Bay area veggie - Rajjot

K now has a big reprieve from my anti-California/pro-midwest tirade. The reason? My new job, or more specifically, the location of my new workplace. I am now just a mile away from "little India" in Sunnyvale and this translates into some really cool vegetarian lunch choices (and no more subway!! yaay!!!)

One of the best places in the bay area to get vegetarian food, especially if you like home style cooking is Rajjot. Located at the intersection of El camino and Wolfe road in Sunnyvale, it is hard to miss. Don't let the lack of decor or mismatched furniture put you off. The food is seriously good, at extemely reasonable rates (a piping hot desi lunch for about 6 bucks!). I've tasted almost all the vegetarian dishes in the menu (except the sweets), so here are some of my favorites dishes:

1) Samosa with channa - The potato stuffing in the samosas is perfectly seasoned, and you get more channa than you can finish in one sitting

2) Rajma/Dal makhani/Yellow dhal and rotis - This is one of my lunch staples. For $2.50, you get a generous serving of rajma or dal (or any other veggie side dish). The rotis are piping hot, and served with mixed vegetable pickle and sliced onions (very dhaba-ish)

3) Saag - There is no paneer, but the saag by itself is creamy and flavorful

4) Malai kofta - Sure, it is sinful with waaay too much cream. But, with the flavor of ghee and a sweetish tinge, just a tablespoon sized serving is good enough to spice up your meal

5) Gobi/Masala/Paneer/Aloo paratha - These massive parathas paired with raita and pickle are filling and satisfying

Unless you are eating by yourself, Rajjot is not really a sit-down kinda restaurant to take your family to. But, it is the perfect place for takeout. During lunch, anytime after 12:15 pm, the place could get crowded, so do try to get there earlier. You can phone in your order, and don't let the rather gruff staff turn you off. They have tons of customers, and i guess, they believe in giving customers an authentic indian experience in more ways than one!