When you meet mom, pop, and not a single other person during a whole meal it's safe to say that you're in a mom and pop shop. Eating at Luzzat I felt like Jerry from the Babu Bhatt episode <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DtUPH5OhXC1A&s=26bbfc869df124368c6a61dcf6a888d60238118d483f0eef73ee401841973629" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a> ...only with awesome Indian food and a slightly bigger language barrier.
Making my best attempt at going vegetarian I went with the Vegetable Samosa, Vegetable Pakora, and Aloo Palak. All very tasty, cheap, and served in portions sufficient to make two meals out of. For under twenty bucks I was able to swing both lunch and dinner so value wise the place is the shit!
Using that last line as a segway I must offer a bit of caution to those not super used to Indian spices. I'm not either and here I am awake at 4:30am with a stomach ache. Pretty typical for all of my Indian experiences so I'm not blaming Luzzat, but if you're teetering on whether or not to give Indian a go, you might want to give it a second thought.
Terrific food, much better than the options on Devon. Â Order apps right away (the kabob roll was stellar, samosas also excellent). Â Then enjoy lovingly prepared dishes as they mosey on out of the kitchen. Â Order a paneer dish, as some of the other dishes tend to have similar saucing and this will add variety.
Review Source:The food is definitely delicious! Everything tastes homemade and fresh.
We started with vegetable pakora, which was both crunchy and spicy - even more so with the spicy (read hot) green sauce. The tamarind sauce was probably the best I've ever tasted.
We stuck to the veggie dishes on this visit. The palak paneer had a very good spinach flavor and the matak paneer tasted as if the sauce had been made within hours of being served. The cheese in the paneer was not as "squeaky" as I am used to, but it too seemed as if it could be homemade (next time I'm in, I'll ask).
I wouldn't order the hand-rolled bread again. It was doughy and slightly fishy tasting.
I thought the restaurant was clean, although the decor is a bit sparse. To get to the bathroom you have to walk through the kitchen and down a narrow hallway (they may need to turn on the lights for you). The bathroom was clean, but very cold.
You can bring in your own wine or beer - handily, Taste Food & Wine is across the street. However, more people were there for takeout than eat-in.
Service was a bit strange/slow as the server was also working the convenience store next door. I don't think that will prevent me from going back - the food was just too good!
It's official. Â I'm in love with Luzzat.
She's a stern woman with piercing black eyes. Â She's the type of lady you wouldn't bring home to mother for fear of her intimidating mother into contemplative silence. Â She is dazzling. Â She is exotic. Â She is close by, but always worlds away. Â Luzzat is my secret mistress for whom my love knows no bounds.
I met her about two years ago, at first catious about an Indian restaurant in the middle of nothing in Rogers Park. Â But my caution was thrown away at the smell of spicy curries in the alley. Â I had to try it. Â No customers but me, I ordered the only thing I was comfortable with, Palak Paneer, medium spicy. Â It took about 15 minutes, but I left and dived into the aluminum container.
(Smack!) Â There were flavors in the dish I didn't know could co-exist with my mouth. Â Oh my Krishna! Â This (expletive) was beyond blissful. Â I wept joyfully at the amount of heat, not tongue-numbing but life-affirming. Â I was full halfway into it, but lost all common sense and ate it all.
Month in and out I would return for the same dish, displaying superhuman feats of patience for my mean green plate of cheesy spinach. Â Always carrying out to have explicit private moments at an affordable price.
Then it all changed.
About a month ago, I brought mon cher to meet her, somewhat reluctantly because I had never eaten in. Â We ordered items I never saw on the menu, for I always wore blinders for the Palak Paneer. Â Samosas, vegetable pekora, aloo something or other and two other dishes, all medium spicy. Â We both exclaimed at the... Je ne sais quoi. Â All I know is that it was akin to having a three way.
Any further attempts to extoll the perfections of Luzzat will probably result in banishment from Yelp, so I will end with this: seriously sexy, devilishly decadent, spiritually superior my dear Luzzat is. Â I love you.
