Expanding into L.A., Long Beach’s Cali Chilli continues to showcase contemporary Indian cuisine

Cali Chilli has not only been continually updating its menu since opening in 2022 but but continues to define (and defy) the idea of what Indian food can be in Long Beach.

“We certainly have some Indian families come in and ask us for more spice,” said Praveen Nair, chuckling slightly. “We try to accommodate them as much as possible, but ultimately, we are trying to accommodate everyone. Cali Chilli is a way to both introduce people to Indian food that might not have experienced it beforehand as well as give those who love Indian food a new interpretation.”

Cali Chilli’s expansion into DTLA marks

Cali Chilli opened in late May of 2022 in Lakewood Village, crafting the space to be a dinnertime destination with much success. With its brass-trimmed glass bar shelves, color-changing LED lights beneath the barstool seats, and tall, industrial ceilings, it was a space that both didn’t take itself too seriously and catered to its nearby communities. The restaurant’s unique menu continues to be a play on the American tendency to insist that foods from other countries must be served “authentically,” loosely defined as strict adherence to tradition or, more often, cultural tropes.

And it’s working: Praveen has opened the space’s second location in Downtown Los Angeles in the heart of Little Tokyo. The pros? A massive footprint that goes beyond its Long Beach sibling and, even better, a great patio space that can expand the restaurant’s love of brunch and drinking.

“It’s unfortunate we weren’t able to get a patio here [in Long Beach] but I hope, perhaps, some of our patrons will make the trek to visit our new location,” Praveen said. We’re extremely proud of it.”

What makes Cali Chilli such a cog in the Long Beach food scene.

Chef Manjunath Mural—the chef behind Singapore’s much-lauded Song of India, which has been receiving consecutive Michelin stars since 2015—once told me, before I met him face-to-face, that Indian food has a “depth many don’t care to dive into. It’s steeped history, traditions, ingredients, and techniques — but it is still common to define it as ‘niche.’ It’s often kept to the genre of ‘family restaurant’ in many parts of the world, where it’s not real Indian food if it isn’t cheap and doesn’t have some type of chicken tikka on the menu.”

This idea steeped in stereotypes—that Indian food is relegated to the homey, found-in-your-family-kitchen that sticks to tradition strictly—has become the epicenter of Mural’s ethos: Just as colonized India provided nearly the entirety of the world with an access to new flavors, Mural wants to create an Indian cuisine which straddles traditional and innovation, one which showcases the idea that Indian food can be malleable, open to interpretation, and willing to blend with other cultures.

In this sense, Cali Chill provides Long Beach with a constantly evolving and revolving look at what Indian food is and could be.

A look into some newer plates…

From lobster panang and a stellar calamari dish to puri and Kashmiri-laced fish filets, Cali Chilli’s menu continually evolves and adapts.

Lobster Panang: Butter lobster | Thai panang curry

Dahi sev puri: Puri | Yogurt | Mint chutney | Tamarind chutney | Onion | Cilantro | Fried gram

Korean calamari French bean: Fried squid | Bell peppers | Onions | Korean sauce

Chicken Momos: Minced chicken | House-made Szechuan mayo sauce | Soy sauce

Tandoori seabass: Chilean sea bass | Kashmiri chilli | Turmeric

Cheese & jalapeño kulcha: Cream cheese | Jalapeño | Onion

Cali Chilli is located at 4111 N. Viking Way.