Have you tried Dosa Calling yet? Agreed there is KFC with its juicy chicken encrusted in a flaking layer of crispy corn-flakes and bread crumbs that comes off at the very first bite or McDonalds and Mary Brown with their dry overtly priced burgers that stay in your tummy for a couple of hours making you feel guilty and heavy at the same time. Agreed, it's is not one of those hip, cool places like other popular hang outs, but if you're a health conscious type or, worse, a vegetarian, your options are limited.
Let's get the basics right first. In Chennai, the majority of eat-out options are limited to dosa, idli and biriyani and it's the same every time: crispy, oily and spicy. This is where Dosa Calling comes in, serving the Chennaites' favourite dishes with a dash of creativity.
Walk into one of the nearest DC outlets and you'll realise what that means. The dosa is the same; it's the fusion of tastes, textures and flavours that makes DC worth your time or money.
Idli with a twist
Try the kuttu idli for example. It's the same old idly that your mother makes for breakfast, except that it is peppered with onions and a variety of masalas that suddenly give the old steamed ball a zing. Chopped into small pieces and doused in a gravy of sorts, the idly assumes a new character while retaining its texture.
There are no plush seats or ushers to welcome you into the restaurant. It's out there, screaming out loud with its funky boards, you just need to find your way to one of these dosa heavens.
The best thing about DC is that. under the same roof you get to taste Chinese, North Indian and South Indian delicacies. But the North Indian cusine is rather disappointing. And, well, Chinese - though not great -is not cooked in coconut oil for a change.
The same goes for the famous paneer tikka dosa. There isn't anything great about it; bland paneer wrapped in a crispy bland dosa. What comes as a surprise, though, is the mushroom mayo dosa; something that'll leave you licking your fingers . It's strange how dosa and mushrooms go so well together.
Also try the ice cream dosa. Made of a banana-maida batter with a scoop of ice cream of your choice, this is sure to take you by surprise, ice-cream melting over a warm crispy pancake. It's heavenly.
Although not the best place to take your date along but if you're bored and want to eat something healthy and non-meaty, give DC a try, you'll love it.
A meal for two will cost around Rs. 250.
Branches @ Adyar, Choolaimedu, Kilpauk, Mylapore, Nandanam and Anna Nagar East.
Cyril is a student at the Asian College of Journalism.