You guys...you guys...do you know about Luzzat? Because it is kind of amazing. Yes, the restaurant is tiny. Yes, there is little to no ambiance. And yes, the food is totally worth it.
You may initially walk by the restaurant, not realizing what you are missing. It is a tiny, unassuming place, easily confused with the fast food joint that is next door. There are only a handful of tables, and there is usually only one or two people working. I don't come here for ambiance, though. I come here to stuff my face with all the tastiness.
Every time I visit Luzzat, the food tastes fresh and delicious. They don't have naan, but their paratha is awesome. The vegetable samosas are amazing, and I love the chana masala and the aloo gosht. The butter chicken and palak paneer are also excellent. Both meat eaters and vegetarians will be happy with the extensive menu, and prices are very reasonable.
A word of warning: if you order something spicy, it will melt your face off! They don't mess around when it comes to adding some heat to your food if you request it. The first time I ate dinner here, I ordered my dish spicy, and I should have taken the kind server's look of worry and questions about whether or not I was sure as a warning of things to come. When my food arrived, I was soon in tears due to the intense heat level. Even though I was crying in pain, I couldn't stop eating, because it tasted sooooo good.
This place makes the best Indian food I've ever had. Â I've been going on Devon for the past 13yrs. I've tried almost all of the Indian/Pakistani restaurants on the stretch of Devon between Ridge and California and this place has them all beat.
My girlfriend and I found Luzzat on Yelp before heading up to a show at the Side Project Theater. It has a very calm atmosphere. Â I was pleasantly surprised to see that only one guy ran the whole show (except for cooking) and all the food was cooked fresh but nothing was slow. Other reviewers mentioned a long wait for the made-to-order dishes, but I didn't notice.
We split the day's special (Chicken Curry served with Rice) a couple samosas and mixed veggie dish. We figured we'd start with something simple and see how Luzzat holds up to our usual places. There is simply no contest. Â Seriously, those were the best two dishes I've ever had and I can't wait to try more. The samosas are homemade and perfect.
My only gripe is that they do not have naan. It's paratha only here and that's not worth taking away a star. If you're inexperienced and this is your first time trying Indian, I suggest going with a buffet to get the training wheels off. Moti Mohal (Punjabi Dhabha) is a good one. Â But then you have to make a trip to Luzzat. Really amazing food.
I am usually a sucker for upscale interiors and fancy service, but this place should be appreciated for what it most humbly is: A homey family owned restaurant that serves amazing food in an unpretentious, no frills way that just makes you feel good
The vegetable pekora is a must get for me, mainly because the sauce that comes with it is awesome and I like to mix it into my rice.
The butter chicken is great, but just beware that it is mostly sauce and not that much chicken.
Also highly recommend the palaak paneer to balance out the meal with some vegetables and the jasmine rice if you want some more flavor with the rice. Any of the lamb dishes are great as well.
Also, be aware that the wait can sometimes be long since there are often not that many people working and it is family run. The dining room is also small but I've never had to wait for a table. So even though you might wait for half an hour, it is definitely worth it!
Only thing is, it's very easy to overeat here because everything is so good and you get more full than you think you will so proceed with caution...
I like the food here. Â But I have one major complaint.
First, it's dirty. Â The floors are clearly not mopped every day, or every week, or every month, or ever!
Second, I want to remind people that the meat is Zabiha Halal. Â That means the animal bled to death. Â Personally, I suggest only eating vegetarian food here.
Also, I disagree with a few people here who say the food is made to order. Â A lot of the sauces are going on the stove and are merely served with added (microwaved) extras added to them. Â But yes, the food is good!
My daughter and I mostly get takeout from Luzzat and this place has rekindled my love of Indian food in Chicago. Â She favors the Chicken Masala and Butter Chicken. Â I am fascinated with their Chicken Vindaloo---wonderful, subtle combinations in their VERY hot and spicy sauce. As a Causcasian, I am always asked by the Luzzat staff whether I realize this is a very spicy entree, but that is OK with me. Â As others have noted, this is not the place to go when you need fast food. Â Slow down, and enjoy Luzzat's wonderful dishes. Â It's worth the wait.
