Celebrated modern Indian restaurant Badmaash will take over the former Yours Truly (and, later, Piccolo) space on Abbot Kinney sometime this summer. Co-owner Nakul Mahendro, who confirmed the expansion to Eater over the phone, says that it was always his family’s belief that every neighborhood deserved a great Indian restaurant.
Mahendro, his brother Arjun, and their father Pawan opened Badmaash in Downtown LA in 2013 after moving to Los Angeles from Toronto. They received near-universal acclaim for their polished, genre-bending dishes like chicken tikka poutine, warmly spiced lamb burgers, and butter chicken. In 2018, they expanded Badmaash to the trendy Fairfax District, where plates like coconut curry mussels and chili cheese naan continue to draw Indian food fans. The family opened Burgers 99 on La Brea Avenue in March 2020, serving American-style cheeseburgers and hot dogs.
In Venice, one of the main design features will be a bright, flashy sign on the building that will act as a calling card to the South Asian community and anyone else interested in Badmaash’s flavor-packed Indian dishes. “There will be no English on the front of the building,” says Nakul Mahendro, who hopes the overall vibe and experience will retain Venice’s laid-back quality.
The new Badmaash will reflect a slight shift in sensibilities from the all-out carb-and-cheese fest on the original Downtown menu. Nakul Mahendro said that after more than 10 years of working and dining in restaurants, he finds himself reaching for brothy soups and raw ingredients. “People are just wiser about what they’re putting in their bodies. We’re more thoughtful about types of preparations and how they affect your mood or how you feel,” says Mahendro, who adds that valuable collaborations with other chefs over the years have informed their understanding of modern Indian cooking. “In the past, we did things like poutine, but maybe here we’ll do a hamachi crudo with the [touch] of an Indian palate,” he said.
The multi-faceted dining room has a semi-open kitchen, a lengthy bar, and a group-friendly back area. For the first time, Badmaash will have some outdoor patio seating. The interior look, featuring lush greenery and artwork, will come from prolific design firm Preen, which has made everything from Piccalili in Culver City to Pine & Crane in Downtown LA.
Though Nakul Madendro promises a few more health consciousness-oriented tweaks to the Venice menu, he still intends for it to have a great steak: “I want it to be the best steak in the city. Can you imagine? A great beef steak at an Indian restaurant.”
Badmaash Venice is coming this summer to 1616 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, CA, 90291.
2025-01-24T01:02:53Z