Roots Indian Bistro: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Roots Indian Bistro on Melrose Avenue serves butter chicken and tandoori fish, so this is a meat kitchen. Vegetarians still eat well here, because the owners tag the vegan dishes right on the menu. No guessing which curry skipped the cream.

What to order

Start small. Roots lists ten appetizers, including Paneer Masala Fries, Naan Bruschetta, Samosas, and Mac and Cheese Pakoras. The Saucy Wings are the only meat dish in the group, so a vegetarian can order from this part of the menu without asking a single question. Two samosas come stuffed with potatoes and peas, and the owners mark them vegan. On the Aloo Tikki, you get two potato pancakes topped with onion, serrano peppers, and tamarind chutney, tagged gluten free and vegan. Bhel Puri and Sev Puri carry the vegan tag too. Order both if you like crunch.

Mains work like a build-your-own plate. Saag (puréed spinach, ginger, garlic, and cumin) comes with Veggie, Paneer, or Tofu for $18. Nirvana, built on onions, bell peppers, and coconut milk, comes with Paneer or Tofu at $18. Tikka Masala has cream in the sauce, and you can get it with Veggies, Paneer, or Tofu. Lamb runs $20 and fish $22, so you pay less for the paneer, tofu, or vegetable version of any curry than for either one, and nobody at the table has to know you picked it for the price.

Under Vegan Entrees, you’ll see Market Vegetables ($17), Chana Masala ($17), Aloo Gobi ($17), Daal ($17), and Malai Kofta ($18). Veggie Punjabi Biryani costs $19.

Eating as a pair? At $68, the Tipsy Hippy from the Roots For 2 section gets you Malai Kofta, Saag Tofu, Daal, and a cucumber salad, with samosas, rice, and naan included. Zero meat.

The Roots Rarities

Here the cooks play. Their Chana Chalupa puts chickpeas, onions, yogurt, and chutneys in a golden bhatura shell. In the Noormahal Lasagna, you get carrots, corn, and bell peppers layered with spiced marinara, masala béchamel, and cheese. Paneer fans should try the Verde Masala Enchiladas, with Tandoori Masala Paneer, beans, and a coriander-tomatillo sauce. We saw no meat in those three descriptions. Still, ask your server before you order, since this is a meat kitchen.

The kitchen

Chicken, lamb, and fish all cook at Roots, and we found nothing on the restaurant’s site about separate fryers, grills, or prep areas, so strict vegans and anyone with an allergy should treat every fried item as shared oil until a server says otherwise. We left the cross-contamination score blank because we couldn’t confirm the kitchen setup. If you avoid shared surfaces, ask before you order.

Practical notes

Find Roots at 7265 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046. Call (323) 297-3125 to ask about the kitchen. Monday through Thursday, Roots serves lunch from 11:30am to 3pm and dinner from 4:30pm to 10pm. Friday and Saturday keep the same lunch window, with dinner until 11pm. Sunday is dinner only, 4pm to 10pm. Book a table or order online from the Roots site. The restaurant also caters.

Plan on $17 to $23 per main, plus $4 for naan and $5 for a Mango Lassi. Save room. Rose Doughnuts (fried milk balls in sweet rose water) and Rice Pudding each cost $6.

Roots describes the room as murals and hip hop, and that fits the Melrose block. Go on a Friday night if you want the noise. Pick lunch if you want to hear the person across the table.

Order the Saag with tofu, add a garlic naan for $5, and split the Aloo Tikki first.