Review Source:To have a five star experience you need to know one thing: Don't go if you're in a rush.
This place makes everything to order and they certainly wouldn't consider hurrying. Â It's just not their thing. Â So as long as you're willing to go, sit and make dinner your event for the evening, you'll find the food is INCREDIBLE. Â
I really recommend the Aloo Matar Paneer (Potatoes, Peas, Cheese) which is easily two servings, and a perfect blend of flavor and texture. I've had this dish other places where it's mostly grease or not enough substance- just sauce. Â They have it down to an art here.
Do yourself a favor and snag a samosa, too!
OH! And their mango lhassi is a GREAT beverage to cut the spiciness of the food. Â PS- If you're super white, like me, and you like a little kick but not a lot of spice, trust me- you want the mild. Â Their medium packs a lot of heat and I wouldn't dare try their max spiciness.
Don't let yourself be bothered by the kitchen staff yelling at each other. I think it's a family run thing and that's just how they talk to each other.
Final tip: This place is a hole in the wall! But it's clean and delicious. Â If you're really affected by environment you can order the food to go. Â However- if they say 15 minutes, count on it taking 30.
Great little Indian restaurant right off of the Jarvis Red Line stop. Â I'd actually walked past it several times before realizing it was there. Â The prices are very reasonable and the staff was friendly. Â As others have mentioned, the decor is basic, but the food is totally worth the visit.
Review Source:I just ordered from Luzzat last night. been loving this place for a couple years now so decided to post a review.
Luzzat's food is incredible, it tastes different because i believe its truly fresh. That said, one person cooks and its made from scratch so don't expect a meal in 30 minutes. BE READY TO WAIT 45 MINUTES FOR YOUR FOOD. That said, it WORTH iT!!!
I think I have tried the mataar paneer in half of the city and Luzzats is by far my favorite, their butter chicken is also VERY good.
Their cuisine is south indian/pakistani so there is (brace yourself) NO NAAN. They instead serve pratta which is actually better in my personal taste.
Order for pick up a good 40 mnutes ahead of time but you will LOVE this place, i promise!
If its closed go to Grupo Di Amicci across the street another absolute gem
This place is amazing. Â I've tried several dishes, but my favorite is the Palaak Paneer or the Aloo Palaak. Â I used to use the Jarvis station when I lived in Chicago and I got take out from this fantastic place once or twice a week. Â I've ordered dishes with the same name from other restaurants, but nothing compares to what I got here. Â
Often times there's just one person doing everything: cooking, serving, bussing, everything. Â If you don't go on off hours, you'll have a little wait. Â But it's totally worth it.
Luzzat is really fantastic and a nice hidden gem under the Jarvis EL stop. Away from the congestion of Devon, it's becoming my go to spot for Indian. Â Devon has so many great choices but Luzzat is so close, delicious and reasonably priced how can I not go back? Â
Luzzat is pretty unassuming so you can easily miss it. You might confuse this place with a fast food joint next door. There's 8-10 tables in side and very low lighting. The kitchen and counter is right there when you walk in and there's a sink to the left to wash your filthy, disgusting hands. Do it.
My wife and I came here a few weeks ago on a Tuesday night and it was pretty empty and freezing but soon the heat was on, both from the vents and from the food. Â When we arrived there was one person working so she took our order and started cooking. Soon after another person arrived to help and some more customers came in. We were worried a bit that things would take forever to come out with one person at the helm but our food came out quick and hot.
We ordered lamb curry and butter chicken with a couple of veggie samosas. Â All three were absolutely fantastic. Rich flavors with a good amount of spice. Â We chose medium spicy and we probably could have upped the spice level a bit but it really was perfect. The lamb camb in large tender cubes and chicken was so flavorful and tender as well. We nearly finished everything on our plates. Â The samosas were very good, light and flaky.
