Apna Chulha (“Our Stove”) opened about two months ago in the cavernous space left behind by West of Pecos. The owners have dolled the place up quite a bit; the space feels warm and elegant, with dark wood tones and a bank of enormous, gleaming copper pots for the lunch/brunch buffet girding the bar area.
You could possibly not be faulted for thinking, “Do we need more Indian food in the Mission?” This is like asking “Do we need more parking spaces?” The answer to both queries is always a resounding “Yes.” Besides, Apna Chulha has already proven to be my new favorite Indian restaurant in the neighborhood. Coming from their sister locale in El Granada (Half Moon Bay), this is a welcome addition to Valencia Street, and the Mission in general.
On my first visit, I was determined to have some dishes I’d never tried before. First up, fish pakora:
I cannot stress enough how surprisingly good this was. It was surprising because of the ethereal lightness of the crispy coating and the extreme juiciness of the fish itself (a white fish, but I’m not sure what kind). Served with three chutneys that ranged from mild to quite hot, this was a favorite dish of the night, in a night of favorites.
Next, by a not-unhappy miscommunication, we got both saag paneer and paneer makhani.
Saag paneer is one of my favorite Indian dishes, and this did not disappoint, though it was a bit milder in flavor than I’ve had before, and I would have liked a bit more paneer. But then again, we were having another whole dish of it, in the paneer makhani.
My first time trying this Punjabi dish — a curry made with tomatoes, spices and, of course, paneer — but certainly not the last. Creamy and well-spiced, with a good bit of heat (although we ordered everything medium). We were not sorry to have gotten both.
Naturally, we had naan to scoop up all the sauciness.
The perfect amount of chewiness, and beautifully garlicky without any bitterness.
Last, another dish I’d never tried, Punjabi fried rice.
I was drawn to this dish, as the menu described it as having potatoes, amongst the other veggies, and egg. Good Andean that I am, I was all ready for that double-carb action. The bits of potato were rather small, but that did not take away from my pleasure in the dish. Aromatic, the delicate grains coated in heavenly turmeric and fried in ghee, this rice was a delight.
We were really quite full, but our friendly server brought us two little glasses of kheer — India’s lovely, milky rice pudding — on the house. A light and sweet finish to our meal.
Apna Chula’s aforementioned Sunday brunch buffet is $15.95 for all you can eat; it’s quite a good deal. Indeed, most items on the menu are very affordable, especially considering the generous portions. We had much food to take home with us.
The BF and I got takeout one chilly night.
Clockwise from the top: Mulligatawny soup, tamarind, cilantro/mint, and mango chutneys, Hyderabadi chicken, navratan korma, and rice with sweet peas and star anise.
The mulligatawny soup contained chicken, the broth mildly flavored, almost bean soup-like. It did well with a little mango chutney blended in. I’m torn between the Hyderabadi chicken (a Southern dish, with its shredded crispy potato topping that gives it a lovely, crunchy texture) and the even lusher, coconut-y navratan korma (“nine jewels,” a Mughlai vegetable curry historically served to royalty). I’d have both dishes again. Everything had such depth of flavor and, while I sometimes struggle between knowing the specific differences of one curry to the next, each dish at Apna Chulha tasted clearly and inherently its own.
I ordered the Hyderabadi chicken at a “7/10” spice level (and it goes up from there: “spicy,” “very spicy,” and “911 Hot”), which was definitely discernible, but not painful. I’m game to try the “spicy” next. And to work my way through this menu.
While its website says they have a full bar, at present Apna Chula is only serving beer and wine.
So yes, not only do we need more Indian food, we need more restaurants of all stripes in the Mission in general. We’re always grateful for new, good-quality food establishments, and here’s hoping we keep more of our many, long-suffering eateries around for a good, long time. Get out there and eat, people!
Apna Chulha (website)
550 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA 9411
I’m excited to check out Apna Chulha, but my answer to “Do we need more parking spaces?” is a resounding “NO”. Unless, of course, you mean bike lockers. We need more frequent transit service, wider sidewalks, and safer bike lanes. More parking just induces more driving, and the vast majority of folks shopping and dining on Valencia get there by transit, foot, or bike. Please don’t do Indian food dirty by comparing it to a polluting, inefficient, deadly mode of transportation.
Why on earth are you using a food review to plug more parking in the Mission, one of the densest parts of the city? We need better transit and pedestrian safety and more housing, not parking spots everywhere. This is not a suburb.
Why do you open with the idea that there’s “too much Indian food” in the Mission? Do you open reviews of new Latin restaurants like that?
Good article! Thanks for the review. Interested in checking out this new spot!
Food for thought: Can we start doing away with the nomenclature of “Indian food”? I believe none of the displayed dishes are particularly popular in South/West/East/Central India except maybe Hyderabadi chicken (not sure what that is)!? It’s kinda like saying tacos and Cajun food are “American cuisine”. This is more so Punjabi/Dhaba food.
Nevertheless, a mouth-watering review!
What is the name of “their sister locale in El Granada (Half Moon Bay)” please?