Davangere Benne Dosa, a humble dosa centre near the bus depot at Rajarajeshwarinagar, is a quintessential Indian fast food outlet with the smell of butter hanging heavy in the air and large crowds thronging the eatery for the popular dosas.
A worthy takeaway
What's all the fuss about, I thought, as I tried my best to navigate through the throng to place my order. Several cars lined the street and the lucky few who got their dosas quickly made their way home with large parcels, or stood by the corner of the road enjoying their breakfast.
As I waited for my benne dosa, I watched the owner V. Nagaraj pour the batter onto the hot stove, which was surprisingly lit with fire wood. The generous dollops of butter he added to each dosa only magnified my hunger.
Although orders were delivered according to the token numbers, people seemed to push for them. With my number being the dreadfully faraway 45, I had no choice but to wait patiently.
A solid half-hour later, I set my hands on a plate of benne masala dosa. This better be worth the wait, I thought. Soft and fluffy with crisp corners, the benne dosa melts in the mouth and the distinct flavour of fire wood enhances its taste.
The flavours in the aloo stuffing were subtle and not overpowered by garlic. Although spicy , the ‘butteriness' of it makes it finger-licking fare. The coconut chutney is light and simple and complements the dosa perfectly.
Early breakfasts
Started about a year ago, the place fills up with college students during the weekdays and residents of the area at the weekends. Most of them line-up for an early breakfast, usually ordering the favourite benne dosa, uddin vada and of course, thatte idli.
The dosa centre maintains rigid timings, working between seven and twelve in the morning and between four to nine in the evenings. The butter puddu is a favourite evening snack.
“I've been making dosas all my life,” said the busy owner, Nagaraj, who makes the popular dosas while Harish Kumar and Savitramma manage the front office.
A traditional family business, Davangere benne dosa doles out the traditional affair of the region. Even though several such centres are springing up around the locality, this eatery located in 5th Stage, BEML Layout, stands out for its authenticity.
Affordable and homely
“The food is homely and very cheap, why go anywhere else?” asks Prasanna Kumar, who has been a regular to the joint. First-timer Poornima Mahesh, however, had apprehensions about having to wait so long for the food.
All said and done, albeit the long wait, the place offers a crisp vada for Rs. 8 and a delectable dosa for Rs. 20. If you are in Rajarajeshwarinagar, try the benne dosa for yourself and decide if it's worth the wait. As for me, the taste of the dosa still lingers in my mouth.