Last week we did some carryout and were again very happy with the quality and service. We ordered butter chicken again and this time got chicken vindaloo and a couple of samosas. Â The vindaloo is very spicy and you can't select your level of heat, it just comes one way. However, the vindaloo had great complex flavors accompanied by small pieces of potato and onion. Â We were pleasantly surprised when we were given a huge container of basmati rice for our entrees.
I can't wait to come back and try some other entrees. I'm pretty convinced everything will be good. FYI, the meat is zibah halal and Luzzat is BYOB!
Let me start off by saying I am not the biggest fan of Indian cuisine but this place is really outstanding. Â Their veggie samosas are super tasty, probably the best I have had. Â The pastry that they put it in really makes it special.
I had a veggie dish (mixed vegetable curry) medium and it was the best indian entree I have ever had. Â I like how they adjust spice levels for you as well. Christine loves Indian food and likes everything she has tried there.
We went two Fridays in a row and the wait time was not that bad at all, and almost all of the tables were full the second time we went. Â As far as taking 20 minutes to make the Samosa that the previous writer talks about, there is only one cook and she makes everything from scratch, it is a lot harder than just plopping it in a fryer. Â Hell, sometimes it takes me 15 minutes just to get through the line at Chipotle in Rogers Park.
It doesn't have the greatest ambiance but the food is spot on and it is reasonably priced as well.
-- Jason
Great food - very long wait.
I've eaten here multiple times when me and my friend are the only customers in the place and wait time is still waaaayyyy too long. 20 minutes to get one samosa appetizer when we're the only customers and all you have to do is plop it in a fryer? Doesn't make any sense to me. Their food is amazing (especially the Butter Chicken) and wait staff is nice but if it wasn't the only Indian place in walking distance I'd be going someplace else, sorry to say :/
To add to my previous review-
We ordered take out for Luzzat one night and were told 45 minutes. Arrive 45 minutes later. Food is not ready. After waiting 1.5 hours total our food was finally ready. The food is fantastic and they were genuinely apologetic about the wait. (The restaurant was packed). Again, just go with the understanding that it's one woman in the kitchen cooking everything from scratch. Good food is worth the wait.
I was here last weekend with a group of friends and we all ordered very different dishes. Food was good and portions were generous but it was somewhat annoying to me that everything was called "curry" and came in one of two sauces, red or brown. I also didn't like that we had to order our parathas individually for $1 apiece...most places serve a basket of them for $2-3 which, for how I eat Indian food, is more appropriate.
Service was poor; I'm usually understanding when it comes to small, busy restaurants but this guy was really pretty slow.
I did like that we could get our biryani blazing spicy hot and the pistachio kulfi was excellent.
Saturday I took my dog for a long walk and ended up in Jarvis Square. The walk got me hungry and of all the restaurants in the square Luzzat caught my eye.
I had mango lassi, masala tea and samosa. The mango lassi was amazingly good. I wish I could stay for real dinner but I had fluff with me looking to continue her sniffing quest.
Luzzat is a beautiful restaurant offering authentic Indian food. Small, comfortable and enjoyable environment. BYOB for alcohol.
I am so happy to find this Rogers Park jewel.
WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!
Where do I start.... it's not the best looking place ever, but I can't say enough about the food here. So tasty, crazy craveable stuff. My usual order is mataar paneer, chicken masala, veg samosa, and poori. Poori is like nan but deep fried! It's super cheap and generally not busy, which is sad because I would be crushed if she went out of business. This is my favorite pakisatni/indian food restaurant in Chicago.
You must go!!
ps. it's BYOB so if you are into wine go to taste wine accross the street and grab a bottle to bring. they have free tastings on monday and friday from 6:30-8:30
I may be moving out of the RP soon, so this may be my farewell to Luzzat. Â It's a shame, because the good food and the endearing little personality quirks make it such a neighborhood gem.
Cold, rainy Sunday afternoon = perfect occasion for one last feast from Luzzat.
