Authentic Pakistani * Indian * Halal Cuisine
742 W Bullard Ave (NE corner of Palm and Bullard)
Fresno, CA 93704
559-448-9393
hours: 11am –3pm and 5-9:30pm Tuesday - Saturday 11am – 4pm and 5-9:30pm Sunday
Three entrees and three appetizers: $40

You need only walk into Lahori Tikka to understand why this restaurant is the latest addition to my list of favorite restaurants. When you first walk in, you won’t notice the décor (not that there’s anything wrong with it) because you’ll be overcome by the fantastic aromas.

We asked the server which items were vegan. There is an extensive list of vegetable entrées in the menu, and it turned out that they were all labeled well. Unless it said ghee (butter), paneer/cheese, or cream on the menu description, the items were made with oil. The vegans at the table ordered the vegetable samosas (like vegetable turnovers) and the vegetable pakora (fried, fritter-like thingies) for our appetizers, and we also ordered mixed vegetables and “Masala Aloo Gobi,” which was quite accurately described as a “mouth-watering blend of fresh cauliflower & potato seasoned to perfection.” The samosas and pakora were warm and comforting. The pastry on the samosas was quite flaky, and the filling was delicately yet confidently spiced. You get to specify how spicy you want your entrées. We ordered the vegan entrées as extra spicy, and it was on the verge of too spicy, which was perfect for us! The vegetable blends they used were pleasant and well balanced. We had a little bit left over when we finished, and I later regretted that I gave my leftovers to a friend!

Other vegan options include lentil curry, garbanzo beans, aloo palad (potato and spinach), aloo mutter (potato and peas), bhindi masla (okra and onions). There are also several vegetarian options with homemade cheese. The omnivore at the table ordered chicken Tikka Masala—there is a lengthy selection of chicken and other dishes for omnivores. All of the entrées are served with either rice or naan (to call it bread is a bit of an understatement, but it is a flat bread).

Pakistani food is quite similar to Indian food. Abid (who’s actually been to Pakistan) really liked his food, noting that the spices were more interesting and complex (in a good way) than some of the other Pakistani/Indian food he’d had at restaurants.

I went back less than a week later for the lunch buffet ($7.99 per person), which was also excellent. There were two vegan entrée options, naan, and pakora. Of course, I just had to order the samosas again. But finding myself drawn back so soon after my first visit confirmed that this is a restaurant I will definitely frequent.