Al Watan Halal Restaurant - Hawthorne

It’s okay, I know you didn’t come to Lawndale for the food. What seems to be the world’s smallest city doesn’t have a lot going on, though I’ve been pleasantly surprised by some of the ethnic gems in neighboring Hawthorne. Dig deeper, and you’ll find a very deep field of southeast Asian cuisine in this area, with paragons of Pakastani and Indian cuisine. 

Al Watan is said to be among the best, and despite my doubts that anything could stand up to the ace of Al Noor or the king of spice that is Zam Zam, I wanted to give them a chance.

They did alright, but they didn’t do all that well. 

Starting with a rather lackluster Lamb Khorma, I really wasn’t impressed. The meat is tender, the spices are fine, but it’s generic, not a standout. 

If goat is on the menu, I gotta get goat. The Goat Karahi here is nice, with some tang from the tomato and sweetness from the onion. It’s my favorite of everything I ordered, and this is one I liked. I like it but I don’t remember it. 

Palak Paneer is always a solid option as well, the perfect vegetable to offset all the meat. 

The Chicken Biryani is one to avoid. Mine had large, pale yellow grains of obviously overcooked rice that simply didn’t have the depth of flavor that slow cooking should imbue. 

Garlic Naan and Onion Kulcha are the preferred  carbs, flatbread with great texture - just the right ratio of fluff and chew. The naan has a fresh garlic-studded sharpness, and the kulcha is more moist with an aromatic filling of finely diced onion. 

Given the geographical proximity, I can’t help but compare. Al Watan is pretty good but Al Noor is so much better. And with Zam Zam also on the same street, there’s just no way I’d get Al Watan again.  

Al Noor - Lawndale

You'd never find Al Noor if you didn't look hard enough, and if you're unwilling to accept a powerhouse in a modest house, you'll miss out on some of the best Indian/Pakistani food in the South Bay. 

Staples like the Palak Paneer are made well, big flavors of fresh spinach rise above the rest. 

Bhindhi Masala is tough to get right, and theirs is on the lighter side with mild spices and aromatic herbs. 

The Goat Biryani won't win any awards, but this was never their claim to fame.

The real clincher is their Nehari, chunks of beef shank so tender you'll swear you didn't have to chew, stewed in a spicy gravy you'll never forget. Flavors like these are only found in dishes with decades of mastery, and I haven't seen anything like it anywhere else. 

Lawndale isn't fancy, but there's a lot of good food to be found. Look beneath the surface and you'll find that Al Noor's bold flavors and better dishes would probably hold up against most fine dining.