Let me say right off the top that their dal dakhni is still one of the most delicious things that you can imagine. Â But I discovered another glorious dish--the saag chana. Â I don't even like cooked spinach, but this stuff was so buttery soft and silky...well, maybe there WAS butter in it, but it tasted so damn good that I don't care. Â More chickpeas would make this truly perfect.
The lentil soup was tasty but salty. Â All three of those dishes were requested or described as "mild" but all had a pleasant heat. Â The sheek roll (avoid avoid) was requested "mild" but had NO heat. Â I also ordered the green curry fish based on some other reviews, but I suspect that they gave me regular curry fish because of their gringo bias. Â I had a brief discussion over the phone about the curry fish, which can be mild or medium, versus the green curry fish, which is only spicy. Â I asked for the g.c.f., but what I received was NOT very hot (although it was enjoyable). Â I am sorry that I didn't get to taste the real deal. Â Don't spice-police me, Luzzat! Â I believe in the "give the customer enough rope to hang themselves" sensibility.
One of the best things about ordering from Luzzat is leftovers. Â Sheek roll + lentil soup + curry fish + dal dakhni + saag chana + giant container of rice (included) + tax = $37 and change. Â But it wasn't just one meal--it was seven! Â The o.b.c. and I both ate our fill, and the leftovers made FIVE modest lunches!
On a totally superfluous note: Â the name of this place always makes me think of those god-awful Budweiser "Whazzup" commercials. Â I will definitely miss Luzzat a lot more than those.
Dear Staycation Diary,
It's day four. Â March has given us some beautiful days, but this is not one of them. Â It's a soup day. Â
My romeo in black jeans (actually blue) has courageously offered to venture on foot to pick up our order in spite of the nasty weather. Â Can I get a witness?
Upon his return, I let my lentil soup cool while noting that it's made from yellow lentils, not the typical green. Â It is also a thickish semi-puree, like I've had in middle eastern places. Â It also has been kissed with Indian spices, though I will not even attempt to guess which ones. Â
I taste it. Â I am intrigued by the added boost of the spices. Â But, alas, I am also in need of water as it is salty. Â Sure, I kept going, but in the end, couldn't finish it the way I'd like to. Â
In addition, I also sampled the saag chana, which is a spinach and chick pea dish that was awesome. Â Later, I tried to look up recipes to replicate it at home, but then I remembered that I can barely cook, let alone handle the spice composition. Â I'm leaving this one to Luzzat. Â
So, all told, it satisfied the need for inner coziness and I would give another vegetarian soup a try. Â This one just left me slightly disappointed, especially since their other food proved to be totally delish. Â
Catcha later,
Beth D.
Really liked the food at this place, and BYOB with the exceptional Taste Food And Wine across the street makes for a really nice combo. Â Only two reasons this didn't get five stars:
1) For us being the only group in the restaurant, I'm trying to comprehend why the service was so ungodly slow. Â
2) I can't remember what lamb dish I originally ordered, but they came out and asked if it was okay that I had the dish without the sauce (I can't even fathom why they would serve it dry) so I picked an alternate lamb dish. Â Still scratching my head over that one.
Perhaps I've been spoiled by other restaurants, but the food at Luzzat ranged from decent to mediocre.
We had:
Aloo palek (spinach with potatoes)
Chicken masala
Shrimp vindaloo
Paratha
Most of those things were alright but there were some issues. The chicken masala was SO salty. I could only stomach one piece. The shrimp vindaloo was my favorite of the night - the shrimp were small and the perfect size for picking up and popping into my mouth with paratha, but I couldn't taste the vinegar-base of the vindaloo at all and it wasn't really THAT spicy. :P
The store itself is conveniently located right by the Jarvis red line stop. The service is very sweet, what I think is a husband and wife, but slow and at times a little awkward because the man doesn't speak much English (though he more than makes up for it with his enthusiasm - what a rockstar!)
BYOB.
Five stars, yes, five stars. Skip Devon I say. I'm still salivating over the great food I had here this past weekend. I cannot believe I've lived in Chicago for 6 years without stumbling upon this place!
