Best Indian: India's Tandoori

The new hot spot for Bangladeshi food is: Brentwood. This has happened thanks to Martin Shah, chef and co-owner of?India's Tandoori, a restaurant known for north Indian dishes such as chicken tikka masala, lamb korma and saag paneer. However, Shah is from Bangladesh and wants to promote that food too. So in August he launched a Bangladeshi menu, which appears as an insert in the regular menu.

Along with Indian staples, he's now serving lamb and chicken rejala ? meat richly flavored with a yogurt and poppy seed paste, onions, green chiles and spices such as cardamom and nutmeg. Another new dish is malai chingri, shrimp in an aromatic coconut milk curry enriched with cream.

There's also morog pulao, which is Bangladeshi style chicken biryani made with a special rice called kala jeera. Bangladeshi vegetarian dishes include red lentils with baby spinach and aloo bharta, or mashed potatoes seasoned with onions, green chiles, mustard seeds and black pepper. The new menu also offers spicy pickles from Bangladesh and garlic naan topped with nigella seeds.

For $500, Shah will cook a 12-course Bangladeshi dinner for six, with customers choosing the dishes. In line with current trends, he offers gluten-free options, many vegetarian dishes in addition to those from Bangladesh, and has eliminated nuts from all dishes, including rejala, so that those with nut allergies can eat safely.

Also new is an organic dinner for six with a choice of eight entrees. The organic and Bangladeshi menus, a Bengali fish of the day and morog pulao require 24-hour advance notice. Authentic Bangladeshi food is handmade from scratch with fresh ingredients and therefore takes extra time to prepare. Everybody loves it, Shah says. ?Barbara Hansen

11819 Wilshire Blvd., Brentwood; (310) 268-9100.

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A: Best Asian Bistro (Nomad);?Best New Restaurant (Auburn)

B: Best Brewery (Imperial Western Beer Company);?

Best Brunch Bowl (Mar Vista Cranked Bowl)

C: Best Bakery Cafe (El Carrusel Bakery)

D: Best Donuts (Trejo's Coffee and Donuts)

E: Best Eggs (Egg Tuck)?

F: Best Fried Chicken Sandwich (Preux & Proper)

G: Best Gelato?(Gelateria Uli)

H: Best Hotel Bar?(Poolside at the Hotel Figueroa's Veranda)

I: Best Indian?(India's Tandoori)

J: Best Place to Get Japanese Whisky (Mrs. Fish)

K: Best Korean BBQ (Chosun Galbi)

L: Best Lasagna (Viale dei Romani)

M: Best Middle Eastern (Bavel); [/column]

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Best Mexican Sushi (El Sushi Loco)

N: Best Latin Market (Northgate Gonzalez)

O: Best Oysters (Water Grill)

P: Best Pork Chop (Yours Truly);?Best Plant-Based Cuisine (The Butcher's Daughter)

Q: Best Quesadilla (Tacos 1986)

R: Best Rooftop (Margot)

S: Best Sunday Supper (Lucques);?Best Seafood (Michael Cimarusti)

T: Best Tortilla (Sonoratown)

U: Best Udon (Marugame Monzo)

V: Best Vietnamese Experience (Crustacean);?Best Breakfast Burrito in the Valley (Sloane's Valley Village)

W: Best Chicken Wings (Ord & Broadway)

Y: Best Yakitori Bar (Hatch Yakitori + Bar)

Z: Best Peruvian Chef (Ricardo Zarate)