Royal Curry Café is the latest culinary venture from the Ahmed family—father Mohammed, mother Farzana and son Raj—who hail from Bangladesh and ran the massive Golden Gate restaurant in Westwood Village for 15 years before downsizing in North Hollywood. In 2012 they replaced a pizza parlor with Royal Curry Café, a tiny Indian restaurant with faux brick walls that houses only 14 seats at burgundy-clothed tables.

Curry, of course, features prominently on the menu, as do rice and vegetable dishes. No matter what, you should consider starting with a fiery appetizer: tandoori hot wings ($7.99). Six wings are marinated with spices and cooked in a clay oven until a delectable red crust forms. Their signature sauce includes paprika, coriander, garlic, ginger and proprietary secrets. Dial up the spice level to either mild, medium or hot, depending on your tolerance. Each order arrives on a bed of caramelized onion strands that are tossed with cilantro. Squeeze of lemon to finish.

4329 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, 818-509-7947