You could call this a hole-in-the-wall joint, but the food makes up for it in so many ways. Delicious veg cutlets and samosas - crisp, spicy, great sauces. The vindaloos were great, as was the paneer shahi. But the undisputed star of the show was the veggie biryani and the raita. Ah, the raita - delicious yogurt with chunks of tomatoes, onions and cilantro, and spiced. It balances the spice perfectly!
The most special fact about eating here is that you can see the one lady (with another helper) actually cook the entrees, and roll the dough to make your paratas. She always checks on your spice levels and warns you if something will be very spicy.. But go ahead, try the vindaloo despite the warning, it is well worth the adventure!
Oh, and it is BYOB.
Yelp reviews led me to this cute little Indian/pakistani restaurant. Walk past the dudes asking for money and there you will find a little gem of Rogers Park. Not much to the place, a few tables, an oddly placed sink with mirror that would be perfect in a home bathroom. Tons of options on the menu, many of which are foreign to me so I had questions about everything.
Me: "how Spicy is the chicken vindaloo"
Cook/cashier: "very spicy, too spicy for you"
well I think that is a challenge M'lady!
"I'll take the chicken vindaloo please, I can handle it".
She asked if I was sure and then smirked, I knew I was in trouble.
Let me say, the spicy chicken vindaloo dish was awesome! However,the first bite had me thinking she might have been right, but as I continued to eat my mouth either went numb or I became use to the spice. The flavor of the dish was great and I didn't feel like the heat overpowered it in anyway.
I plan to go back and let her know that I conquered her "too spicy for you" dish, but i'm afraid she might challenge me to something with even more spice and i'm not quite ready for the next level.
One boo to this place, the samosa was not all that great and tasted a little old (like we froze these for two months and then fried them, old).
"An Excellent Indian restaraunt in the shadow of the Jarvis EL stop"
Luzzat is a great alternative to going to the Devon Desi strip for Rogers Park residents within walking distance of Jarvis Square, or folks craving an Indan food fix on the way home from the EL. Â The owner is a Muslim woman who appears to be the master of the Kitchen and head waitress. Â I dined on Okra and Spinach based dishes, paratha and very good Aloo Samosa. Â The Samosa was not as good as a Tahoora example, but still tasty.
The food to a short while to cook, but was truly made to order. Â Best of all the portions were HUGE and the prices very reasonable. Â The entrees were ordered mild, but were fairly hot, so if you are sensitive to heat, ask for very mild or no mirchi.
The owner told me to feel free to bring beer and wine in if I wanted to dine with adult beverages.
I plan on coming back often, and I will try the meat dishes next time. Â Look for my update.
I had an absolutely fantastic experience here last night and I hope to come back soon.
I was at a wine tasting across the street with my friends and we decided to have dinner here. It is BYOB, by the way.
The place is small, and it looked like there were just two people working. The menu was pretty extensive and everything is made to order. The long wait times are worth it, however.
We had fresh vegetable samosas, chicken vindaloo, lamb biryani, palak paneer (aka saag paneer) and pooris. DELICIOUS.
I'm Indian and grew up eating great home-cooked Indian food as well as regular trips to all the great places on Devon and I have to say that this place is the best place in the city, if you want quality, "just like home" Indian food. I was very impressed.
Service was very nice. Prices were VERY reasonable. I can't wait to come back. :)
I love this place. Â It is quaint and adorable all at the same time. Â
The woman running the restaurant is so amazingly nice, that I have to touch on that aspect. Â She runs around and she cooks and she asks to make sure everything is ok. Â Unlike some of the Devon restaurants I have been to, she asked how spicey we wanted our food, and made sure to get a good gauge on it, and it was right on the money. Â The other woman serving is also very nice as well.
The food is delivious; very flavorful. Â We ordered the Butter Chicken, the Spinach and Cheese, and the Lamb and Potato. Â Rice came with our meal, and we had some paratha and a Samosa to try. Â It was all exceptionally good. Â I don't know if I would try the Lamb and Potato again because it didn't have the complexity in the gravy, but it was by no means bad. Â The Samosas were excellent, and the spinach and cheese (note; I am using the American ingredients so if anyone wants to go try, you can look for the ingredients instead of memorizing the names) was seasoned so well. Â In addition, the food was exceptionally affordable!
