Assam Indian Kitchen: Cahuenga Boulevard's New Hidden Gem

Driving along a dim-lit stretch of Cahuenga Boulevard just off Chandler, I spot the newly-opened .  Its sign still bore the name of the former Guatemalan restaurant (a new sign has since been placed), and I would’ve missed the eatery had it not been for the “OPEN” sign in red lights.

Living in North Hollywood, I’ve found hidden, hole-in-the-wall places can be the best spots for unexpected good eats.  Assam Indian Kitchen is one of those places, and I nearly miss it as I drive along a dim-lit stretch of Cahuenga Boulevard.  It sits right around the corner from the and nearby are a few acting schools.

I walk into the small, modest restaurant with my husband on a Wednesday night, and it’s cold outside for Southern California standards so we're looking for food to keep us warm. Besides the two of us, there’s a group of three people ordering for take-out and the sole employee working the evening shift looks like he’s got his hands full.  Nevertheless, he cheerily urges us to take a seat.

I order the chicken coconut curry dinner and my husband gets the Assam chicken tikka masala dinner; both our meals include rice and soup.  We also get garlic naan, and we order everything to go.  While we wait, we watch as the chef busily cooks not only our dishes, but call-in orders as well; he answers the phone several times in between.

Twenty minutes later, our order is done; the total is under $25.  The drive home is nearly torture; our stomachs grumble even more at the fragrant, delicious scent of our dinners. 

Finally, we’re home and we quickly unroll the brown paper bag, set out our food and get to eating.  The hearty, aromatic curry warms us up, and along with our vegetable soups and leavened flatbread, it’s the perfect meal to keep us cozy. I try not to inhale every last bit – The savory flavor of my coconut curry is what I needed to end my long, busy day.

When I talk to the head chef, Rahul, a week later, he tells me the restaurant is named after Assam, a state in his native India.  He re-opened the restaurant two weeks ago as an Indian restaurant, but Guatemalan food is still on the menu as well.

is located at 5518 ½ Cahuenga Boulevard in North Hollywood. The restaurant is open 24 hours and open every day except Tuesday. Delivery is free with a $15 minimum order; delivery times are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant can be reached at (818) 942-5561 or (818) 762-4454.