this, I’ve been trying different combinations. I was dipping the dosa into the mint jelly that came with the fried banana. There are so many flavors to sample at Mayura. If you love Indian food, this is one of the tastiest and friendliest places in Los Angeles.

Mayura Kerala is one of the top Indian restaurants in Los Angeles

As we dined at Mayura, our Senior Editor, Erwin Glaub, chatted with Dr Padmini about Guruvayur Temple in Kerala, India. Both Dr. Padmini and Mr. Glaub are Krishna devotees. Guruvayurappan is a four armed Hindu god affiliated with Vishnu. This Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is one of the most iconic temples for Hindus. It’s thought that this temple is 5,000 years old. It is also known as Bhuloka Vaikunta which means “holy house of Vishnu on earth.” Dr Padmini and Erwin exchanged Sanskrit incantations and were happy to share a moment with another devotee.

Senior editor of the Experience Magazine Erwin Glaub enjoying delicious vegetarian fare at Mayura

The atmosphere at Mayura Kerala is so pleasant. We enjoyed watching all the dinners ordering their favorite dishes. This Indian food is meant to be shared and enjoyed. There is no hurry at Mayura. Dinners are encouraged to enjoy a beverage and relax. The streets of Culver City were getting busy with rush hour traffic as we chatted and enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. We felt so lucky to know about this culinary gem of Los Angeles.

Dr. Padmini stopped by to chat while we dinned on some tasty South Indian food

The Experience Magazine highly recommends Mayura Kerala restaurant. This is some of the best Indian food in Los Angeles. The food here is delicious and the vegetarian items are just amazing.

Check out their website here

About Dustin Brown

Dustin Brown is a writer and editor for the Experience at EEWorldNews.com.

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