The place is not swank, but it is nicely appointed and very quaint. Â All in all I would wholeheartedly recommend Luzzat!
I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Do you want to know where the best and cheapest Indian/Pakistani food is in this city??? It's at Luzzat!!
This is no joke, Luzzat is shockingly the best I've ever eaten and I've eaten a lot. I say shockingly because looking at the place and the two only people who work there, you wouldn't give the place a second thought. It's true the place looks a little shady (along with the area) but I'm telling you the wine shop across the street is perfect to pick up a bottle for this BYOB place, plus there is a bar on the corner and then the Red line which is not even a block away. So there are no excuses not to try it out!
It's your typical store front, mom/pop, hole in the wall kind of restaurant. You walk in to find maybe 8 or 9 tables, a little window and a door that gives you full view of the messy kitchen. The owners... a woman who takes your order and serves, and an older man who cooks, that's it. The woman speaks enough English to take your order and the man I think at least understands it but I could be wrong. This is one of those, you have to be patient kind of places. What's nice is they let you pretty much do anything. I went with a loud/crazy group of six and they took care of us with no problems. Also just a tip, don't be afraid to use the washroom, you have to walk all the way through the kitchen and a long hallway to get to it.
The best part... freshly made, authentic, delicious food!! I can't even tell you everything we had, but every single dish I tried makes me drool when I think about it again. The rice, the chicken, samosas, lamb, and if you like fish you must try the green fish (I know sounds weird but trust me!!). It was unbelievable and I can't wait to go back for more!!
BYOB
Amazing Food
Carry Out
Cheap!!
Right off the Red Line
** Also Luzzat is 100% Zabiha Halal Food for my Muslim friends (you ask what does that mean, well it has to do with dietary laws that Muslim follow)
** I also suggest ordering the mild heat!!
After picking up my laptop at Quest, I trekked to Luzzat for my first experience of Chicago Indian food.
Ordered the Mango Lassi (A delicate refreshing blended drink of milk, sugar and rose water), Butter Chicken (marinated boneless chicken and creamy sauce), and Phulka (hand rolled home made bread w/o butter) which was supposed to be similar to naan.
I agree with other reviewers that the service was kinda slow...but the lady who took my order and the older gentleman who served me were really nice, so it didn't bother me.
My take on the food:
-Butter chicken was SOUR (which the owner later told me was due to the tomato sauce). I ordered it spicy (which it was), but I've never had sour Indian food before : /
-Rice was incl. with the entree (and they really hook it up)
-Phulka is NOTHING LIKE naan. It's more like the kinda bread Jesus broke with his disciples i.e. cracker bread
-Mango Lassi is pretty good. They serve it in a wine glass with a straw = fancy pureed mango drink
Not a fan. Sorry Luzzat :(
Ever been to a Mom and Pop place? Â The looks are not that great, but the food has lots of love and ecclective aroma of spices.
NOTE: Tea in any INDIAN language is Tea with Milk. Â If you want regular American Tea, ask for BLACK TEA(Which is hot water with tea bag or tea leaves). Â On that note let me write, it was a memorable experience.
Personally one of my favorite places to be, you can see what they are cooking. Went there with few of my friends and I felt very much ta home. Â The Chana Masala(Chick pea, potatoes and gravy) and Lamb Curry was amazing. Â
The Kheema appetizer was tasty, but it is a little oily(So carb watcher and health freaks be careful). Â But I enjoyed every morsel of the meal. Â The Masala Tea was delicious. Â The Chappathi is a staple for me and my existence in this world. If I was left alone with the Chappathi made from them(Apart from my mother's Chappathi) I will survive the rest of my life. Â In other words, very thin, uniformly rolled. Â If you are still wondering what I am talking about, ever had an Indian Wheat Tortilla(That is not its true name, Beware!!!), that is Chappathi. Â
Anywho, this is for one of my friend who mispronounces chappathi. (Spelt: chuh'-pAAh'-thee) and also mis interprets Paratha, Bhatura, and Chappathi. Â Food is awesome from owners/chef of Andhra Pradhesh(Southern States of India).
