Curry Up Now

Where Amardeen leans into traditional Lebanese technique and Calvin's obsesses over a single gluten-free product, Curry Up Now takes the opposite approach: fusion at speed, Indian flavors translated into formats borrowed from Mission-style burritos and poke bowls. That's the concept — tikka masala meets tortilla — and it's why the menu reads like controlled chaos. The **Hella Vegan bowl** keeps a regular rotation of daily customers, tofu and chickpeas over rice with enough spice to justify the repeat visits. It's the safe play.

The gamble is the **burrito**. Reviews confirm what the portion size suggests: these are rice-heavy, two-pound wraps with cardamom that can overwhelm if the kitchen isn't calibrating that day. The protein ratio skews low for the price point, which matters when you're paying for weight instead of balance. Better bet: the **samosas** as a starter, though they're doing the job of filler more than showcase.

The **sexy fries** — topped with tikka masala and cheese — run $12 for a portion that doesn't justify the menu hype or the price. If you're here for indulgence, the naan or the bowls deliver more satisfaction per dollar. The free chai offer, plastered on the menu board, comes with an asterisk invisible until you've already paid: you have to ask *before* checkout, which is the kind of operational quirk that breeds bad Yelp energy.

This is a UCSD-adjacent counter spot built for quick turnover and delivery volume, not lingering. Service tone varies wildly depending on who's working the front — some shifts run smooth, others feel transactional to the point of curt. Wait times max out around ten minutes even during lunch rushes, so the speed works. Just manage expectations: this is Indian-fusion convenience food, not a careful rethink of either cuisine.