Indian Food in Living Color at Rangeen Kitchen

 Rangeen Kitchen

28241 Crown Valley Parkway

Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

Day number four of OC Restaurant Week has brought us to Rangeen Kitchen. This location used to be home to one of our favorite local Mediterranean spots that we would grab takeout from at least every other week. We were sad to see Zait Bistro close down at the end of 2021 but were happy to find out that the owners still have a restaurant in Rancho Cucamonga, a little far for takeout, but we never know where we'll end up these days. 

Rangeen Kitchen opened in March 2022. It's owned by Sukhi Nagpal, who left her corporate job in 2017 and followed her calling to start a catering company. After a successful run, she decided to take the next step and open her first restaurant. With help from her mother, mother-in-law, and husband, Rangeen Kitchen came into existence. Their cuisine stays true to the authenticity of Indian food, but they put their own spin on things. 

In the Ralph's/Chick-fil-A shopping plaza, Rangeen's menu is divided into sections featuring appetizers, plates, handhelds, curries, salads, and tawa rice. It's a diverse menu for such a small restaurant. Nothing eclipses the $20 price point, which is rare these days. Of course, we were here for the OC Restaurant Week dinner menu, a $45 four-course dinner for two. Let's take a look at their take on Indian food. 

Before we ordered, we were presented with Papadums and a dill-based sauce, which I believe was raita. The papadums were crispy like crackers and did not hold on to the thin sauce as much as I would have liked. They were free and helped us pass the time as we waited for our food after ordering. 

The Rangeen Restaurant Week menu started with Gobhi Manchurian ($12), fried cauliflower tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce. This also had some slightly spicy parts to it. The sauce was made up of ginger and chili, and then some cubed bell peppers, garlic, and sesame seeds were added to the dish. We've had something like this in Persian restaurants, called arnabit, but this one was made differently. I liked the big pop of flavor here, and the different flavor profiles came in waves. A must-try when visiting Rangeen Kitchen. 

We had to choose between one of five curries and two kebabs for the main course. It might seem basic, but I always veer toward Chicken Tikka Masala ($18) when eating in an Indian restaurant for the first time. If they can make this good, I will venture out and try something more adventurous the next time I return. This tikka masala was much lighter than others I have had, but it did not sacrifice the depth of flavor this dish possesses. The chicken was tender, and the sauce was very comforting. 

The Mango Habanero Chicken Tikka Kebab ($17) was a plate with a herbed salad, rice, and extra tikka sauce. I liked this, but not as much as the curry version. The chicken was in giant hunks, so some bites were less moist and tender than others. The mango habanero sauce would have been more front and center if it had been served like the tikka sauce in a ramekin instead of just placed on the platter. I enjoyed it but used it up too quickly, so I used the tikka sauce more frequently. The salad was fine and fresh but a little bland for my taste. 

The Garlic Naan ($4.50) was one of the better ones we have had recently. It was soft and included plenty of butter and garlic. It took some great willpower not to order another basket of it. 

Katie was a little concerned about the spiciness of the mango habanero chicken, so she chose to get her own entree instead of helping me with the restaurant week menu. She selected the Chicken Tikka Sandwich ($14). The sandwich was wrapped in what I assume was naan and filled with chicken, lettuce, tomato, lime pickled onions, and some herbs. Katie was thrilled with this sandwich and wants to return and get it again. She loved the chicken and produce included in it and the way the tikka sauce tied everything together. This usually comes with fries, but she got rice instead. 

Our last hurrah at Rangeen Kitchen was these Chocolate Puffs ($4). They were half dipped in chocolate and filled with mango pudding. Our server gave us instructions on how to eat them, but I was not listening and made a big mess when I bit into mine. Katie was listening to him and was much more demur when she had hers. Even though mine dissolved into a big mess, I liked the mango pudding and the crunchy outer shell of the puff. 

Rangeen Kitchen was an excellent local find, thanks to OC Restaurant Week. We live close enough that this spot will become our go-to for Indian food when we don't want to venture too far from home. I look forward to trying more of their curries and other proteins on future visits. We experienced outstanding service from Jaime on this visit, as he kept things moving and ensured our every need was met. The value for the money at Rangeen Kitchen was one of the best offers for Restaurant Week that I saw. We were saddened by Zait Bistro leaving, but Rangeen Kitchen is a worthy replacement.  

Out of five rainbow sprinkle donuts (because Rangeen means colorful in Hindi, and I can't think of a more colorful donut than one with rainbow sprinkles), five being best to zero being worst, Rangeen Kitchen gets three rainbow sprinkles donuts.  

For more information about Rangeen Kitchen, head to their website by clicking here: https://rangeenkitchen.com/