My doctor would be upset with me if she knew that I had dinner from Luzzat tonight, and I requested that they make it SPICY. Â Hopefully I won't be regretting that decision later, but I can tell you that I certainly didn't regret while I was eating it.
We placed our order for carry out, then went across the street to the free wine tasting at Taste Food and Wine. Â After tasting several wines, buying two bottles, and chatting it up with the owners, we went back to pick up our food. Â We took it home, rather than eating in and taking advantage of the BYOB because, let's be real, the lack of atmosphere is really uncomfortable. Â
I had the butter chicken, spicy, and it was pretty good. Â The sauce was a little runnier than I am used to, but the tasted was still fine. Â Oh, but we started the vegetable samosas and they were amazing! Â I could have just eaten those and been perfectly satisfied with life! Â My husband had the lamb vindaloo and the woman warned him that it was really spicy. Â He said that's okay, bring it on. Â I think he regretted that comment later, as he was sweating from the level of spice. Â But, he enjoyed it nonetheless.
Minus one star for the long wait to place our order and the lack of ambience in the store. Â But, everything else was great and we'll definitely be getting carry out from here again in the future.
Edited on 3/27/08: Â This has become one of our favorite (and weekly) places for dinner! Â The Palak Paneer is amazing, and every chicken dish we've tried has also been great. Â I've added a star for the consistent yumminess that is Luzzat!
I sure smell like curry! Â But that's the joy of eating the delicious food at Luzzat... the experience stays with you for a while. Â Every time I get another whiff my mouth starts watering. Â It's happening right now.
From the outside, it's a bit shady looking. Â Sure, you might get interrupted by one of the neighborhood's homeless asking for a dollar while you're enjoying your lamb curry and vegetable samosa. Â But it just adds to the charm and the fact that you're getting a top-notch meal at a great BYOB joint on the CHEAP. Â The proprietor is always sweet and seems to do all the order taking, cooking, cleaning and serving. Â
If you like spicy, you're in the right place. Â If not, use caution, even with the "mild". Â Just make it clear how spicy you want it and that's what you want. Â I do think there is a bit of a cultural issue going on where women get their food less spicy unless you're very clear that you want it HOT. Â I can't guarantee this but some friends and I went once and felt this was definitely the case. Â The Aloo Goshat is very good, but I recommend it very spicy. Â My absolute favorite is the butter chicken, try it out. Â I could drink the sauce like coffee. Â If this seems a bit extreme for you, at least make sure to get some paratha to soak up the sauce.
Before you head in, walk across the street to Taste and grab a bottle of wine or beer (chilled available).  You can check out my review on Taste at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/taste-food-and-wine-chicago#hrid:3qYoqsA6gXjK847gkEeCEQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
Strip mall Indian joint with really good food.
The lady that runs it does everything... she's very nice.
I had the butter chicken. Â It was great. Â I didn't know what to expect.... Butter chicken might imply something buttery and not spicey, though it's actually pretty spicey and a mix of butter/curry and other stuff in the broth. VERRRRY tasty. Â I wonder if it would be just as tasty with other meats in the same broth, I imagine there's something similar on the menu with other meats. Â I've been dipping my leftover bread in the sauce throughout the day it's so good. Â Is that gross? :O
My entree was $6.99, most were around that. Â (update: prices have gone up $1 or 2 since initial review)
Our English friend (whose husband reviewed below) says it's the best curry she's had in the states, and I imagine she's try a lot here.
BYOB. Â There's a great wine store right across the street (Taste) that is friendly with Luzzat too, so go there and pick up a bottle or two (there are a number of great inexpensive wines here, and specialty beer). Â
Right next to the red line (Jarvis), so as far as that goes it's one of the more convenient Indian food places I can think of if you're taking the el anyway.
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